Cook County State's Attorney to open Black History Family Festival Feb. 3

Kimberly Foxx, the first African-American woman to head the Cook County State's Attorney's Office, will give the keynote address at the 13th annual Black History Family Festival. The festival will be 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 3, in the Meadows Community Room at Gail Borden Public Library, 270 N. Grove Ave., Elgin.

Fox was elected in 2016 and previously served as Chief of Staff for Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle, where she was the lead architect of the county's criminal justice reform agenda to address racial disparities in the criminal and juvenile justice systems. She holds a B.A. in Political Science and a J.D. from Southern Illinois University.

Elgin Mayor David Kaptain also is scheduled to attend.

The Black History Family Festival is free to the community and offers music, stories, crafts, films and treats.

Attendees can meet Future American Leaders and see a live performance by the Chicago West Community Music Center from 3:15 to 4 p.m.

The official opening and welcome will begin at 1 p.m. in the Meadows Community Room, followed by the keynote speaker from 1:20 to 1:40 p.m. The scholarship presentation for the Future African American Leaders will be 1:45 to 2:15 p.m. It will be Jalen Little of OBS3RVE Music from 2:15 to 2:45 p.m., and Moving Justice Forward from 2:45 to 3 p.m.

In the KidSpace on the first floor, there will be craft projects from 1 to 3:15 p.m., and Read-Alouds for youngsters of all ages from 2:30 to 3:15 p.m. in the Story Room. Community organizations will have booths in the first-floor lobby area from 1 to 3:15 p.m. In Studio 270 on the second floor, check out the Future African American Leaders' video from 2:15 to 3 p.m.

Local author Traci O'Neal Ellis will speak from 2:15 to 3:15 p.m. in the second-floor Elgin Room.

The annual Black History Family Festival promotes literacy while celebrating the diversity and rich history specific to the local and global African American experience.

This year's partners include Elgin Community College, the City of Elgin, Elgin Area School District U-46, Elgin Symphony Orchestra, the Hoffman Estates Chapter and The Links Inc.

For information, visit www.gailborden.info/bhff or www.facebook.com/gailbordenpubliclibrary/.