Waukegan Park District celebrates Black History Month
The Waukegan Park District will celebrate Black History Month with several programs and events throughout February. The special programming will honor African Americans and their contributions to arts, culture, and local history.
The following programs and events will be offered during Black History Month:
• Waukegan History Museum Pop-Up Exhibit: On display from Tuesday, Feb. 1, to Monday, Feb. 28, at Waukegan City Hall, 100 N. Martin Luther King Jr. Ave., Waukegan. The pop-up exhibit will feature stories of Waukegan's African American past, including the Underground Railroad, early pioneers and leaders, the segregated community of Frog Island, and the desegregation of Whittier School. Free.
• Waukegan's African American Historical Sites Self-Guided Tour on the Waukegan History Museum Companion App: Available on Monday, Feb. 1. New for Black History Month, the Waukegan History Museum Companion App will feature a self-guided tour that will take participants to important historic sites that help tell Waukegan's African American story. Visit app.waukeganhistorical.org. Free.
• Who Am I?: 6-7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 17, at the Jane Addams Center, 95 Jack Benny Drive, Waukegan. Through a variety of interactive puzzles, informational cards, and games, participants learn about historic Black figures who left a lasting impact on the world.
• Soul Food with Sylvia: 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, Feb. 19, at the Jane Addams Center, 95 Jack Benny Drive, Waukegan. Sylvia England, founder and executive director of the African American Museum at the England Manor, will demonstrate the cooking of a traditional soul food dish.
• Poetry Slam: 6-7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 25, at the Jack Benny Center for the Arts, 39 Jack Benny Drive, Waukegan. Participants will learn about influential Black poets and have the opportunity to read their favorite poem written by a Black poet or themselves.
In addition, the Waukegan History Museum will be offering free outreach programs for local classes and community organizations: "Waukegan and the Underground Railroad" and "Influential African Americans in Waukegan."
More details about the Waukegan Park District's special programming during Black History Month, including registration, are available at waukeganparks.org/blackhistorymonth.