News Flash

The city is observing Black History Month in February with the annual Showcase of Song and Public Safety Black History Month Celebration, as well as special programs at the Brown and Douglas and South Fork recreation centers, social media posts featuring local African American history, and encore presentations of WSTV Digital Media productions relating to local African American history.

The annual “Showcase of Song: An African-American Cultural Celebration,” sponsored by the Human Relations Commission will be held on Saturday, Feb. 25 at noon at Union Baptist Church at 1200 North Trade St. The showcase features the historical significance of gospel hymns, coded messages and lyrics through performances ranging from Africa to modern-day American gospel music. 

At 1 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 19, the Police and Fire departments will honor select retirees, and Recreation and Parks will showcase entries in its Black History Month creative arts contest, during a virtual Public Safety Black History Month Celebration. 

That program can be watched on WSTV Digital Media, on the city’s YouTube channel and on the city website.

Planning and Development Services will feature weekly social media posts on historic preservation “firsts” related to Black history in celebration of the 75th anniversary of the Historic Resources Commission in 2023.

WSTV Digital Media (Spectrum Channel 13 and AT&T Uverse Channel 99) will feature encore presentations of its productions relating to local African American history in two-hour blocks at 8 p.m. on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays during February. Highlights include “Laying the Foundation” on Tuesdays, “Reynoldstown” on Thursdays and “Engine Four” on Saturdays. 

The South Fork Community Center will host keynote speaker Katherine Moore on Saturday, Feb. 18 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Moore is the daughter of the late Katherine Johnson, who worked as a mathematician for NASA on calculations that helped send astronauts into space. Johnson and other Black female mathematicians have been the subjects of the book and movie, “Hidden Figures.” STEM researchers, scientists, doctors and other professionals will also be on hand to discuss their work.

The Brown and Douglas Neighborhood Center will hold two free cultural programs. The “Renaissance” program on Friday, Feb. 24 at 11 a.m. will feature works of artists from the Harlem Renaissance. On Sunday, Feb. 26 at 3 p.m. the Twin City Choristers will perform.