Celebrating Black History Month in Milford

February 9, 2024


February is Black History Month, a time when we celebrate the many achievements and contributions of individuals from the Black diaspora, as well as reckon with the systemic racism from the past that remains prevalent today. This year's theme, "African Americans and Arts," highlights the creativity and artistry of Black Americans, and their influence on our nation's culture.
Connecticut was home to several notable moments in Black history. The Canterbury Female Boarding School, the first boarding school for young Black girls in the country, was in Canterbury. Abolitionist John Brown was born in Torrington. The 29th Colored Regiment, an all-Black regiment based out of Fair Haven during the Civil War, was one of the first units to enter Richmond, Virginia after it was abandoned by the Confederate Army.
In 2019, Connecticut became the first state to require public schools to include Black and Latino history in their curriculum. Black history is American history -- and this law ensures that these stories are taught throughout the school year. A special thanks to the endless work of the Black and Puerto Rican Caucus and other colleagues in the General Assembly to demand this important education.

You can learn more about Black History Month at Milford Public Library. New York Times best-selling author Jason Mott will speak remotely about his recent novel "Hell of a Book," which explores identity, love, and being black in America in fiction writing. This National Book Award Winner's work of fiction is described as deeply honest, at times electrically funny, and as a book that goes to the heart of racism, police violence, and the hidden costs exacted upon Black Americans and America as a whole. 

The book discussion will take place on Tuesday, February 20 at 4:00 P.M. 
CLICK HERE to register!
Milford Public Library is also hosting a pair of movie screenings this month. The first will take a place just before the aforementioned book discussion. There will be a screening of "MLK/FBI" on Tuesday, February 20 from 2:00 P.M. - 4:00 P.M. The documentary includes recently declassified files to unearth how the agency branded and targeted Martin Luther King Jr. as an enemy of the state in the 1960s.
Middle and high school students are invited to watch "Remember the Titans" on Thursday, February 22 from 6:00 P.M. - 8:00 P.M. Students will then talk about the Civil Rights Movement and Black History Month. Organizers will provide discussion questions and resource lists to take home. 
I encourage you to celebrate Black History Month locally and throughout Connecticut. Our state has several resources that honor the Black experience, such as the Amistad Center for Art & Culture in Hartford and the Ruby and Calvin Fletcher African American Museum in Stratford.

Click here to find more places that celebrate Black history in Connecticut.