Queens Celebrates Black History Month

By Shams Tarek

With Black History Month upon us, events celebrating the achievements of African Americans are many.

The following is a PRESS look at some of those events, going on throughout Queens celebrating Black culture.

The unofficial kick-off for the borough’s Black History Month events may be the Feb. 7 local unveiling of the Postal Service’s 2003 entry in its Black Heritage Stamp Series.

Justice Laura Blackburne, York College Interim President Russell Hotzler and postal officials will unveil a stamp commemorating Thurgood Marshall at a 10 a.m. ceremony at York College.

Mayor Mike Bloomberg, Borough President Helen Marshall and choirs from local schools and the Jamaica NAACP Daycare Center are invited to the annual event.

Thurgood Marshall, a lifelong lawyer who at one point ran the NAACP’s legal office in Manhattan, made history when he became the first African American Supreme Court justice, during the height of the civil rights era in 1967.  He served in that capacity for 24 years.

It wasn’t the first time that Marshall had made history in the country, though.  In 1954, he was an instrumental part of the legal team that won the infamous “Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka” case that struck down school segregation and set a precedent for race relations in all walks of life in America ever since.

The Black Heritage Stamp Series has a special Southeast Queens connection, too—50-year St. Albans resident, historian and stamp collector Clarence Irving, who recently retired and moved to Long Island, founded the Series in 1978.

The US Postal Service released this stamp in honor of Black History Month. Photo Courtesy of USPS

“Nobody ever bothers to give credit to these people who looked at what America is and said, ‘What are we going to do with this?’” Irving said about African Americans who have made significant contributions to the country.  “People need to be more aware of heroes.”

Irving also founded the Black American Heritage Foundation (BAHF), in an effort to make sure that the country’s African Americans—both famous and unknown—have a custodian for their history.  Last month, Irving was given a lifetime achievement award by Helen Marshall at her State of the Borough address for his work.

“I wanted people to know the truth about how we do things,” Irving said of his reasons for starting the foundation.  “The successes that we had through the years,” he said of the BAHF and fellow community leaders, “we had because we just wanted to be good Americans doing American things.”

The Queens Public Library, one of the borough’s most active and consistent sources for learning outside the classroom, is reveling in Black History Month with a range of events both big and small.

The centerpiece of the programming is a two-day celebration commemorating late poet Langston Hughes’ 101st birthday at Corona’s Langston Hughes Community Library and Cultural Center.

There will be eight hours of events at the Library on Feb. 8:

At noon, St. Clair Bourne will present “The Dream Keeper,” a biographical film about Hughes.

At 1 p.m., poet and author Haki Madhubuti will give a talk about Hughes’ work and life.

At 2 p.m., performers Dina Gardner and Friends will recite poetry and play jazz inspired by Hughes.

At 3 p.m., the Genesis Dance Company will do a Dance Tribute to Hughes.

At 4 p.m., the Harlem Blues and Jazz Band will perform “Jazz in the Key of Langston.”

At 5 p.m., actor Anthony Thompson will perform “Tales of Simple,” sketches of Hughes’ work focusing on one of Hughes’ most memorable characters, Jess B. Simple.

Afrikan Poetry Theatre will host a tribute to Ken Bridges on Feb. 9. PRESS Photo By Ira Cohen

At 6 p.m., actor Alim Akbar will do a performance based on Hughes’ poem “Shakespeare in Harlem.”

At 7 p.m., Jamaica jazzman Harold Ousley and some of his friends will perform their “Message Suite.”

A similar roster of events, including a lecture about Hughes’ poetry, and a couple of performances featuring poetry and music inspired by Hughes, was held at the Library on Feb. 1.

A musical tribute to Hughes will also be held on Feb. 9 at noon.

The Feb. 8 event is free; the Library is at 100-01 Northern Blvd.  Call 651-1100, or visit www.queenslibrary.org, for more information.

Other events commemorating Black History Month at the Queens Library and elsewhere include:

Feb. 7: Gospel Extravaganza

On Feb. 7, Councilman James Sanders, who represents Laurelton and Far Rockaway, along with the Black, Latino and Asian Caucus of the City Council, will host a day of praise and inspiration honoring the tradition of gospel.

The 4:30 p.m. event will be held at the Surrogate Court in Manhattan, at 31 Chambers St.

“The gospel tradition charted our earliest footprints from bondage to freedom,” Sanders said before singing a sample.  “Steal away, steal away, steal away to Jesus or we shall overcome.  Can we ever forget never-to-be-forgotten songs of freedom?”

Feb. 8: Tribute to Dinah Washington

The Dorothy Parks/Ray McKinley Trio will perform a tribute to blues and jazz standards legend Dinah Washington.

The event will be at 2 p.m. at the South Ozone Park branch of the Queens Public Library, at 128-16 Rockaway Blvd. Call 529-1660 for more information.

Feb. 8: Black History Month Cultural Classes

Grace Lutheran Church is hosting a four-week, four-session educational series on African American culture on Feb. 8, 15 and 22.

The classes, designed for children aged seven to 14, will focus on drama, African music, spirituals, quilting, black inventors, science, medicine, writing, art and black contributions to the military.

The series costs $40; adults can attend the sessions for $10 each.

The Church is at 100-05 Springfield Boulevard. Call 465-1010 for more information.

Feb. 8: African Education

The African Education Institute will host its annual cultural day featuring speakers and poets at the Afrikan Poetry Theatre.

At 6 p.m. at 176-03 Jamaica Ave.  Call 523-3312 for more information.

Feb. 9: Tribute to a Sniper Victim

The Afrikan Poetry Theatre is holding a 1 p.m. tribute to Ken Bridges, the founder of MATAH, a national African American business marketing company who was recently shot dead by a sniper near Washington D.C.

The Afrikan Poetry Theatre is at 176-03 Jamaica Ave.  Call 523-3312 for more information.

Feb. 10: Langston Hughes Performance

In “Tales of Simple,” performer Anthony Thompson will present a solo dramatic performance on one of Langston Hughes’ most memorable characters, Jesse B. Simple.

At 6:30 p.m. at the South Hollis branch of the Queens Public Library, at 204-01 Hollis Ave.  Call 465-6779 for more information.

Feb. 11: Jazz Tribute

Kim Clarke and the Inner Circle All Stars will conduct a performance and lecture on jazz legends who lived in Queens, including Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald, Count Basie and others.

At 6:30 p.m. at the Queens Central Library, at 89-11 Merrick Blvd.  Call 990-0700 for more information.

Feb. 12: Sisterfriends @Your Library

Join Dr. Jeff Gardere and other library patrons for a reading and discussion of Gardere’s Love Prescription: Ending the War Between Black Men and Women.

At 6:30 p.m. at the Queens Central Library, at 89-11 Merrick Blvd.  Call 990-8643 for the required pre-registration.

Feb. 15: The State of Hip Hop

A panel representing hip-hop and community activists will discuss the state of the popular musical and cultural phenomenon, at noon at the Afrikan Poetry Theatre.

At 176-03 Jamaica Ave.  Call 523-3312 for more information.

Feb. 15: Winter Caribbean Carnival

As part of NY Grammy Fest 2003, the Flushing Council on Culture and the Arts and the Caribbean Cultural Center have teamed up to present what they’re calling the first-ever winter Caribbean carnival in the borough.

The day-long event will feature family activities from 2 to 5 p.m., including carnival mask making, steel pan demonstrations, Caribbean storytelling, Pan-Caribbean dance, face painting and musical instrument making.

At 8 p.m. will be eight bands performing live calypso, soca and reggae music.  There will also be two dance companies, “Something Positive” and “Ogans;” they’ll perform in full carnival costume.

Radio WWRL disc jockeys Simon Templer and Prince Kalunda will host a “Top Ten Caribbean Countdown Show,” broadcast live, starting at 7 p.m.

The daytime activites will cost $7 for adults and $5 for children.

The evening concert is $30 in advance, $35 at the door.

All the events will be held at Flushing Town Hall, at 137-35 Northern Blvd.