Black History Month
Black lives and Black history matter all year long. We encourage you to browse our Black Voices book and movie lists.
During Black History Month, we invite you to attend the events listed below as we learn and commemorate the heritage month as a community.
Read our blog post about fair housing efforts in Skokie.
Upcoming Events
Friday Film: Just Mercy
Friday, February 28, 2025, 1:30 pm
Based on the critically acclaimed memoir by author and attorney Bryan Stevenson.
Just Mercy follows the defense attorney as he starts the Equal Justice Initiative and takes on the case of Walter McMillan, a man wrongfully convicted of murder who is on death row. Starring Michael B. Jordan, Jamie Foxx, O'Shea Jackson Jr., and Brie Larson.
2019 -- 137 minutes -- PG-13 for thematic content including some racial epithets -- Drama
Friday Film: Just Mercy
Friday, February 28, 2025, 6:30 pm
Based on the critically acclaimed memoir by author and attorney Bryan Stevenson.
Just Mercy follows the defense attorney as he starts the Equal Justice Initiative and takes on the case of Walter McMillan, a man wrongfully convicted of murder who is on death row. Starring Michael B. Jordan, Jamie Foxx, O'Shea Jackson Jr., and Brie Larson.
2019 -- 137 minutes -- PG-13 for thematic content including some racial epithets -- Drama
Pages Through History: Master, Slave, Husband, Wife
Wednesday, March 5, 2025, 7:00 pm
The extraordinary true story of Ellen and William Craft, who escaped slavery through daring, determination, and disguise.
Just before Christmas in 1848, a “Mr. Johnson” boarded a train in Macon, GA. With him was an enslaved attendant upon whom the obviously sickly young gentleman–his features obscured by bandages and tinted spectacles–seemed to rely for his every need. Ellen and William Craft were headed north.
Master, Slave, Husband, Wife: An Epic Journey from Slavery to Freedom tells the story of the Crafts’ nerve-wracking feat of deception, and of the months and years that followed, when they became part of a movement that recognized how dramatic accounts like theirs could help turn public opinion against slavery. The days when it had seemed the United States might “endure permanently half slave and half free” were coming to an end.
Find Master, Slave, Husband, Wife in the library catalog.
This is a hybrid event with the option to participate in person or on Zoom. Online participants will receive the Zoom link in their confirmation email.
If you have questions about this event after registration has closed, please email the events team or call the library at 847-673-7774.
Limited to 24 in-person participants.
Past Events
Family Movie: Cinderella (1997)
Thursday, February 20, 2025, 6:30 pm
This 1997 production of the Rodger's and Hammerstein classic features Brandy as Cinderella, Whitney Houston as the fairy godmother, and Paolo Montalban as Prince Christopher.
If you saw Cinderella in the Descendants: The Rise of Red movie, you might be especially interested in her backstory. A magical and musical delight!
1997 -- 88 minutes -- Rated G -- Musical, Comedy
Emergence and Evolution of Blues Music in America
Wednesday, February 19, 2025, 6:30 pm
Fruteland Jackson presents a historical overview of blues music, from its early folk roots to contemporary styles.
Trace the history of blues through listening to songs, lecture, and discussions, complemented by instrumental demonstrations on the guitar.
This presentation includes the African connection and West African Roots of American blues music and the legacy of W.C. Handy, known as the father of the blues. We'll also delve into the "urban conversation" with the origins of Rock and Roll and Chicago blues tradition.
Talking Books Discussion Group: The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store
Wednesday, February 19, 2025, 1:30 pm
In 1972, a skeleton is unearthed in the close-knit community of Chicken Hill, PA, where an unforgettable cast of characters guards a long-buried secret.
Tensions rise as the truth unfolds about what happened and the role the town’s white establishment played.
Author James McBride will be featured in a Zoom event earlier in the month presented by libraries across Illinois. Learn more about that Wednesday, February 4 event.
This discussion is a hybrid event with the option to participate on Zoom or by phone. If you wish to participate on Zoom, indicate your interest in the registration form and we will email the Zoom event link and call-in number after registration has closed.
Registration closes at 10 am the day of the event. If you have questions about this event after registration has closed, email the events team or call the library at 847-673-7774.
Find The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store in the library catalog.
Celebrate Black Inventors
Monday, February 17, 2025, 4:30 pm
Celebrate some of the great inventors throughout history. Learn about Black inventors and some of their inventions that have changed our world for the better.
Try your hand at recreating some of their amazing creations. Drop-in event for kids age 5-10 and an adult.
Ayodele Drum and Dance: The Rhythms of West Africa
Sunday, February 16, 2025, 3:00 pm
Enjoy a culturally enriching West African dance and live drum experience by Ayodele Drum and Dance. which fosters community from a feminine perspective through diasporic African drum and dance.
Free tickets will be given out starting at 2:30 pm to persons who are present.
LitLounge: As the Wicked Watch
Wednesday, February 12, 2025, 7:30 pm
Emmy Award–winning broadcast journalist Tamron Hall debuts a critically acclaimed and suspenseful mystery set in Chicago.
In this thriller, journalist Jordan Manning investigates a series of murders of Black women that are overlooked by the media, news, and politicians.
The book can be found in our library catalog as well as digitally on Hoopla.
This discussion is brought to you in partnership with Morton Grove Public Library.
Be the Scientist: Glaciers
Tuesday, February 11, 2025, 4:30 pm
Build your understanding of scientific concepts with fun activities.
What are glaciers, how do they form, and why are they important? We will learn about Matthew Alexander Henson, an African American explorer of the Arctic for whom the Henson Glacier in Greenland was named.
For kids age 5-10. Please register each child separately.
Alysha Monique: Journey through Black American Music
Sunday, February 9, 2025, 3:00 pm
This captivating performance takes us through the origins and evolution of Black music—from its roots in gospel, jazz, and blues to today’s hip-hop, R&B, and neo-soul.
What is Black American music to you? Is it the timeless soul of Aretha Franklin and Erykah Badu, the innovative blues of Deford Bailey and Bessie Smith, or the vibrant rhythms of the Jackson 5, SWV, De La Soul, and Anderson .Paak? Black American music is all of these—and more. Celebrating the profound impact of Black American music, Alysha Monique & The Family Divine highlight music as a cornerstone of Black history.
As a bold and sensual vocalist, Alysha Monique brings this story to life with her powerful, sultry voice and authentic artistry. Known for her ability to weave individuality, love, and self-actualization into every note, Alysha’s performances are striking, poignant, and unforgettable. Surrounded by a team of visionary musicians, she continues to push creative boundaries while honoring the rich legacy of Black American music.
Free tickets will be given out starting at 2:30 pm to persons who are present.
Exploring Black American Poets and Poetry
Thursday, February 6, 2025, 6:30 pm
Poet, author, and teacher Chasity Gunn hosts an interactive presentation on Black American poetry.
Black American poets and poetry throughout history have highlighted and addressed struggles and experiences of Black Americans, often inspiring and connecting to larger movements. We will explore authors and themes around and beyond labor to reflect, respect, and understand artistry and activism.
Chasity became the city of Elgin's inaugural Poet Laureate in 2019. She teaches literature at Elgin Community College. In 2021, she received an Academy of American Poets Laureate Fellowship.
An Evening with James McBride: Online Event
Tuesday, February 4, 2025, 7:00 pm
An evening talk with James McBride, an award-winning author, musician, and screenwriter.
James McBride's landmark memoir, The Color of Water, was published in 1996 and his novel, The Good Lord Bird, won the National Book Award for Fiction. His 2023 novel, The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store, was named one of The New York Times’ 100 Notable Books of 2023.
A recipient of the National Humanities Medal in 2016, James is a distinguished writer in residence at New York University.
Our own Talking Books Discussion Group will be discussing The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store on Wednesday, February 19, 1:30-2:30 pm. Register for that additional event here.
This event is made possible by Illinois Libraries Present (ILP), a statewide collaboration among public libraries offering premier events. ILP is funded in part by a grant awarded by the Illinois State Library, a department of the Office of Secretary of State, using funds provided by the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services, under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act.
ILP is committed to inclusion and accessibility. To request accommodations, email illinoislibrariespresent@gmail.com
Illinois Libraries Present is committed to inclusion and accessibility. To request accommodations, please email Illinois Libraries Present.