September Friday, Sept. 11 7 pm Black Farming: Beyond 40 acres and a Mule Conference Opening Event Join award-winning historian Anna-Lisa Cox on Friday, Sept. 11 at 7 pm as she discusses her book
The Bone and Sinew of the Land: America's Forgotten Black Pioneers and the Struggle for Equality. The book tells the lost history of the nation's first Great Migration to the Northwest Territory in the early 1800s. This program is being presented as the opening event of the Black Farming: Beyond 40 acres and a Mule conference. This conference will focus on the influential history of black farmers in Ohio. The workshops will emphasize the strength of the community, preparing the next generation of underrepresented farmers for the future, and cultivating the cooperative business model to promote healthy farming and sustainable businesses. The two-day virtual conference is sponsored by Antioch College, The Arthur Morgan Institute for Community Solutions, Central State University, and the National Afro-American Museum and Cultural Center. The conference is free and open to the public. For more information, go to
https://blackfarmingohio.eventbrite.com T
hursday, Sept. 17 7 pm Pretty and Professional - Beauty in Ohio's Black Community, 1830-1950 Presented by Nettie Ferguson and Cecelia McFadden of Franklin County Genealogical Society African American Interest Group Beauty and Barbershops have been the backbone of the Black business community for nearly 200 years. Ms. Ferguson takes us on a personal journey of this history through the story of her aunt Winnie Guess Mitchell [1916-2018]. Mrs. Mitchell attended the Poro School of Cosmetology in Columbus in 1935 and became a licensed beautician. You'll learn the story of Mrs. Mitchell's involvement with the Culturette 10 Association. Formed as a membership organization for Black beauticians, the group advocated for racial equality, supported community improvement causes, hosted fashion shows, and other events. Cecelia will establish the framework for the rise of the profession, showing how hair and makeup transformed the image of the black woman over time. This presentation is part one of a two-part series that is part of the African American Barbers & Beautician project 1830-1950. Register for this free education program through this
Zoom link. Please note that the webinar will close for late participants at 7:15 pm. For more information, email
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call 800.752.2603 ext. 0
October Thursday, Oct. 1 7 pm A History of Race and the Right to Vote in Reconstruction Ohio Presented by Professor Ric Sheffield, Kenyon College
The right to vote, long hailed as the embodiment, sine qua non, of liberty in American society, has special historical significance for persons of African descent in the United States and Ohio, in particular. It was the quest for this quintessential right of citizenship, perhaps even more so than ethereal notions of equality generally that undergirds some of the most significant episodes in the annals of America's civil rights struggle. In weighing the often-dire consequences of resistance against the potential gains thought to reside in the elective franchise, Black Americans, even in Ohio, literally risked life, limb, and livelihood to claim their places at the polls. Register for this free education program through this
Zoom link. Please note that the webinar will close for late participants at 7:15 pm. For more information, email
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call 800.752.2603 ext. 0
Wednesday, Oct. 21 7 pm Behind the Mask: Black Power in Comics panel discussion Moderated by: Derek Pridemore, NAAMCC curatorial assistant
Presenters: Charles Askew (a.k.a. Sean Smith), Author; Victor Dandridge, Jr. President & Editor-in-Chief at Vantage: Inhouse Productions; Lisa Shepherd, Actress, artist, and writer
Storytellers have always been at the forefront of political and social change. It's no different for Black comic creators, who have historically used their work to shine a light on how everyday people can overcome injustice and become heroes. Join us for a lively discussion with three nationally-known Black comic creators. This webinar will include an overview of our Behind the Mask: Black Power in Comics exhibit, which is currently on display at the National Afro-American Museum and Cultural Center. The exhibit uncovers the influence of several generations of comic artists and illustrates how comics have changed as America has changed. Register for this free education program through this
Zoom link. Please note that the webinar will close for late participants at 7:15 pm. For more information, email
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.or call 800.752.2603 ext. 0
Thursday, Oct. 29 RIGGED: The Voter Suppression Playbook – Virtual Screening Event 7 pm Hosts: American Issues Initiative & the National Afro-American Museum and Cultural Center RIGGED: The Voter Suppression Playbook is an award-winning documentary that exposes the nefarious tactics used to suppress the vote and serves to spark discussion on the actions needed to protect our democracy.
Shot principally during the 2016 election, the film tracks a systematic, decade-long effort to reverse the impact of the growing demographic tide of non-white and younger voters who helped elect President Barack Obama in 2008. It details a variety of voter suppression "plays," or tactics, ranging from the purging of voting rolls and passing of new, restrictive voter ID laws to gerrymandering and voter intimidation. The film includes revealing interviews with Republican strategists detailing how the voter suppression game is played as well as cogent insights from leading voting rights advocates, law professors, and Democratic strategists. It is narrated by Tony & Emmy award-winning actor, Jeffrey Wright. This screening will be presented via Zoom Webinar. Pre-registration is required through
Eventbrite. A link will be emailed to all RSVPs 48 hours in advance of the screening.
November Thursday, Nov. 12 7 pm
Double Freedom - The History of the Black Barber in Ohio
Presented by Cecelia McFadden and Nettie Ferguson of the Franklin County Genealogical Society African American Interest Group The history of the black barber has an entangled relationship with his capture and enslavement in North America. Unlike the black cosmetologist, the black barber's original clientele was exclusively white, serving at the pleasure of his master and other white businessmen. Learn the story of black haircutters in the Northwest Territory, and how their skills fueled their emancipation, civil rights, and economic freedom. The barber profession was often a launch point for other economic and community endeavors. Vignettes of famous barbers and their community impact will be highlighted. This presentation is part two of a two-part series that is a part of the African American Barbers & Beautician project 1830 - 1950. Register for this free education program through this
Zoom link. Please note that the webinar will close for late participants at 7:15 pm. For more information, email
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call 800.752.2603 ext. 0.
These programs are partially supported by a grant from
The National Afro-American Museum and Cultural Center (NAAMCC) presents its seventh annual juried art show-Art of Soul! The exhibit will open on Saturday, Oct. 3, 2020, at the National Afro-American Museum and Cultural Center, 1350 Brush Row Rd., Wilberforce, Ohio 45384. Artists from across the United States have been selected for the national juried art exhibition in response to the theme of Impact.
Queens of the Heartland spotlights 30 stories of trailblazing Ohio Black women in a new exhibition curated by the National Afro-American Museum and Cultural Center (NAAMCC). Visitors will learn about women from the 19th to the 21st centuries who were influencers in the arts, literature, education, science, and politics.
