LEICESTER City Council is marking Black History Month this October with author talks at its libraries and a special event at its flagship museum.
Author and poet Malik Al Nasir (pictured) will be at the Central Library on Wednesday 8 October to talk about his forthcoming book, Searching For My Slave Roots.
The talk starts at 7pm.
The following week, writer and literary consultant Sandra A Agard will bring her unique interactive storytelling skills to the Central Library, with an evening of African, Caribbean and world stories, as well as drama, songs, literature and games.
Telling Tales with Sandra A Agard starts at 6.30pm on Thursday 16 October.
Tickets for each event are just £3 for library members and £5 for non-members and can be purchased from the Central Library.
Highfields Library is the venue for an evening of conversation with author Marcia Hutchinson on Wednesday 29 October. Hosted by poet and playwright Carol Leeming, the event will be an opportunity to hear about the author’s solo literary debut, The Mercy Step.
In Conversation with Marcia Hutchinson starts at 6.30pm. Admission is free of charge but places should be reserved in advance by contacting Highfields Library.
Copies of Malik Al Nasir’s Searching For My Slave Roots and Marcia Hutchinson’s The Mercy Step will be available to purchase at each author’s event.
As well as author talks, the city’s libraries will be offering plenty of suggestions for great books by Black authors.
A list of e-format titles suitable for children, teens and adults has been specially curated by library staff to mark Black History Month.
David Olusoga’s Black History for Every Day of the Year, co-written with his sisters, Kemi and Yinka, and Daddy Do My Hair by Tola Okogwu and Chanté Timothy are two of the books on the children’s list, while Motherland: A Jamaican Cookbook by Melissa Thompson and Cursed Daughters by Oyinkan Braithwaite, are on the list of suggested reading for adults.
The list of themed titles for Black History Month can be viewed at Leicester Libraries’ OverDrive page at leicesteruk.overdrive.com
Leicester Museum & Art Gallery is marking Black History Month too, presenting a day of free performances and family activities on Saturday 11 October in partnership with Afro Innovation Group (AIG).
Evariste Tshindo and Ramelle Kabasele from AIG have developed a programme for the day that will include singing, music and dance from Swahili/Bantu, Congolese, Moroccan, Ethiopian and Eritrean performers, storytelling in the Leicester Stories Gallery and free creative workshops.
Leicester Museum’s Object of the Month – selected by AIG – is a display of masks from Tanzania, which will be on show throughout October.
The event runs from 11am-4pm on 11 October and is part of the Afro Heritage Project, led by AIG, supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, in partnership with Leicester Museums & Galleries.
Assistant city mayor Cllr Vi Dempster said: “Black History Month is a great opportunity to learn more about Black music, culture and art.
“Throughout October, our libraries will be celebrating the work of Black authors and helping to bring Black history to life for visitors for all ages, while our flagship museum will host a fantastic free event on 11 October that will showcase some of the best African music and dance.
“I hope that the events we’ve lined up will be both entertaining and inspirational for everyone taking part.”
The city council is just one of the organisations in Leicester that’s marking Black History Month.
Serendipity Institute for Black Arts and Heritage and partners across the city are hosting a range of exciting activities, designed to educate, inspire and entertain people of all ages during October.
A full programme of events for Black History Month can be found at serendipity-uk.com/whats-on/key-events/black-history-month/
Picture caption: Liverpool-born author Malik Al Nasir will be at Leicester’s Central Library on Wednesday 8 October to talk about his forthcoming book, Searching For My Slave Roots.