Salem Kicks Off Series Of Black History Month Events Saturday

SALEM, MA — Salem will kick off a series of Black History Month events at Old Town Hall with a singing of the Black National Anthem and remarks from Mayor Dominick Pangallo and State Sen. Joan Lovely on Saturday and events to run each weekend in February.

Programming will include entertainment, and education, in the form of poetry, fashion, theatrical performances and music.

All events are free and open to the public. Donations to the Salem Human Rights Coalition support this work are welcome.

Saturday's event will begin at 11 a.m. and also include remarks from Salem Human Rights Coalition Chair Alphonse Wright and City of Salem Constituent Services and Special Projects Assistant Michael Corley.

"Sometimes history isn't about names at all, but tradition and duty," Wright said. "It's about the everyday struggle in a society that strategically undervalues you. It's also about beginnings, passing your story on so that future generations can have a sense of identity.

"All these pieces — names, tradition, duty, struggle and identity, coalesce into the story of Black History. From that story we learn that we have always been, and always will be, a vital piece of American history… whether you know our names, or not."

Other events throughout the month include:

Feb. 8, 3 p.m.: Vendor tie-in with Salem So Sweet.

7 p.m.: Soul Loved; An Exploration of Black Love through Music & Spoken Word

Feb. 21, 3 p.m.: Vendor booths

7 p.m.: History Alive, Inc. presents "Fashioning for Freedom: Layers of Liberty", a runway of ideas to celebrate the region's Black change-makers throughout history. Conceived and created by Kristina Wacome Stevick, artistic director.

Feb. 23, 12 p.m.: Vendor booths

3 p.m: History Alive, Inc. presents "In Open Rebellion". Picture this: It’s Autumn, 1774. Massachusetts is confined, punished & neglected by the Royal Government. Tyranny sparks hopes of Revolution! When Patriots meet secretly in Salem, enslaved Africans want to take the talk of Liberty at face value. Can they? This piece, commissioned by Essex Heritage to be written by Kristina Wacome Stevick, invites the audience to join the forbidden assembly! Directed by Samantha Searles. Featuring Adeniyi Samuel as Caesar.

Feb 28, 11 a.m.: Vendor Booths

12 p.m.: History of the African Drum, by Greg Coles

4:30 p.m.: Salem High School Jazz Band

(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. X/Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)