February is Black History Month, a time to honor the contributions African-Americans have made to every area of the country’s life. Like all commemorative occasions, it’s also a great excuse to have fun – and maybe learn some things you never knew before.
- Visit your local museums. Whether they’re dedicated to history, art or science, it’s a sure bet this month’s premier exhibits will focus on the work of black creators.
- Take a virtual course in black history at “The African-American Mosaic: A Library of Congress Resource Guide for the Study of Black History and Culture.” Then test your knowledge with the Black History Treasure Hunt (see kn.pacbell.com/wired/BHM/hunt.html). Take a backward dive into the Harlem Renaissance of the 1920s – a fortuitous burst of creativity among entertainers, writers, artists and musicians who happened to be black. Among them were Duke Ellington, Zora Neale Hurston, Ethel Waters and Langston Hughes.
- Have a dinner party and serve food with its roots in Africa and the black kitchens of the American South. You’ll find inspiration and recipes in dozens of Southern and African-American cookbooks.
- Sit back, relax and listen to some good, classic jazz. And maybe sign up for those piano lessons you’ve been promising yourself.
