Almost 50 years after the end of segregation, Richland Library is taking a community-driven look back at the civil rights movements of the past + the racial progress Columbia has made over the years with their Black History Month programming throughout February.

Here are five events we recommend:

🎬 BadDDD Sonia Sanchez | Saturday, Feb. 4, 3-5 p.m. | Main branch | Emmy-nominated documentary on the life of Sonia Sanchez, a renowned activist, poet + figure of the Black Arts Movement.

🎤 Open Mic: Voices of Our People Edition | Tuesday, Feb. 6, 6 p.m. | St. Andrews | Celebrate + share your own work through poetry, music, spoken word + more.

✍🏾 Kimberla Lawson Roby | Saturday, Feb. 10, 2 p.m. | Main | Kimberla Lawson Roby, author of the bestselling “Reverend Curtis Black” series, will read her story, “From Rejection to New York Times Bestselling Author: My Personal Journey,” followed by a Q&A and book signing.

📚 A Storytime Celebration | Thursday, Feb. 1, 10 a.m. | Cooper | Family-friendly storytime celebrating Black History Month – perfect for kids.

🎭 A Reading of The Drama of King Shotaway | Thursday, Mar. 1 | 6:30 p.m. | Main | Original play by UofSC professor Marvin McAllister that tells the story of an African American theater company attempting to produce a new drama in 1822.

See the full series of events.

5 min read / COLAtoday