Black History Month 2015 in the USA

                                                  Poet, author, lecturer Delores Fisher

A brief history of Black History month reveals its origins in Harvard trained historian Dr. Carter G. Woodson who nurtured its progression as a week long celebration during the late 1920s. The week he chose  included the birth dates of both president Abraham Lincoln (February 12th) and abolitionist Frederick Douglass (who chose the birth date of February 14th see  http://www.biography.com/people/frederick-douglass-9278324 ) .

"In 1976, as the US was celebrating its bicentennial, the ASALH (Association for the Study of African American Life and History) expanded the traditional week-long celebration of African-American history to a month, and Black History Month was born. "
(see  http://www.africanamericanhistorymonth.gov/about.html  ).
President Carter officially recognized Black History Month in 1978
( see http://afroamhistory.about.com/od/blackhistorymonth/a/The-Origins-Of-Black-History-Month.htm ).

 An interpretation of Lincoln's "Gettysburg Address" and Frederick Douglass' "What to the Slave Is the 4th of July"

Delores Fisher in a live performance on November 22nd 2014 at the San Diego Central Library'sinstallation celebration of the traveling 

                              "Lincoln The Constitution and the Civil War Exhibit"

Since my teen years, I have participated in many Black History month events-including the Hope For Haiti fund raiser sponsored by SDSU's Black Student Science Organization. I enjoy donating my time and talents to this event. A review of the 2015 fund raiser will be posted in a few weeks

                                                     Hope For Haiti: 2013

This month, I also attended a sold out, standing room only celebration of a project long overdue.
Kendrick Dial and Lyrical Groove invited me as a special guest/ reviewer to their CD release party at San Diego's House of Blues. It was off the chain!!!!!!! (Show and CD review soon, I promise)

Here's a quick peak at the show:

                    Kendrick Dial and Lyrical Groove at the House Of Blues

Another 2015 event/appearance; One that I anticipate will result in a sharing of scholarly and experiential perspectives between panel and audience is the screening of "At The River I Stand." A film that details how Dr. King was expanding his socio-politcal beyond race,  its focus is events surrounding the 1968 garbage worker strike that brought Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. to Memphis where he was assassinated. The screening will take place at San Diego State in Love Library, from 1:00PM-3:00PM in room 430/431. It is open to the general public.

"At the River I Stand"  
1 to 3 p.m.,  Love Library Room 430/431

Well known San Diego State University Department of Africana Studies Chair, Dr. Charles Toombs (winner of the SDSU 2014 Faculty Diversity Award), is an author,  a scholar, sought after lecturer and CFA Board of Directors member http://www.calfac.org/cfa-board-directors

                                                                 Dr. Charles Toombs

For me, as one of the panelist, preparation for the video screening  has brought back many memories. Our world has changed, but an uncomfortable reality is that some of our  social, political, cultural and global issues look like 1968 zombies resurrected in 21st century dystopic "blackface" make-up . . . .

Echoes of unchanging same?

Delores Fisher