In 1926, Carter G. Woodson was very intentional in his choice of the month of February for what began as Negro History Week. Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass both share birthdays in February and are celebrated for their contributions to the struggle for racial equality. In 1976, when Negro History Week officially shifted to Black History Month, Carter G. Woodson never believed that a week for the study of Black life and history would be enough—it was done with the intent that it would contribute to continued learning.
We wish to be just as intentional as we honor Black History Month. We wish to affirm that the Sacramento Public Library supports our Black community in Sacramento and Black communities across our nation and the globe. We affirm that Black lives matter.
We hope you will join us in honoring Black History Month by exploring our book lists and participating in events that celebrate the past, present and future of Black lives.
“You are bountiful because of all the people you hold inside you,
all the people who walked before you,
all the people who lived so that you could live.
They are alive in you and you are bountiful.”
-Viola Allo, Cameroonian Poet, MLIS Candidate
Upcoming Events
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Words Take Wing (February 23)
Join us for Words Take Wing: Honoring Diversity in Children's Literature, an evening with award-winning author Lesa Cline-Ransome. Lesa will speak about challenges and obstacles she has faced as a writer, her process in choosing the topics and people for her books, and how the past informs the present. This event will take place on Zoom on February 23 at 5 p.m. Register here to attend.
BYOB Book Club (February 16)
This month, we encourage you to read books by or about contemporary Black voices. Need some inspiration? Check out our booklist with titles from Janet Mock, W. Kamau Bell, Ta-Nehisi Coates to Safiya Sinclair, Charles M. Blow, Jesmyn Ward and more. Register here to attend.
Hip Hop Storytime (Fridays at 10:30 a.m.)
Join us on Facebook Live for a 30 minute interactive session that includes storytime, rapping/call and response, and hip hop dance/movement. This fun and engaging session is targeted to youth ages 3 to 5 years old, but the entire family is encouraged to participate every Friday at 10:30 a.m. Watch live on the Sacramento Public Library's Facebook.
Dial-A-Tale (February)
Dial-A-Tale celebrates #BlackVoices: In Their Own Words this month. Call 916-575-4590 to listen to a recording highlighting classic and modern voices from the Black Community updated every 3 days.
Reading Recommendations for Adults
Reading Recommendations for Youth