Throughout the month of February, the government of Burlington County and Rowan College of Burlington County (RCBC) will be holding a number of afternoon events to celebrate Black History Month. The public can enjoy dance performances, movies, gallery visits, and lectures, such as one about Muhammad Ali, a former heavyweight boxing champion who previously resided in South Jersey.
An afternoon gathering with music, poetry, and refreshments will be placed on Sunday, February 18 at 3 p.m. at the Underground Railroad Museum in historic Smithville Park in the county. Listed below are upcoming events at the Westampton County Library, Eastampton’s historic Smithville Park, Mount Holly’s Lyceum, and Burlington County, New Jersey’s Rowan University.
Dance Performances
The Burlington County Library auditorium (5 Pioneer Boulevard at Woodlane Road, Westampton) will host a performance by The Seventh Principle on Sunday, February 18 at 2:30 and 3 pm. The group’s high-energy, story-telling dance combines West African tradition with modern African-American dance. There is no need to make a reservation, however, there is a restricted number of seats available.
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The first show will be called “Bantaba: The Circle of Celebration,” while the second will be called “Civil Rights Movements.” On Tuesday, February 20 at 1:00 pm, RCBC’s Student Success Center (located at 38 Route 38 in Mount Laurel) will host a performance by Zawadi African Dance.
Movies At the Library
At 2:00 on Saturday afternoons, the Burlington County Library’s auditorium (which only holds 260 people) will be open for free screenings of the following films:
- Feb. 19: “The Butler”
- Feb. 25: “Selma”
On Friday, February 15 at 7 p.m., the Mount Holly Campus of Rowan College at Burlington County will hold the college’s annual Black History Month Fashion Show, featuring the work of both students and professionals in the fashion industry.
Two Art Exhibits Now Until April
The exhibit “The Art of Lady Bird Cleveland: An American Treasure,” which features Cherokee, Irish, and African art subjects, is on view at the Smithville Mansion Annex Gallery in Eastampton’s historic Smithville Park until April 1.
Until April 8th, the Worker’s House Gallery in Smithville is hosting an exhibition of works by the late artist, scientist, and educator Joe Speight of Evesham. To name just a few of his many accomplishments, Speight was a renowned scientist, educator, and artist whose works frequently examined the black experience and representations.
Educational Lecture
On February 15 at 10 a.m., the Lyceum of History and Natural Sciences in Mount Holly will host a lecture titled “Spirit of Freedom,” which will discuss a celebration held in Mount Holly in 1872 to commemorate the 10th anniversary of President Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation and which attracted thousands of people from all over the East Coast.