Community Corner
Be a Part of the March to Celebrate Black History Month
Community members are invited to take part in this inspirational march followed by a multi-media presentation at the Carroll County Arts Council.
In 1926, Carter G. Wilson created Negro History Week in an effort to promote the study of and increase the understanding of African American history. Fifty years later, the event expanded to the month-long celebration we now know as Black History Month.
On Feb. 8,community members are invited to participate in the "Peace and Unity Main Street March" to honor those who protested segretation during the Civil Rights Movement and pay tribute to those who worked to bring equality to African American citizens. McDaniel College will host this free event to commemorate Black History Month.
Mahlia Joyce, director of the Office of Diversity and Multicultural Affairs at McDaniel College, envisions that the night will provide a chance for “interaction and reflection in the spirit of unity and non-violence.”
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At 5:45, participants will meet at the McDaniel campus under the Ward Memorial Arch and proceed to march to the Carroll Arts Center holding candles and singing freedom songs in the tradition of the Civil Rights Movement. Joyce, who grew up in Westminster and received both her undergraduate and graduate degrees at McDaniel, said that the arch represents the connection between the college and the community.
Following the march, there will be a brief reception at 6:30 p.m. in the Carroll Arts Center lobby, affording participants a chance to talk and network.
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Joyce said that she hopes, above all, that the events of the night “spark conversation.”
Finally, community members will gather in the Carroll Arts Center theater for a multi-media presentation. The show, entitled “Road to Freedom” outlines the fight for civil rights and equality in the United States and highlights important figures in the movement. Performed by the Philadelphia-based company Key Arts Productions, the presentation combines commentary, video and live music to create a striking and thought-provoking performance.
“There’s so much that divides us,” Joyce notes. “This will be a night to reflect on what brings us together.”
