Black History Month: History Center Offers Free Virtual Programs in February
The Smithsonian-affiliated Senator John Heinz History Center interprets and preserves African American history and culture year-round through a variety of events and exhibitions curated by the museum’s African American Program.
In recognition of Black History Month, the African American Program of the Heinz History Center will present a series of FREE virtual programs throughout February:
Professor and lawyer Dr. Gloria J. Browne-Marshall will speak for the History Center’s Eighth Annual Black History Month Lecture on Friday, Feb. 18 at 5:30 p.m. and discuss her book “She Took Justice: The Black Woman, Law, and Power.”
Eighth Annual Black History Month Lecture
“She Took Justice: The Black Woman, Law, And Power”
Friday, Feb. 18 · 5:30-7:30 p.m.
In a virtual lecture, Dr. Gloria J. Browne-Marshall will discuss her book “She Took Justice: The Black Woman, Law, and Power,” which explores the Black woman’s miraculous journey from Africa to political power brokers in American politics. She will delve into the lives of famous, infamous, and forgotten women in history from 1619 to 1969 and how they sought justice.
Dr. Browne-Marshall is a constitutional law professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice (CUNY) and has received several honors for her work with civil rights, social justice, and women's equality issues, including a Pulitzer Center grant. She is also a civil rights attorney who has litigated cases for Southern Poverty Law Center in Alabama, Community Legal Services in Philadelphia, and the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, Inc. Read her full bio here.
Admission is FREE for this virtual program, but advance registration is required.
From Slavery to Freedom Film Series
“Blood Brothers, Malcom X and Muhammad Ali”
Wednesday, Feb. 23 · 5:30 p.m.
The From Slavery to Freedom Film Series, in partnership with the Frick Environmental Center of the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy, examines themes from the History Center’s award-winning exhibition through the presentation of film screenings throughout the year.
For Black History Month, the History Center will host a virtual screening of “Blood Brothers: Malcolm X & Muhammad Ali,” produced by Kenya Barris and directed by Marcus A. Clarke. Set within the Civil Rights Movement, the film explores the friendship and falling out of the Nation of Islam Minister Malcolm X and Olympic champion and heavyweight contender Muhammad Ali.
Admission is FREE for this virtual program, but advance registration is required. Visit heinzhistorycenter.org/events for updates on how to register.
Educational Programs for Students and Teachers
For this year’s Black History Month theme, Black Health and Wellness, the History Center educators will offer free programs for teachers and students that focus on the history and legacy of Pittsburgh’s Freedom House Ambulance Service. Space is very limited, so teachers should e-mail Jocelyn McLaughlin at jnmclaughlin@heinzhistorycenter.org for more information.
“History and the Legacy of the Freedom House”
Thursday, Feb. 17
10 a.m., grades 3–7
1 p.m., grades 8–12
The History Center will host “The History and Legacy of the Freedom House,” a free webinar for teachers and students. This virtual program will explore the story of the Freedom House Ambulance Service, a trailblazing agency that trained African American men and women as paramedics to deliver lifesaving medical care to the Hill District, a predominantly Black neighborhood in Pittsburgh. Learn more about how Freedom House shaped a generation of emergency service professionals and set the standards for modern emergency medicine.
Admission is FREE for this virtual teacher program, but advance registration is required for both webinars.
“John Moon: The Legacy of the Freedom House Ambulance Service”
Thursday, Feb. 24
10 a.m., grades 3–7
1 p.m., grades 8–12
The History Center will host “John Moon: The Legacy of the Freedom House Ambulance Service,” a free live webinar and Q&A session for teachers and students. During this virtual program, students and teachers will hear from John Moon, a former Freedom House Ambulance Paramedic, as he discusses his experiences working at Freedom House and for the City of Pittsburgh for almost 40 years. Learn more about how the Freedom House Ambulance Service changed emergency medical services and set the standards for emergency professionals from the man who was there.
Admission is FREE for this virtual teacher program, but advance registration is required for both webinars. Visitheinzhistorycenter.org/events for updates on how to register.
Exhibits Highlight Black Heritage in Western Pa.
In addition to Black History Month programming, African American history is on display daily within the History Center’s six floors of exhibitions, including the award-winning From Slavery to Freedom exhibition, which explores more than 250 years of African American history in Western Pa. The long-term exhibit highlights the enslavement of Africans and its effect on the American economy, the history of the anti-slavery movement, the Underground Railroad, and the impact of 19th-century activism on the modern quest for civil and human rights in Pittsburgh. The newly expanded Pittsburgh: A Tradition of Innovationexhibition honors several African Americans who made trailblazing breakthroughs, including Dr. Velma Scantlebury, the nation’s first African American woman transplant surgeon and student of UPMC’s late Dr. Thomas Starzl.