black history month celebrated @umw

Black History Month

the james farmer multicultural center celebration

by collette caprara

The James Farmer Multicultural Center invites all to join them for a month-long celebration of Black History Month, with a plethora of programs that feature a broad spectrum of genres and content, all of which convey the 2022 theme, "Healing through History: Recognizing our Struggles while Celebrating our Triumphs."

justice and to build relationships to establish a broader community network'" the James Farmer Multicultural Center is the perfect venue for this celebration of Black History. Its namesake was one of the foremost leaders of the Civil Rights movement who organized the nation's first civil rights sit-i in in Chicago, founded the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE), and organized the Emancipation Day celebration, 1900 courageous Freedom Rides to desegregate interstate bus travel, whose first stop was here in Fredericksburg. Throughout the month, an exhibition of the works of contemporary African American artists titled "Healing Through the Preservation of our Histories and Ourselves" will be featured at UMW' s Ridderhof Martin and duPoint Galleries. This exciting, thought-provoking exhibit will encourage reflection and promote healing on multiple levels. Among the artwork included will be some by Jacob Lawrence, who was known for his portrayal of African-American historical subjects and contemporary life. His paintings included his Migration Series which depicted the journey and relocation of African Americans from the rural South to the urban North.

The month's offerings range from elements of popular culture, such as a Family Feud night and karaoke, to African Americans' contributions, to the arts, music, science, and politics, to presentations of the daunting challenges and struggles of Black people in America and the triumphs of heroic figures who, with resilience and determination, achieved against the odds and provide inspiration for others to do the same.

The Black History Month program was created from suggestions received from UMW faculty, staff, and students and the community in response to a call for proposals, and the schedule was created by a committee chaired by the Multicultural Center's assistant director, Chris Williams.

"The month's offerings range from educational, academic lecture programs to entertainment that also showcases an aspect of African American life and culture," said the Center's director Marion Sanford. "In addition, four special meals in the University Center's dining hall will offer a variety of African and African-American, Caribbean, and Creole cuisines."

With a mission "to create an educational environment that broadens our understanding and appreciation of multiculturalism, diversity, and social Fredericksburg community and a wellknown and respected leader. She has made history with her own achievement. She is the first African-American female Superintendent of the Fredericksburg City Schools," said Sanford.

Musical programs of the celebration will range from the "Jazz Ensemble Black History Tribute: Iconic Jazz Greats" to "The History of Sampling Records in Hip Hop."

The programs also feature the determined and inspiring figures whose lives represented triumph over adversity, such as Ida B. Wells and Phillis Wheatley. Ida B. Wells, who was born in Mississippi to enslaved parents, not only rose to achievement as a writer and journalist but also used her skills to become a powerful voice against segregation, the convict lease system, and inequality. Phillis Wheatley was born in West Africa and sold into slavery as a young girl but learned to read and write and became an acclaimed poet and was the first AfricanAmerican author of a published book of poetry.

T h e significance of the accomplishments of these women can be fully appreciated against a backdrop of the struggles and obstacles that African Americans have confronted, and these are depicted in a variety of other programs such as a Great Lives presentation on Emmett Till, a panel discussion titled "What Does Justice Look Like for Black People?" and two films: Just Mercy and Judas and the Black Messiah. With the exception of a $1 donation for the films, all of the university's programs for Black History Month are free of charge.

Group of people who escaped slavery by crossing into Union lines, 1862 "I would encourage people to come to learn more about the history of African American culture and what individuals have contributed to our country and continue to contribute," said Sanford. "Those who come to these events will learn more about African American history, which is American history, which is world history." The Black History Month offerings of the James Farmer Multicultural Center are also bridgebuilders. They can promote healing, not only within the Black community but also healing beyond boundaries and borders.

For a full schedule and description of February's programs, see https://students.umw.edu/multicultural/p rograms/black-history-month-celebration/ Everyone attending the BHM events, including students and children, must show proof of vaccination or have a recent (within 48 hours) negative COVID test to enter. Also, masks are required to be worn at all times when inside buildings on campus.

Collette Caprara is an artist & writer

Photos courtesy of the Library of Congress

The keynote address for the Black History Celebration will be given by Dr. Marceline Catlett. "We are proud to have Dr. Catlett as our keynote speaker. She is a longtime, active member of the Black Infantry members during the Civil War, 1865

Virginia B. Grogan Guest Porch Editorial

Contributing Writers & Artists

Rita Allan

Sally Cooney Anderson Amy Bayne Laurie Black Dianne Bachman Sonja Cantu Collette Caprara Monica Davis Janet Douberly Frank Fratoe Bill Freehling Jennifer Galvin Jon Gerlach Marcia Grimsley Ralph “Tuffy” Hicks Jessica Harper Keith Littlefield David C. Kennedy Jill Laiacona Lisa Chinn Marvashti Ray Mikula Vanessa Moncure Nancy Moore Pete Morelewicz Judith Muffley Patrick Neustatter Penny A Parrish Paula Raudenbush Rob Rudick Terry Rensell Ted Schubel Mandy Smith Christine Thompson Pantea Vahidi Rim Vining Tina Will Norma Woodward

Front Porch Fredericksburg is a free circulation magazine published monthly by Olde Towne Publishing Co. Virginia Bigenwald Grogan, Publisher.

The mission of Front Porch Fredericksburg is to connect the diverse citizenry of Fredericksburg with lively features and informative columns of interest to our community’s greatest resource, its people.

Messages from our readers are welcome. All article submissions must be received by e-mail by the 16th & calendar items the 19th of the month preceding publication.

Writers / Artists / Photographers are welcome to request Guidelines and query the Publisher by e-mail.

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ON THE PORCH

What I’ve Learned

by Virginia B. grogan

2022 came in much like the last few years...with a whammy!

What has six days without electricity, internet, heat, massive trees felled, a totally blocked driveway and diminishing food supply taught me?

This storm reminded me of growing up in the snow belt area of Western New York. The place where 8 foot snowdrifts, sub-freezing temperatures and power outages were the winter norm.

My parents restocked the basement pantry every fall with nonperishables food items, fresh batteries for flashlights and transistor radios (remember them?), boxes of matches, candles, and powdered milk (yuk). The fireplace was made ready with logs and the porch stacked with firewood.

We were prepared back then for the inevitable snowstorm. By 2022 I had forgotten those lessons. We were NOT prepared.

The first four days we were basically trapped in our home. The car and driveway were covered with fallen trees, branches and limbs. With no electricity, the indoor temperature kept dropping. (talk about brain freeze) And of course, our firewood stacks were buried in snow, we had forgotten to put any wood on our porch. We layered our clothing and bundled in blankets, scarves, mittens and hats..

We ate the food we could and tried to save some food by wrapping and burying in the 11" snow. Unfortunately the wildlife had other plans. So we emptied the refrigerator and spread the remaining food items in the fallen branches. At least the foxes, squirrels, groundhogs, raccoons, bunnies and deers that populate our property could have a feast.

Our phones, ipads and computers had long since ran out of power, so we occupied our time with reading, playing games, doing craft projects and, talking. We reminisced about days gone by. Smiling at stories of loved ones no longer with us here on earth. It was actually liberating not having the distractions of youtube, facebook, roadblocks, and TV.

We learned that while technology is wonderful it can also be isolating.

Power was restored to our neighbors by day four, but not us. They provided us with hot food and warm drinks (coffee never tasted so good).and the use of their electricity to charge our phones. With phones restored we had countless messages from family and friends from California to Texas to Wisconsin to Connecticut to New New York to Pennsylvania and in-between inquiring about our well-being...that warmed our hearts and lifted our waning spirits.

Our driveway and car was finally cleared by day five. We were now able to get to the store for food for the day and thermos filled with coffee and hot chocolate. Still no power. The power company called us with the "estimated restore time" of that night. Since the indoor temperature was now 38 degrees, we still thought it might be best to get a hotel room. Unfortunately all the petfriendly hotels were filled. We couldn't leave our three pets alone without our bodies for warmth. So we stayed.

Now we come to the day we've been praying for. On the sixth day 13 yellow and white hardhats descended on our property, "the cavalry has arrived!!

Four hours later, thanks to the herculean efforts of these workers (all but one from Georgia) and their "get er done" attitude, Hallelujah, we had power.

Perhaps what we have all learned from this wide spread power outage is that the country as a whole and Virginia in particular, needs to upgrade our power grid--- sooner than later. Yes this was a large amount of heavy wet snow. But was it unexpected that power lines and trees would fall causing massive power outages and downed lines? Antiquated power infrastructure and lack of underground lines are a big part of these outages.

Buried lines takes away the opportunity for trees, ice and heavy snow to damage outage-prone distribution lines during a storm. That means the fewer downed lines for Dominion Energy to repair, the more of utility resources could be diverted toward a smaller number of problems.

In the Southeast the frequency of severe weather and tropical storms is expected to increase in coming years meaning more outages. Dominion Energy has buried 386 miles of power distribution lines across the region to date. Yet the utility company only plans to bury another 518 miles between now and 2028. The average residential customer is already paying approximately $2.15 on their monthly bill for this underground work. If more power lines were buried and outdated systems upgraded would not the problems been less and fixed sooner? The cost of that is high…so is the cost of restoring power, the cost to consumers to replace lost food, work, tree removal and property damage, the cost to businesses for lost revenue.

So what did I learn?

Always be prepared. It takes a lot of energy to stay warm. Be thankful for what you have, not what was lost. Take more time to talk to your family and less time on electronics. And, having a community and family helps you through tough times.

Now sit back, relax, enjoy the power that has been restored and read this issue of Front Porch "cover-to-cover".