This is an alert bar. Due to COVID-19, face covering required in all MRCPL buildings. Thank you for your cooperation!
Saturday, February 7, 2026
11 AM-3 PM
Main Library
Please join us for this free, family-friendly event celebrating the African-American heritage found in our Richland County communities.
| Event | Time | Location |
|---|---|---|
|
Official Welcome and Greeting – Chris May |
11:00 AM |
2nd Floor Lobby |
|
Mansfield Sr. Choir, “Lift Every Voice and Sing” |
11-11:15 AM |
2nd Floor Lobby |
|
Aurelio Diaz Performance |
11:15-11:30 PM |
2nd Floor Lobby |
|
FREE Lunch – Catered by Glynis Haney |
11:30-12:30 PM |
1st Floor Community Room |
|
G’s Friends (Garlan McCruter and friends) |
12:30-1 PM |
2nd Floor Lobby |
|
Jesus Jewels-Shiloh Baptist Church |
1-1:15 PM |
2nd Floor Lobby |
|
Family Friendly Trivia |
1-1:45PM |
1st Floor Community Room |
|
Aria Face Painting |
1-3PM |
Media Dept. 2nd Floor |
|
Vaundoom- Hip-Hop concert |
1:30-1:50 PM |
2nd Floor Lobby |
|
Conne Band |
2-2:20 PM |
2nd Floor Lobby |
|
“Roots” 50: Reimagining the Legacies of Lineage |
2:30-3:15 PM |
2nd Floor Sherman Room |
Please note: Food is prohibited in all other areas of the Library
Take a “piece”, write and/or draw your answer to one of the questions below on the front, and return your “piece” to an MRCPL location or Bookmobile stop by Fri. Jan. 30.
Or, bring your completed piece to the Black History Celebration at the Main Library on Sat. Feb. 7, 2026 to add it to our quilt.
Four $25 gift cards will be awarded for completing the Activity Pass. You do not need to be present to win but must provide a valid phone number on your passport entry. Winners will be contacted Monday, Feb. 9.
Hair Braiding Demos
Tweens and teens
While you’re there, check out some hair braiding demos by the Mansfield City Schools Cosmetology students.
Poetry Slam Tweens and teens Teens can use cut-out words and/or phrases to create their own poetry, using glue sticks and a sheet of provided paper.
Andrika Jewelry-Program in a Bag (Adults only)
Create a piece of stunning jewelry! All supplies included. Find this craft bag at our Reference Department. One per person; while supplies last.
“Roots” 50: Reimagining the Legacies of Lineage
All ages
John Sherman Room
Fifty years after it was first published, learn how Alex Haley’s semi-autobiographical novel uprooted the business of family history. Join the discussion with our panel of experts from OSU to explore how Haley broke new ground for genealogy, history, literature, and so much more.
Shrinky Dinks!
Children of all ages
Stop by the Children’s Department to celebrate heroes throughout Black History! There will be a scavenger hunt, crafts, and, of course, lots of books to enjoy! Visit the story time room in our Children’s Department to play with some new and exciting imaginative toys!
Presented by The Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati on Sat. Feb. 14, 1:30 PM in the Main Library, Community Room.
Bring the past to the present and change the future with this live, one-woman, interactive storytelling experience
African American Experience
Developed with the guidance of African American Librarians and subject specialists, The African American Experience (AAE) is a wide ranging and easy-to-use database collection on African American history and culture.
A comprehensive mix of resources, records, and tools specifically pertaining to African American genealogy that can also connect users to a community of research experts, who offer mentoring and research assistance.
The answer lies with eminent American historian Carter G. Woodson, who pioneered the field of African American studies in the early 20th century. Inspired by having attended a three-week national celebration of the 50th anniversary of emancipation in 1915, Woodson joined four others in founding the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History (ASNLH) to encourage scholars to engage in the intensive study of the Black past, a subject that had long been sorely neglected by academia and in U.S. schools. In 1916 Woodson began editing the association’s principal scholarly publication, The Journal of Negro History. In 1924, spurred on by Woodson, his college fraternity, Omega Psi Phi, introduced Negro History and Literature Week. Two years later, determined to bring greater attention to African American history, Woodson and the ASNLH launched Negro History Week in February 1926. From Britannica 1/11/22. Read more about Carter G. Woodson here.
Photo Credit: Hulton Archive/Getty Images
