Black History Celebration at the Brandon Library!

Join us Monday, February 25, at 6:00 pm, for a discussion of Coach
Rod Davis's life and experiences in sports! Coach Davis will be sharing to educate the public, promote understanding, and encourage fairness for all races.

Rod Davis is from Gulfport, Mississippi. He went to Southern Mississippi where he was selected as the Conference USA defensive player of the year during his junior year. Davis was the 2002 recipient of the Conerly Trophy, an award given annually to the best college football player in the state of Mississippi by the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame. He finished his college career with 526 tackles and 18.5 sacks. Rod was selected in the fifth round of the 2004 NFL Draft by the Minnesota Vikings. As a professional linebacker, Rod played in the National Football League, Arena Football League, and the Canadian Football League. Coach Davis has spent the last 4 years at Northwest Rankin as their assistant head coach and defensive co-coordinator. Coach Davis was recently named the new head football coach at Florence. We are very honored to have Coach Davis speak at our library's Black History Celebration!

IT'S NO SECRET! MAGIC IS IN THE AIR AT THE PEARL LIBRARY!

Cecelia's Chapter 1 Book Club hits another high note this month with a selection that's just right for captivating discussion!

Author Deborah Johnson, a Nebraska transplant in Columbus, MS, takes readers on a great journey into a special place.  The Secret of Magic is a fictional story about seeking racial justice.

It's the 1940s and black, law student, Regina Mary Robichard, of Harlem, works for the Legal Defense Fund under NAACP lawyer Thurgood Marshall. 

As she's going through discrimination claims from black servicemen, Regina comes across an envelope full of newspaper clippings about what resembles the racially motivated death of decorated Lt. Joe Wilson Howard, a black soldier whose body was dragged from a Mississippi river.

A photo of Howard with his father painfully hits Regina at the very core. She grew up fatherless as her her father was lynched before she was even born. Another reason this case strikes a chord with Regina is that Mary Pickett Calhoun, who had sent the newspaper clippings of Howard's death, is the author of Regina's favorite childhood book. Calhoun's book The Secret of Magic  is about black and white children who explore a magical forest. 

So, Regina goes to Revere, MS - also the setting of Johnson's debut novel, The Air Between Us - where she meets Mary Pickett and Willie Willie, the dead soldier's father.  They soon discover who the killer is, but they have to prove it. 

Regina discovers that in segregated Mississippi, blacks and whites actually coexist better than in New York City. She also senses a connection to the Revere murder in Calhoun's book and that some of the book's characters may just be real.

A great book. A great discussion you don't want to miss!  The Chapter 1 Book Club meets Thurs. June 11 at 6 p.m. You don't need a reservation and you don't have to be a member. Just stop on in and chat a while! As always Cecelia will have light refreshments and door prizes for you. 

We'll see you there!

Exquisite Hand Carved Wood Art Exhibit At The Pearl Library!

The Pearl Public Library is showcasing, Expressions in Wood, now through the month of February - in honor of Black History Month - the magnificent woodcarving art of Oklahoma native, George Berry, Sr. 

A hand carved dolphin, hippo, turtle, bison, pig and wolf are only a few that are among the breathtaking, wooden animals that grace the library's foyer. Waterfowl, eagles, owls and horses are onsite to admire as well. Hand carved lapel pins in the likeness of a hummingbird, butterfly and several leave pins are also in the exhibit.

George Berry, Sr.
Image courtesy of Cwilkins

Berry, now a resident of Pearl, moved to Mississippi in 1972 to teach industrial arts at the Piney Woods Country Life School where he retired in 1985. He's been carving wood since he was 6-years-old which means he has been creating art almost all his life. 

Berry shows a great appreciation of the beauty of wildlife through fine, delicate detail. His work is so impressively done, it's quite hard to believe it's actually hand carved. It seems almost impossible and truly demonstrates Berry's genius.

For those who love outdoor sports, hunting dogs and catfish are Berry's homage to Mississippi culture. 

An honoree of the Mississippi Arts Commission, Berry received the Governor's Awards for Excellence in the Arts for Artistic Achievement in 2001. Berry's wood carved sculptures are exhibited in numerous places in Jackson and Oklahoma and other private residences and offices throughout the U.S.

Berry is a charter member and Fellow of the Craftsmen's Guild of Mississippi and is on the Guild's Board of Directors.

You really do not want to miss a great opportunity to see the Expressions in Wood exhibit! The Pearl Library invites everyone to come by. If it's your first time to visit the library, take a look around and see everything your library has to offer! 

We sure hope to see you here!


 

Don't Forget Tonight's Special Event at the Flowood Library

Our Music, Our Culture- A Celebration of African-Americans in Jazz

The Flowood Library is proud to announce that Jazz musician Shenole Latimer will be performing at the library on Monday, February 14th at 7:00pm! Shenole will be presenting "Our Music, Our Culture," a multimedia presentation fusing a lecture with live performances. This event is FREE and OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. You do not need a library card nor do need to live in Flowood to attend. Seats are limited. RSVPS are appreciated, but not essential. Bring a friend!

"The history of jazz is reviewed from the early 1900's to today. Many jazz artists and their struggles are explored, including Louis Armstrong, Miles Davis, Charlie Parker, and John Coltrane. An emphasis is placed on visiting the African American roots of jazz, how jazz reflected the cultural phases that African Americans were experiencing through out the decades of the 20th century, and the cultural and sociological impact that jazz made in the United States and even the world. Learn why jazz has been called, America's Classical Music."

Celebrate Black History Month at the Flowood Library

The Flowood Library has some great events lined up for Black History Month! On Saturday, February 5th at 1:00pm, local African American author Bernice Rayford will be discussing her latest book, "Betty Bushy: She Will Make You Laugh." This is Ms. Rayford's 7th novel. Ms. Rayford was named the Person of the Day by the Jackson Free Press on January 25, 2011.

The library is also proud to announce that Jazz musician Shenole Latimer will be performing at the library on Monday, February 14th at 7:00pm! Shenole will be presenting "Our Music, Our Culture," a multimedia presentation fusing a lecture with live performances.

"The history of jazz is reviewed from the early 1900's to today. Many jazz artists and their struggles are explored,including Louis Armstrong, Miles Davis, Charlie Parker, and John Coltrane. An emphasis is placed on visiting the African American roots of jazz, how jazz reflected

the cultural phases that African Americans were experiencing through out the decades of the 20th century, and the cultural and sociological impact that jazz made in the United States and even the world. Learn why jazz has been called, "America's Classical Music."

Finally, local artist Jeffrey Yentz will be displaying his artwork in Flowood's art gallery starting Saturday, February 5th. Yentz focuses on the African American experience in Mississippi, with a concentration on the blues scene. The Flowood Library will be exhibiting Yentz' work during February for Black History Month. Yentz was recently interviewed by the Jackson Free Press http://www.jacksonfreepress.com/index.php/print_view/41834

Earl Hooker, Blues Guitarist

by Jeffrey Yentz

All events are free so come out and celebrate Black History Month at the Flowood Library!