Black History Month Calendar Unveiling

Honorees at the unveiling of the 2013 Black History Month Calendar, January 17, are seated center, front row above. Second from left is Lloyd Pearson; to the right of him is Rodney L. Hurst, Sr., and Sollie Mitchell.  JPL's Board Chair, Brenda R. Simmons-Hutchins, Ph.D., stands far left, back row, and all the youth pictured wrote winning essays that are printed in the calendar.

The Jacksonville Black History Month 2013 calendar is dedicated to the memory of Ms. Clovia Russell, who, along with Dr. Simmons-Hutchins, originated the calendar.
                                        
JPL's ULC Library Supervisor, Pat Morrison, is Co-Chair of the Jacksonville Black History Calendar Committe and contributed this coverage of the special event:

"The Jacksonville Public Library hosted the unveiling ceremony for the 2013 Jacksonville Black History Calendar on Thursday, January 17th.  The theme for this year’s calendar is “At the Crossroads of Freedom & Equality: The Emancipation Proclamation and the March on Washington”.  The event was held in the Main Library Hicks Auditorium and included a host of special guests, honorees, and 255 people attended.  First Coast News meteorologist Steve Smith was the master of ceremony and the Edward Waters College choir ensemble led the audience in a stirring rendition of the Negro National Anthem, Lift Ev’ry Voice and Sing.

"The multigenerational concept for the 2013 edition of the calendar was explained by the Chairman of the Jacksonville Public Library Board of Trustees, Dr. Brenda Simmons-Hutchins.  Program participants included Deputy Director Carolyn Shehee Williams and Mayor Alvin Brown.  Other attendees included Senator Audrey Gibson,
members of the mayor’s cabinet, former State Senator Tony Hill, and representatives from the calendar partners – FSCJ, First Coast News, ASALH and the title sponsors, local Burger King Restaurant franchisees.

"This event, as in the past, was a multi-departmental affair with support from the excellent resources in the African American Collection at Main Library, and sweat, equity, and research from dedicated JPL staffers Cranston Burney and Arthur Finley, who are also on the Black History Calendar Committee.

"The promotional and marketing support from Olga Bayer, Kris Snider, and Kathy Lussier in CR&M was greatly appreciated. Farryn James from Circulation, Denise Thomas from ULC, Margaret Miles from NS, Roderick Newton from EB and Cathy Currier from Special Collections provided support at the event by acting as host and hostesses. They greeted guests, distributed calendars, monitored the refreshment tables and so much more. Conference Center Manager Mitesh Sangani and his staffs, Nathan Fuller, Sheldon Wright, and Robert Giles played a key role in staging the event, and Will Daniels helped with planning.  Refreshments were provided through the generosity of the Friends of the Jacksonville Public Library.

"Nearly 7,000 calendars have been shipped to branch libraries for distribution throughout the month of February."

This is the first year the Mayor has attended the Black History Month Calendar unveiling.  Mayor Alvin Brown (left of the calendar above) and WTLV's  Steve Smith did the official unveiling and they are flanked by (L/R) Acting President of FSCJ, Dr. Judith Bilsky, Deputy Director Carolyn Wiliams and a Burger King franchise representative.