Our family had a great time celebrating Black History Month this year. From numerous puppet shows {entitled Tales From Afar: Tales of African Folklore}, to a festival, to enjoying good bar-b-que, we celebrated the entire month of February!
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| Puppet shows through Clark County Library District |
My Husband is African American and his family has roots in the South, with his mother being from Mississippi and his father from Kentucky. Before my Father in Law passed away in 2008, he told me remarkable stories of his youth and upbringing in the Southern United States during the early and mid 1900’s {I had to beg most stories out of him, however. He was a man of few words}. Listening to my Father in Law recant his stories of survival and wit and perseverance is exactly the reason why my family celebrates Black History Month today. To honor our Nation’s history, celebrate the progress that has taken place on the backs of so many pioneers, and to remind ourselves of all the work still left to do.
And honestly, remembering my Father in Law’s American story, his ever so soft mumble, opens the wound of his absence ever so slightly. He was a remarkable man, we miss him terribly. Our world is less whole without him in it.
I also want my sweet Daughter to be proud of who she is and of the history that lives on in her. Alina was born mid January, the weekend of Martin Luther King, Jr Day, the inaugural year of our first minority President, and the day after the birthday of my Best Friend, who is currently in the throws of making American history in Washington DC. Indeed, we have high expectations of our little girl!
A couple weekends ago, we attended the second annual Black History Month Festival at the Springs Preserve. In addition to the existing exhibits currently running, they had a few specific to Black History Month. They also had some yummy food, fun games for the kids and music!
For Christmas, my Mom got Daddy D a gift certificate to his favorite bar-b-que restaurant. They have great Southern style sides that the Hubby loves {and that I don’t know how to cook}. After a couple hours of viewing the exhibits at the festival, we were hungry! We had a great time chowing down on some que compliments of Alina’s Abuela…
There were so many people, from all backgrounds, at these events. That is one thing I notice and love about my Vegas blog readers: diversity is the rule, not the exception. In one day, you can meet 10 people from 10 vastly different walks of life. My Husband and I hope to continue on the tradition of cultural celebrations as a way to expose and teach our Daughter of the world she lives in {since traveling to far away lands every weekend is just not an option for us!} and of the many cultures that inhabit this earth. In addition to Black History Month, we also celebrated Chinese New Year {those puppet show and story time events were exceptionally fun!} and in a couple weeks it will be Saint Patrick’s Day!
Did your family do anything extra fun and special to celebrate Black History Month this year?
4 Comments
From Marriage To Motherhood
March 1, 2011 at 4:27 amLove this post! And the pictures! You are such a great writer Ness : )
De Su Mama
March 1, 2011 at 5:19 amThanks, Jess! And to think if not for you, my little stories would still be locked inside this crazy mess of a brain! Ha! Xoxo!
Emma Kay
March 2, 2011 at 7:15 pmFirst up, you have probably got the cutest little lady ever – she is adorable (I can say that cause I’ve only got boys) 😉
My husband’s family is seriously the poster family for multiculturalism! Our family photo looks like an advertisement in diversity 😀 We actually call my husband a bitsa whenever anyone asks us what his nationality is – ie a bit-a everything ;D Otherwise it’s too long to list what’s in him.
Celebrating Black History for Kids Who Otherwise Wouldn't - De Su Mama
February 11, 2013 at 9:04 am[…] Black History Month, and while Daddy D and I do our part to teach age appropriate lessons of black history for kids anytime of year, they’re even more prudent during the month of February. Fact finding, […]