January-February
Featuring a robust calendar of events for all ages, the San Francisco Public Library’s “More Than a Month, Black History Month,” includes programming across branches, online, and at the Main Branch including film screenings, exhibits, readings and more. Some events at the Main Branch are listed below, with the full calendar on the San Francisco Public Library site:
Teens:
Learn to prepare delicious recipes from cookbooks by Afro-Vegan Food justice activist, Bryant Terry. For teens. Workshop: Biblio Bistro – Feb. 29, 4 p.m., Main Library, 100 Larkin St., The Mix at SFPL, 2nd Floor
Exhibits:
Dive into the vibrant 1940s—50s jazz scene through archival photos and oral accounts. Harlem of the West with Lewis Watts – Jan. 7, 2 p.m., Main Library, 100 Larkin St., Lower Level
Stop by the opening reception for an exhibit by local artist tanea lunsford lynx exploring Black American presence in 1800s—1900s San Francisco through interactive investigation. we were here Artist Talk and Reception – Jan. 11, 5 p.m., Main Library, 100 Larkin St., African American Center, 3rd Floor
The artwork for this year’s More than a Month celebration is a photograph by local artist Kenneth P. Green, Sr., the first Black photographer for Oakland Tribune (1968–1982). Green’s work is featured in the exhibition Toward a Black Aesthetic: Kenneth P. Green Sr.’s Photographs of the 1960s and 70s, which is on view at the Main Library from January 25 – April 21, 2024. The exhibition focuses on Green’s images of Black women, whose strength, intellect and beauty he recognized and paid homage to through his photographs, which also highlight the fashion and politics of the 1960s and 70s. Visitors will also recognize in Green’s photographs the artistry in which he captured the multifaceted and organic expression of the Black community in the Bay Area. Visit the African American Center, located on the 3rd floor of the Main Library, to see Green’s photographs of the 1972 African Liberation Day demonstration. Opening Reception, Thursday, Jan. 25, 5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m., Main Library, Jewett Gallery.
Book club & author talks:
A book club for urban fiction enthusiasts, discussing selected titles, including Silence by Zaire Crown and Absolute Power by Zari. Book Club: Hood Lit Book Social – Jan. 17, 6 p.m., Main Library, 100 Larkin St., Learning Studio, 5th Floor
More Adult Programs:
Dr. Tanisha Ford in conversation with Dr. Tiffany E. Barber on African American fashion culture and its influence on the past, present and future. This conversation will contextualize the exhibit, Toward a Black Aesthetic: Kenneth P. Green Sr.’s Photographs of the 1960s and 70s. The discussion will revolve around fashion themes discussed in Ford’s books, Dressed in Dreams: A Black Girl’s Love Letter to the Power of Fashion (St. Martins, June 2019), the award-winning Liberated Threads: Black Women, Style, and the Global Politics of Soul (UNC Press, 2015) and her latest book, Our Secret Society: Mollie Moon and the Glamour, Money, and Power Behind the Civil Rights Movement. Author: Dr. Tanisha Ford in Conversation with Dr. Tiffany E. Barber – Feb. 28, 6 p.m., Main Library, 100 Larkin St., African American Center, 3rd Floor and Virtual Library
Jacqueline Francis and Virginia Smyly discuss the work of Sargent Claude Johnson, an important African American sculptor and artist with San Francisco connections. Author: Dr. Jacqueline Francis in Conversation with Virginia Smyly – Feb. 29, 6 p.m., Main Library, 100 Larkin St., African American Center, 3rd Floor and Virtual Library
Workshops:
A hands-on workshop on identifying and accessing digitized Black newspapers through the library’s electronic resources. Workshop: Digitized Black Newspapers – Jan. 20, 10:30 a.m., Main Library, 100 Larkin St., Computer Training Center, 5th Floor