Delaware’s Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs will be hosting thirteen special events at various museums throughout Delaware in honor of African-American History Month. These events will run throughout the month, and all are free and open to the public.
Some of these programs include black artists and their legacies with the Victor Talking Machine Company through the early 1900s (Feb. 2) and the evolution of black music (Feb. 9 & 16). The February 23 program will feature a talk by historic-site interpreter Gavin Malone about the African-American experience during World War I, and how their military experience shaped their lives after returning home from the war.
Also opening at the New Castle Court House Museum on February 23 will be “The Path to Freedom: A history of the Underground Railroad in Delaware,” which will include detailed discussions about Delaware’s role in the Underground Railroad and the experiences of African-Americans in Delaware before and after the Civil War. “The Path to Freedom” program will include a re-enactment of the 1848 trial of Thomas Garrett, who was found guilty of aiding an escaped slave family. Following this program, a screening of the award-winning film Whispers of Angels: A Story of the Underground Railroad will be held at the New Castle Court House Museum at 2pm on February 24.
This month of programs presented by the Delaware Historical & Cultural Affairs can be viewed here, with detailed schedules, locations, and descriptions of each program, with most running on Fridays and Saturdays throughout the month.