February is Black History Month, an annual celebration of achievements by African Americans and a time for recognizing the central role they played in U.S. history. We hope you will join us in celebrating Black History and Heritage this month and all year long at the Fort Smith Public Library. 

Reclaiming Your Roots, an interactive show that every age can enjoy and performed by Rooted Movement Collective, will be held on Saturday, February 15th at 2:00 PM.  Rooted Movement Collective is a touring dance group dedicated to educating and spreading the radical joy of African American dance forms, culture and history. Supported by the Walton Arts Center, the group travels to schools and organizations across Arkansas. Support for Rooted Collective Movement is provided, in part, by the Arkansas Arts Council, an agency of the Department of Arkansas Heritage, and the National Endowment for the Arts.  You can find more information about the program here.

The Youth Services Department will also have a Black History Month scavenger hunt during February.  If you are able to locate Martin Luther King Jr., Mae Jemison, Frederick Douglas, and the other Black heroes from the scavenger hunt, stop by the front desk to receive a treat!

If you are interested in learning more about Black History, the library has a lot of books to choose from.  Below are some of our children's titles.  To check a book's availability, simply click on the book cover to be taken to the library's catalog.