WS Chronicle

MARTINSVILLE, VA – Piedmont Arts will celebrate Black History Month throughout February with free family-friendly events honoring the contributions of African American artists, authors and storytellers to American culture. 

“We are honored to celebrate Black History Month at the museum,” said Interim Executive Director Heidi Pinkston. “We have a full slate of events planned that highlight African-American artists and authors of the past and today, as well as events designed to encourage families to come together and explore their creativity through hands-on activities.”

Board President Joyce Staples says it is important to celebrate Black History Month for several reasons. “Black History Month celebrates the cultural achievements and legacy of a group of people who have played a profound role in American history,” said Staples. “Not only that, but Black History Month honors the strength of people who overcame hardship and oppression to leave a positive footprint on American society. It helps all of us to appreciate diversity and the accomplishments of every individual.” 

Black History Month events at Piedmont Arts include:

African American Read-In + Art of the Story Family Day

Saturday, Feb. 10, 11 a.m. – 1 p.m., Piedmont Arts, Admission Free

Join Piedmont Arts, Carter Bank & Trust and FAHI for a celebration of African-American authors as the museum participates in the National African American Read-In. Community members will read excerpts from books, stories and poems by their favorite African American authors and storyteller Fred Motley will perform stories from around the world at 10:30 am. Enjoy a free “Make Your Own Story” craft and refreshments. All ages welcome.

Civil War to Civil Rights: How African-American Artists Engage the Past

Thursday, Feb. 15, 7 p.m., Piedmont Arts, Admission Free 

Through the critical lens of the political, legal, and cultural changes that marked the transition from slavery to the Civil War to the Civil Rights period in the 1960s and 1970s, Virginia Museum of Fine Arts Speaker on the Arts Evie Terrono, professor of art history at Randolph-Macon College, will examine depictions of the multifaceted and highly politicized dimensions of “race” and American identity in the artistic production of African-American artists. Artists such as Elizabeth Catlett, Faith Ringgold, Kara Walker, Fred Wilson, Kehinde Wiley, and Hank Willis, among many others, will be discussed.

Preschool in the Galleries with ZipZapZop Theatre Co.

Wednesday, Feb. 21, (Snow date is Feb. 28), Performances at 9:30 am + 10:30 am • Piedmont Arts, Admission Free

Piedmont Arts’ Preschool in the Galleries welcomes Carlisle School’s ZipZapZop Theatre Co. Preschool in the Galleries is a series of programs for pre-K students designed to foster a love of the performing and visual arts at a young age. Performances are free of charge to students and schools. To attend a performance, call (276) 632-3221 to reserve your spot.

Piedmont Arts is a nonprofit art museum in Martinsville, Virginia that inspires and engages the diverse Martinsville-Henry County community and surrounding areas through visual arts, performing arts and arts education. Piedmont Arts is a statewide partner of the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts and is accredited by the American Alliance of Museums. Piedmont Arts programming is partially supported by the Virginia Commission for the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts. Learn more at www.PiedmontArts.org.