Emma Coffey ~ Staff Writer
In honor of Black History Month, the Legacy Museum of African American History will be hosting an event on Sunday, Feb. 2, called Black History Month Celebration. The event will be from 3 to 5 p.m., and it is a free presentation with a dinner afterwards. The dinner does require tickets and they must be purchased no later than Friday, Jan. 31. Adult tickets are $15 and tickets for children 12 and under are $8.
According to Ramona Battle, a member of the Board of Directors for six years at the museum, it is important to observe Black History Month. She said that Black History Month was known as Negro History Week. In 1976, it became established as a month-long celebration in February. Battle said that February was chosen because of Frederick Douglass’s and President Abraham Lincoln’s birthday falling on that month.
Battle said that the museum will be celebrating its 20th anniversary this year and the history of the local area is featured. According to her, the local history consists of Lynchburg and the surrounding four counties. Battle said, “This decision was made twenty years ago to tell our own story about our descendants.”
Battle expects there to be about 100 people coming to this event, including 30 Heritage High School students who are part of the New Heritage Singers and their families. Battle said that this event has been happening ever since she became a member of the board. According to her, people should come to this event because it provides a better understanding of black history. She also said, “It is important to remember the people who made great contributions to this country.”
According to her, children can be proud of the social, political, and economic progress being made by people of color by attending this event. Battle said people can, “get a sense of why there are gaps in our history books.”
The Legacy Museum of African American History will be hosting other events as well. One such event will be held on Saturday, Feb. 8, at 2 p.m. at the Lynchburg Public Library. At this event, the movie The Greenbook will be shown and a discussion will be followed.
For more information about the Black History Month Celebration, please visit https://www.lynchburgparksandrec.com/event/black-history-month-celebration/.