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DAY 8: A WAY WITH WORDS

Photo of Octavia Butler

Photo of Daisy Turner

Photo of Dr. Clayton

Today we celebrate three women who dedicated themselves either to the art of storytelling, or to the science of cataloguing those stories.

We begin with Octavia Butler, a prolific and visionary science-fiction writer. Octavia serves as a bridge between yesterday’s BHM topic of Afrofuturism and today’s topic of literature and curating. After watching a bad sci-fi movie, she was inspired to start writing, despite the fact that the profession has historically been unwelcoming to women, Black people, and people living with disabilities. Yet as a Black woman with dyslexia, she carried all her identities with her as she became a celebrated author who would win the MacArthur Fellowship (a.k.a. “the genius grant”) and posthumously reach one of her life goals of making the New York Times bestseller list.

Learn more by watching this PBS video titled “Octavia Butler, The Grand Dame of Science Fiction.”

We continue with a Vermont legend, Daisy Turner. Daisy was a storyteller and poet born in Grafton, Vermont 140 years ago. She became famous late in life for her oral recordings of her family's history, which can be traced back to Africa and England because her parents had formerly been enslaved. Daisy was born after the death of her parents’ eighth child. She lived in Vermont with her family after her father purchased 150 acres on a VT hilltop after fighting for the Union in the Civil War. Daisy’s stories have been recorded and preserved, and the family homestead is maintained as a stop on the Vermont African American Heritage Trail.

Learn more about Daisy at a visit to the Vermont Folklife Center (88 Main St., Middlebury) where they host the Turner Family Collection consisting of audio and video recordings, photographers, and histories that detail her life. Daisy's captivating account covers slavery, plantation life, escape, the Civil War, battling racism, and creating a family center in Vermont. Also consider a visit to the Turner Hill Interpretive Center, Grafton History Museum, and Birchdale Camp at Journey's End. Immerse yourself in the remarkable story of formerly enslaved Alec Turner (Daisy’s father), and the family's powerful connection to the land in the hill farming community.

Today we also lift up the inspiring bibliophile Dr. Maybe Agnew Clayton, who dedicated herself to archiving Black history. By the end of her lifetime, she had personally collected over 2 million artifacts and over 30,000 out of print books. She single-handedly curated and preserved what’s considered to be the largest and most academically substantial independent collections of African American history and culture—and it all started out being housed in her garage! She also founded the Western States Black Research Center (WSBRC) in 1975 because she believed that "children should know that Black people have done great things." Following her death in 2006, the Center was renamed after her.

Learn more about Mayme’s journey and about the Center, which is now called the Mayme A. Clayton Library & Museum (MCLM).

Yesterday’s Pop Quiz

Yesterday, we asked you “How many times did Allen Allensworth attempt to escape from slavery before he succeeded?” Here’s how you answered:

The answer is C. As many people had to do, Allen Allensworth attempted escape from slavery more than once. After two unsuccessful escape attempts, he finally succeeded during the initial years of the Civil War. Recognizing the importance of that struggle, Allensworth wanted to participate. For several months in 1862, he worked as a civilian aide to the 44th Illinois volunteer Infantry. He became the highest-ranking Black officer in the U.S. Army by the time he retired in 1906.

Stay tuned for tomorrow’s Pop Quiz question that tests your knowledge of which historical figures were age contemporaries…

Coming up

Check out some of the events happening throughout Black History Month 2023.

TONIGHT 2/8 – Farmers’ Night: “John Lewis & RUN”

What: National Book Award winner Andrew Aydin describes the creation of RUN and his experiences working with Congressman and civil rights icon John Lewis.

Logistics: This free event is being held on Wednesday Feb 8th at 7:30 p.m. at the Vermont State House, located on State St. in Montpelier. Learn more here: Farmers’ Night

Now through 2/12 – “Bov Water” play at Northern Stage

What: A running production of a new play in which “four generations of Black women breathe and bathe in a past that’s both intentionally and accidentally forgotten. Challenging and discovering their own narratives from the Civil War to the 1960s to modern-day America, these strong and inquisitive souls wrestle to unearth a family’s past and build resilience for the future.”

Logistics: This play is running until Feb 12th. Performances are at the Barrette Center for the Arts, located at 74 Gates St. in White River Junction. Learn more here: Bov Water

2/9 – Panel Discussion on Police Violence

What: The Vermont branches of the NAACP partner with ACLU of Vermont to host a panel discussion with five family members whose loved ones were lost to police violence and who are a part of the Love Not Blood Campaign.

Logistics: This free, hybrid event is being held on Feb 9th at 6:00 p.m. with two options to join: [1] at the Pavilion Building located at 109 State St. in Montpelier, or [2] via Zoom. Learn more and RSVP here: Voices From the Front

2/10 & 2/17 – Black Artist Showcase

What: A space to share poetry and build community, featuring Black creatives.

Logistics: This event is being held twice: [1] On Friday Feb 10th from 6:00-8:00 p.m. at Venetian Soda Lounge, located at 266 Pine St. Suite #122 in Burlington. [2] On Friday Feb 17th from 6:00-8:00 p.m. at Kru Coffee, located at 2 Church Street in Burlington.

2/16 – “Soul Food: Honoring Black Voices in Music”

What: A late-night musical experience that “honors Black music of yesterday and today.”

Logistics: This free event is being held on Feb 16th from 9:00 p.m. - 1:00 a.m. at Club Metronome, located at 188 Main St. in Burlington. Learn more here: Soul Food

2/25 – The Black Experience

What: This free event will feature discussions and panels with local artists and speakers, and a keynote presentation by iconic activist and scholar Dr. Angela Davis. There will also be a performance by the Philadanco dance company.

Logistics: This free event is being held on Saturday Feb 25th at 5:00 p.m. at The Flynn, located at 153 Main Street in Burlington. Learn more here: The Black Experience 2023

This Week’s Raffle

Each week, we will draw 5 names from the list of those who signed up for this e-mail series. We hope you win (yes, you!). The drawings are random; we use the True Random Number Service, which will pick 5 numbers each week from the sign-up list. You don’t need to do anything from here—we’ll e-mail you if you’re a lucky winner.

This is an installment in the State of Vermont’s 28-day Black History Month e-mail series, offered by the Vermont Human Rights Commission and the Vermont Office of Racial Equity. The Human Rights Commission protects people from unlawful discrimination in housing, state government employment, and public accommodations. Learn more about the HRC here. The Office of Racial Equity provides guidance and oversight to identify and mitigate systemic racism in state government. Learn more about the ORE here. Did you receive this e-mail from a friend? Want to sign yourself up for the remainder of the month? Subscribe to this list here.

Copyright (C) 2023 State of Vermont Office of Racial Equity. All rights reserved.

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