DAY 22: PROGRESS, INCH BY INCH

Photo of Malcolm X

Yesterday was the 58th anniversary of the assassination of Malcolm X. He was one of the most influential voices of the ongoing journey for civil and human rights in the U.S. His scholarly and community work is widely known and quoted, but one of his statements that resonates strongly with us is “You don't stick a knife in a man's back nine inches and then pull it out six inches and say you're making progress... No matter how much respect, no matter how much recognition whites show towards me, as far as I am concerned, as long as it is not shown to every one of our people in this country, it doesn't exist for me.” We highlight this quote because it speaks to the concept of anchoring. That is, when we compare current conditions to a previous low point, it is easy to be dismissive of the concerns of an oppressed community. If, however, we compare current conditions to our aspirational vision for ourselves, then it is much easier to see how far we still have to go.

For a look at one of Malcolm X’s last public appearances, check out this video of his January 1965 appearance on a TV gameshow quiz hosted by Fred Davis: Malcolm X on current affairs quiz show

Acting the Part

On Days 12 and 13, we spotlighted some past and present musical artists from the Black community. Today, we will spotlight a few stage performers and plays emerging from the Black community.

JAG Productions ‘22-’23 season: The Freedom Practice

JAG Productions

We are proud to highlight JAG Productions, a Vermont-based, Black-owned theater company. In their own words, they “serve as an Artistic Sanctuary for Black Creatives in the American Theatre. [They] catalyze compassion, empathy, love, and community through the lens of the Black experience.”

JAG Productions is currently in its seventh season, titled The Freedom Practice. This season brings new play and musical development, a residency at New York Theatre Workshop, the return of Theatre on the Hill, and a production of a new Afro-surrealist dark comedy presented in Vermont and New York City, which centers around themes of freedom and healing.

Leading the Way

Can you name the first play to be written, directed, and performed by an all-Black cast? It was titled “Rachel,” and was written in 1916 by Angelina Weld Grimké (1880-1958). Grimké was a playwright and poet who often wrote about racism and systemic oppression. She wrote "Rachel" as part of a broader protest movement. In 1915 the film “Birth of a Nation” was released. It was a film that glorified the Ku Klux Klan and depicted a racist, demeaning view of Black people in the Reconstruction South. In response, the NAACP commissioned a series of works that would directly counter this hateful rhetoric and the organization produced "Rachel" as one of those works. That makes the play not just a powerful theatrical production, but also a political piece that helped correct false narratives about Black Americans. Despite being written over a century ago, the play’s premise remains timely: The protagonist is grieving after witnessing the injustices of Black life in America and experiencing the grief and sorrow of those around her. She vows never to become a mother to avoid the shared suffering of those that lose innocent children to a world of racism.

Find out more about “Rachel” here: Literary Ladies Guide

Art to Heal

Alan Blackwell is a Black artist whose art is currently hanging in the halls of Brattleboro Memorial Hospital as a Black History Month featured artist. See a short video from the artist, where he walks us through the work here: See Alan Blackwell’s art

Game Week

It’s the final week of Black History Month 2023. Each day this week, we will share a game or activity. Today’s game is a crossword puzzle—click the image below to access it. If you would like a printed copy of today’s game to be mailed to you, e-mail us at AOA.ORE@vermont.gov with your name, address, and the number of copies you would like to receive. We’ll take care of the rest.

Solved? Stumped? Find the answer here: SOLUTION

Yesterday’s Pop Quiz

Yesterday, we asked you “When did English become the official language of the United States?” Here’s how you answered:

The answer is D. The United States has no official language. About 1 in 5 people (68 million) in the U.S. speak a language other than English at home. In fact, the U.S. has the second largest number of Spanish-speakers in the world—that’s more than Spain, and only second to Mexico. Do you like charts and graphs? Then you’re in luck, because you can learn more about languages in the U.S. with these charts from the U.S. Census Bureau.

Stay tuned for tomorrow’s Pop Quiz question about the different ways to deliver ourselves to freedom…

Coming up

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

TONIGHT 2/22 – Farmers’ Night: Alexander Twilight

What: At this event, “Middlebury Historian Bill Hart and others pay tribute to Rep. Alexander Twilight of Brownington, elected in 1836 as the nation’s first legislator of African descent.”

Logistics: This free event is being held on Wednesday Feb 22nd at the Vermont State House, located on State St. in Montpelier. Learn more here: Farmers’ Night

TOMORROW 2/23 – The Rebel Women of Mathematics

What: A deep dive into the worlds of 30+ women who broke barriers and made their mark in STEM fields — from rocket science to computer programming. Hosted by professor, speaker, and PBS host Talithia Williams.

Logistics: This free event is being held online on Thursday Feb 23rd from 3:00-4:00 p.m. Register here: Registration for Rebel Women of Mathematics

2/25 – Black Children’s Books

What: A virtual event to “discover the latest books centering Black children's stories and celebrate the impact of real representation at this opening of a virtual ‘museum’ devoted to Black literature.”

Logistics: This event is being held online on Saturday Feb 25th from 2:00-4:00 p.m. Register here: Visit the Black Children’s Book Museum

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

2/25 – Montpelier Community Gospel Choir

What: A choral performance and a welcoming of the new Artistic Director, Verdis LeVar Robinson.

Logistics: This event is being held on Saturday Feb 25th at 7:00 p.m. at Unitarian Church of Montpelier, located at 130 Main Street in Montpelier. Admission ranges from $10-40. Learn more here: Montpelier Community Gospel Choir

2/26 – “BIPOC Soul Food Sunday” in the NEK

What: An affinity space open only to people of color to experience entertainment from Toussaint St. Negritude and a photo booth by I Am Vermont Too. Attendees are encouraged to bring any kind of dish to share.

Logistics: This event is being held on Sunday Feb 26th from 1:00-3:00 p.m. at The Whirligig Brewing, located at 397 Railroad St. in St. Johnsbury.

2/26 - Alexander Twilight Book Release Gathering

What: A presentation from Bill Tulp, a Vermont author and artist who has released a graphic story about Alexander Twilight.

Logistics: This free event is being held on Sunday Feb. 26th from 1:30-3:30 p.m. at the Grammar School building of the Old Stone House Museum & Historic Village, located at 1569 Hinman Settler Rd. in Orleans. Learn more here: A New Alexander Twilight Graphic Story

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.

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