{"id":195538,"date":"2026-03-17T22:31:10","date_gmt":"2026-03-17T22:31:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/195538\/"},"modified":"2026-03-17T22:31:10","modified_gmt":"2026-03-17T22:31:10","slug":"the-african-american-research-library-and-cultural-center-presents-the-2026-africana-arts-humanities-festival","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/195538\/","title":{"rendered":"The African-American Research Library and Cultural Center Presents The 2026 Africana Arts & Humanities Festival"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

We, Too, Sing America: 250 Years of Black Life and Culture<\/p>\n

Festival\u00a0explores 250 years of Black life, culture, and resistance through scholarship, literature, music, and community.<\/p>\n

The\u00a02026\u00a0Africana\u00a0Arts\u00a0&\u00a0Humanities\u00a0Festival(AAHF)\u00a0is scheduled for\u00a0March 27\u201328\u00a0at the\u00a0African-American Research Library and Cultural Center (AARLCC), bringing together scholars, authors,\u00a0artists, performers, and families for a meaningful\u00a0celebration\u00a0of Black history, culture, and creativity.<\/p>\n

AAHF is the flagship annual gathering of AARLCC, a nationally recognized institution dedicated to preserving, celebrating, and promoting the global Black experience through research, scholarship,\u00a0arts, and community involvement.<\/p>\n

Every year, the\u00a0festival\u00a0turns AARLCC into a lively center for learning and cultural exchange. With lectures, literary talks, performances, youth activities, family events, and curated cultural exhibits, AAHF showcases the richness and diversity of the\u00a0African\u00a0diaspora.<\/p>\n

2026 Theme<\/p>\n

\u201cWe, Too, Sing America: 250 Years of Black Life and Culture\u201d<\/p>\n

Inspired by Langston Hughes\u2019 iconic poem\u00a0\u201cI, Too,\u201d\u00a0this year\u2019s theme celebrates 250 years of Black life, creativity, and resistance that have deeply shaped the American story. The 2026\u00a0festival\u00a0emphasizes historical perspectives, modern scholarship,\u00a0artistic\u00a0excellence, and intergenerational learning\u2014highlighting the lasting contributions and voices of Black communities.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor 250 years, Black life, culture,\u00a0art, and resistance have shaped the story of America,\u201d said\u00a0Tameka Hobbs, historian and regional library manager at AARLCC. \u201cWe invite the community to experience powerful conversations and performances that explore where we\u2019ve been and where we\u2019re going. Through music, literature, scholarship, and storytelling, we celebrate the richness of the\u00a0African\u00a0diaspora. This is more than a\u00a0festival\u00a0\u2014 it\u2019s culture, history, and community.\u201d<\/p>\n

Featured Speakers<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Karsonya Wise Whitehead, Ph.D., is the President of the Association for the Study of\u00a0African\u00a0American Life and History (ASALH), the organization founded by Carter G. Woodson. Dr. Whitehead is a nationally respected public historian, cultural critic, and professor at Loyola University Maryland. Her work centers on Black public memory, racial justice, and social change, and she is widely seen as a national voice on equity, heritage, and storytelling.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Kellie Carter-Jackson, Ph.D.
is an award-winning historian and author of\u00a0We Refuse: A Forceful History of Black Resistance. Dr. Carter-Jackson specializes in African American history, resistance movements, and nineteenth-century freedom struggles. Her book received widespread national acclaim, including recognition as a New York Times\u00a0Editors\u2019 Pick and a\u00a0Kirkus\u00a0Best Book of the Year, challenging traditional narratives of nonviolence by illustrating the many ways Black communities resisted enslavement, segregation, and racial violence.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"Randal Maurice Jelks, Ph.D.\u00a0\u2013 Professor, documentary producer, and author of\u00a0My America: Langston Hughes on Democracy. Dr. Jelks explores Hughes\u2019 vision of democracy and traces his journey from Kansas City to global cultural centers. Born in New Orleans, he is a descendant of the Georgetown 272, enslaved persons sold to pay off Georgetown University\u2019s debts.<\/p>\n

This free event is open to the public. Books will be available for purchase and signing.<\/p>\n

Festival\u00a0Highlights<\/p>\n

Friday, March 27, 2026<\/p>\n

Evening keynote conversation and reception<\/p>\n

Saturday, March 28, 2026<\/p>\n

Family Day and youth activations<\/p>\n

Children\u2019s readings and storytelling<\/p>\n

Practical cultural experiences<\/p>\n

Author showcase sessions<\/p>\n

Bookstore event with\u00a0Pyramid Books, including book signings and literary vendors.<\/p>\n

Event Information<\/p>\n

Africana\u00a0Arts\u00a0&\u00a0Humanities\u00a0Festival\u00a0(AAHF)
African-American Research Library and Cultural Center-2650 Sistrunk Blvd, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33311<\/p>\n

Dates:March 27\u201328, 2026
Ph:954-357-6282<\/p>\n

Registration is free.
For the complete schedule and to sign up, visit:
https:\/\/www.broward.org\/Library\/Events\/Pages\/AfricanaFestival.aspx<\/a><\/p>\n

The\u00a0Africana\u00a0Arts\u00a0&\u00a0Humanities\u00a0Festival\u00a0is generously funded by\u00a0Wayne and Lucretia Weiner,\u00a0The Friends of AARLCC, and the\u00a0Broward Cultural Division.<\/p>\n


\n Connect To Your Customers & Grow Your Business \n<\/p>\n

Click Here<\/a><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"We, Too, Sing America: 250 Years of Black Life and Culture Festival\u00a0explores 250 years of Black life, culture,…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":195539,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[17],"tags":[249,251,250],"class_list":["post-195538","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-fort-lauderdale","tag-fort-lauderdale","tag-fort-lauderdale-headlines","tag-fort-lauderdale-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/195538","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=195538"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/195538\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/195539"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=195538"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=195538"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=195538"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}