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Inside The New York Botanical Garden

Black History Month Celebration at The New York Botanical Garden

Posted in Around the Garden on February 28 2017, by Elizabeth Figueroa

Senator Jamaal Bailey
Senator Jamaal Bailey

On Thursday, February 16, NYBG held celebrated Black History Month with workshops and presentations commemorating the accomplishments and contributions of African Americans.

This annual event invited school groups and visitors to attend facilitator-led workshops, including:

• Vickie Fremont: Students created African dolls while learning about the fabric, beads and shells as well as its significance in the African culture.

• Laura Gadson: Held a creative workshop making bandanas from quilted fabric to help students discover the African culture significance behind its colors.

• Pat Mabry: Presented a lively history on African Dance and Drum history

Afterwards, students filed into Ross Hall for a keynote address delivered by Senator Jamaal Bailey.

Storyteller Walter Rutledge captivated the audience with his narrative about Harriet Tubman and her journey with the Underground Railroad.

A special live presentation by Forces of Nature, was very well received by all in attendance. This African Dance and Drum group under the direction of Abdel Salaam was engaging and at the same time very entertaining and educational.

[Show picture list]

This community program is supported by the NYC Council’s A Greener NYC Initiative and Council members Andrew Cohen, Annabel Palma, and Ritchie Torres.

Comments

Pat Mabry said:

The Bronx Botanical Garden does an excellent job providing presentations for young children during the month of February in honor of African American history and culture. Many schools are invited and the children leave with knowledge they possible would not receive in their classrooms or at home.

These programs are extremely needed in our communities I want to thank Ms. Figueroa and the Bronx Botanical Gardens for inviting artists to participate and coordinating these programs.

Vickie Fremont said:

I always enjoyed to be part of the event . This year I worked with 4 graders They created people (men and women ) from Africa, with recycled materials, African fabrics and beads. To see students’ s pleasure and joy making their people and learning about the African continent was a gift for me. Thank you to the Botanical Garden to give me such a great opportunity to improve my Recycling Art program.