Old Bridge, NJ – Jan. 27, 2020 – In recognition of Black History Month, the Old Bridge Public Library will host the following engaging and enlightening programs in February, which seek to explore the Black experience.
Jack Sherrod Lives! Thurs. Feb. 13th @7pm. Historian Alvin Q. Corbett will present the extraordinary story of the life and legacy of his ancestor Jack Sherrod, an enslaved person, Civil War soldier, and a free landowner. Sherrod was born enslaved in North Carolina. In 1865, at the age of 22, he fled his owner’s plantation and bravely volunteered in the United States Colored Troops (USCT). His courage to enlist and fight earned him his freedom. South Jersey resident Corbett (great-great-grandson of Jack Sherrod) is a native of Wilson, North Carolina, an historian, scholar and historical preservationist. This presentation is based on more than 30 years of research.
Film screening: Blacks & Jews: The Psychology of Victimization and Media Exploration. Mon. Feb. 17 @7pm. Scholars and critics probe the history and psychology of victimization shared between Black and Jewish groups and their exploitation by the media. This film, made collaboratively by Jewish and Black filmmakers, goes behind the headlines and the rhetoric to try to heal the misunderstanding and mistrust. Blacks & Jews was acclaimed at the Sundance Film Festival for initiating a frank yet constructive nationwide dialogue between these two traditional allies.
African Americans and American Jews: Partners in Social Justice, Spirituality & Song: Sun. Feb 23rd @1:30pm. Members of Monroe’s Congregation Etz Chaim Cabaret Ensemble will use narrative and music to explore the enduring bond which exists between African-American and Jewish communities. The works of Marian Anderson, James Baldwin, Bob Dylan, Jesse Owens and Peer Yarrow will be featured in this inspirational musical program.
The Old Bridge Public Library has consistently been voted one of the three Best Public Libraries in Middlesex County by the readers of the Home News Tribune. The Library is open seven-days-a-week and is located at 1 Old Bridge Plaza at the corner of Rt. 516 and Cottrell Road in the Municipal Center. More information about these and other Library programs is available at www.oldbridgelibrary.org or by calling 732-721-5600 x5033. The satellite Laurence Harbor branch (temporarily closed) is located at 277 Shoreland Circle; phone: 732-566-2227.
