“Know what sparks the light in you, so that you, in your own way, can illuminate the world.”
– Oprah Winfrey
March signals the advent of spring, but it also means it’s Women’s History Month. Here are free or low-cost events (both virtual and in-person) celebrating women of color who illuminate the world today and yesteryear. But before venturing out to in-person events, contact the organizers to confirm event hours and find out their updated pandemic-related safety policies such as masking and proof of vaccination.
EDUCATION
Lori L. Tharps (Image Source: loriltharps.com)
Mining Your Memories
March 9, 2022. Learn how to mine your own memories to create powerful narratives and inspirational essays or full-length stories. Hosted by the Free Library of Philadelphia and presented by Lori L. Tharps, an award-winning non-fiction author, freelance journalist, podcaster, and recognized voice in the areas of identity politics and African-American culture. 11 a.m. to noon, free with advance registration. 215-686-8663, www.freelibrary.org
Trailblazer Harriet Tubman
Songs of Freedom
March 10, 2022. The Logan Library branch of the Free Library of Philadelphia presents Songs of Freedom: The Fuel Behind the Movement. Hear “spirituals woven together with prose and narrative that offers details and insight into the life of Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad.” Songs include “Follow the Drinking Gourd,” “Wade in the Water,” “Swing Low Sweet Chariot” and “Freedom in the Air.” 4 p.m. to 5 p.m., free. 1-833-825-5357, www.freelibrary.org
ART
Marian Anderson in 1940 by Carl Van Vechten, via Wikipedia
Calling All Artists
In honor of the late Marian Anderson’s 125th birthday, the City of Philadelphia is soliciting artists interested in designing a sculpture in her likeness for display in front of the Academy of Music in Center City in her hometown. South Philly’s Anderson, who died in 1993, was a heralded contralto and civic rights activist; she famously performed before 75,000 people including President Franklin D. Roosevelt and First Lady Eleanor at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C. in 1939. The event occurred after being barred prior from singing at the Metropolitan Opera due to her race. Requests for Qualifications (RFQs) are due by May 1. The final artist is expected to be selected this fall. Planners are encouraging female artists of color to submit proposals. The future artwork would be one of only a handful of permanent commissioned African-American female sculptures in the city’s public art collection, which is one of the nation’s largest. The public can vote online at the semifinal phase of the selection process. Artists can put their hat in the ring via email: marianandersonsculpture@gmail.com
May Howard Jackson, 1912
Oil on linen canvas
Strokes of Genius
Through March 27, 2022. An exhibition organized by the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (PAFA) explores female artists exhibiting, studying, and teaching at the historic institution since its founding in 1805 until the close of the Second World War. It includes 80 works by more than 50 professional artists. Some of the female artists fled Philly to Paris because they were prohibited from studying the live nude art form. Featured are paintings and sculptures by Laura Wheeler Waring (1887–1948) and May Howard Jackson (1877–1931) — two of the first African-American women to study at PAFA. Check out the engaging exhibit online: “Virtual Tour of Women in Motion: 150 Years of Women’s Artistic Networks at PAFA,” or register for in-person tickets.118-128 N. Broad St, 215-972-7600, or pafa.org
MUSIC
Karen Clark Sheard
Tribute to a Natural Woman
March 18, 2022. Musician, vocalist, and composer Damien Sneed – along with gospel legend Karen Clark Sheard and singer/songwriter Valerie Simpson — electrify the stage in A Tribute to Aretha Franklin: The Queen of Soul. Enjoy the legend’s hits: “Respect,” “Bridge Over Troubled Water,” “Precious Memories,” “Think,” “Daydreaming,” “Freeway” and “Natural Woman.” Franklin’s performance career stops in Philly included the Cadillac Club and the Uptown Theater in North Philadelphia, the Kimmel Cultural Campus, the Benjamin Franklin Parkway during the Pope Francis visit, and the Mann Center. The concert is presented by the Kimmel Cultural Campus. 8 p.m., at the Merriam Theater at the Kimmel Center, 250 S. Broad St. Tickets begin at $29.50: 215-893-1999; www.kimmelculturalcampus.org
