Kombuka African Dance & Drum Collective will bring their talents to the Main Library for a free performance on March 29.
In her 2013 novel Americanah, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie writes, “Why did people ask "What is it about?" as if a novel had to be about only one thing.” Each year, the public library’s One Book One Community reading program embodies the abundance of themes at play in a literary work through several weeks of fun, educational programs that are closely—or loosely—related to themes in the novel.
The novel’s protagonist, Ifemelu, is Nigerian, so as part of OBOC, patrons will have the chance to view Nigerian and African cinema during a handful of Nollywood film screenings. On March 10, the film adaptation of Adichie’s novel Half of a Yellow Sun will be shown at the Main Library; on March 26, the movie Turning Point; and on April 9, Happiness is a Four-Letter Word.
If you’re a Beyonce fan, you may find Adichie’s name familiar; samples of her 2012 TED Talk entitled “We Should All Be Feminists” appeared in Beyoncé’s 2013 single “Flawless.” Adichie’s viral speech will be screened at the Bluebonnet and Scotlandville branches, as well as her other riveting TED Talk—“The Danger of a Single Story,” given by the author in 2009. Check readonebook.org for screening times and film fests and events happening at EBRPL’s other branches.
“Kumbuka” is a Swahili word that means to remember, and as Louisiana’s premiere African folklore dance group, the Kumbuka African Dance & Drum Collective are well versed in keeping their vibrant cultural traditions alive. Based in New Orleans, the Collective has been preserving African song and dance customs for nearly forty years. The group will bring their talents to the Main Library for a free performance on March 29.
The library’s third annual Mid City Micro-Con, a daylong event where the world of comics comes to life, features an author talk with cartoonist and ethnographer Ebony Flowers on her 2019 graphic novel Hot Comb. The semi-autobiographical comic draws on Flowers’ experience growing up with rigid, white-centric beauty standards, having everything to do with race, class, and a want to belong. Saturday, April 25 from 10 am-5 pm at the Main Library.
In tandem, EBRPL hosts a monthly Natural Hair Support Group meeting for African-American men and women to share advice and encouragement while on their natural hair journeys. This month’s gathering takes place at the Greenwell Springs Road Regional Branch on March 18 at 6:30.
On April 27, the Main Library will host an author Q&A with Nigerian-born author Morenike Famuyide. Based in Baton Rouge, Famuyide has written both children’s fiction and adult nonfiction books.
All One Book One Community events are free and open to the public. While these events are certainly appealing, this listing is just a smattering of all the wonderful programs the library is putting on. Visit readonebook.org for more information about events happening at your local branch.
