There aren’t many people in Madison who know more about black history than poet Fabu.
Highlighting great civil rights leaders like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Ella Baker, Malcolm X, and Fannie Lou Hammer, Fabu will also discuss the importance of exploring black history at “Black History Month Kickoff with Fabu” at the Goodman South Madison Library on Friday, Feb. 5.
The event will also feature interactive games, prizes, music from the civil rights movement, and delicious soul food from Melly Mel’s. This past summer, the South Madison Library did a Black Storytelling Series and some of the storytellers will be at the event, as well.
“It will be interactive and it will be fun,” Fabu tells Madison365. “It’s important for people to know that it’s not a lecture or a talking thing. It’s an invitation to expand your civil rights movement knowledge. I think it’s important to remind our young people about the generation that fought so hard for our current-day freedoms.”
A founder of The Journal of Negro History in 1915, Carter G. Woodson has often been cited as the father of black history. In February of 1926, he announced the celebration of “Negro History Week,” considered the precursor of Black History Month. 
“African American history [month] started with Carter G. Woodson in 1926 which makes this the 90th year. So, we’re almost to 100 years and Dr. Woodson’s intentions still haven’t been realized,” Fabu says. “He started what was then Negro History Week because he said that if all of these amazing facts about black people were known, then people wouldn’t despise African Americans as a race. As a historian and as a scholar, he devoted his life to unearthing little-known facts about African American history and African Americans as a people.”
Fabu, who is a poet, columnist, storyteller, educator, and Madison’s Poet Laureate from 2008-2012, says she’s really trying to duplicate that with the Black History Month kick-off event.
“I’m really interested in talking about the lesser-known facts of the civil rights movement,” Fabu says. “Several African Americans in the community have been talking about how people have forgotten the dream of Dr. King and the struggles and sacrifices that so many others have made for civil rights.”
Fabu says that it’s important that we also talk about the women of the Civil Rights Movement who often get overlooked. “They were very important in pushing this freedom struggle forward,” she says.
Fabu’s kick-off event will be just the beginning as black history will be celebrated throughout the month of February at the Madison Public Library. Eleven programs will highlight various contributions – past and present – of black poets, storytellers, activists, politicians, authors, musicians, storytellers and more.
“There will be a series of events that will focus on family and children and science and history and different aspects of the black experience,” Fabu says.
Other Black History Month events will include:
◆ Reducing Racism and Prejudice
February 9, 12-1:30 p.m. – Central Library
◆ Advance Film Screening of Black Panthers: Vanguard of the Revolution
February 9, 6:30-8:30 p.m. – Central Library
◆ Love Released Book Launch (Fabu, Catrina J. Sparkman, and Sherry Lucille)
February 13, 1-3 p.m. – Central Library
◆ Black Storytime with Rev. Melva Bishop-Hewing
February 19, 6:30-7:30 p.m. – Goodman South Madison Library
◆ UW Presents: A Reading with Poet Roger Reeves
February 23, 7-8:30 p.m. – Central Library
◆ Film Screening of Vel Phillips: Dream Big Dreams 
February 25, 6:30-8:30 p.m. – Pinney Library
◆ Black Storytime with Rev. Dr. Leonard Thompson, Sr.
February 26, 6:30-7:30 p.m. – Goodman South Madison Library
◆ Kasiya Phiri Presents African Folklore for All Ages
February 27, 3-4 p.m. – Hawthorne Library
◆ Film Showing of Straight Outta Compton
March 18, 7-9 p.m. – Hawthorne Library
◆ Book to Art Club Explores Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson
March 20, 1:30-2:30 p.m. – Central Library
In addition, the Central Library will host a month-long art exhibit titled Racial Justice Maps, featuring the work of geographer Elsa Noterman and printmaker Anders Zanichkowski who created four maps of Madison that reflect the experiences of incarceration, homelessness, and indigenous land use. Different maps will be featured weekly across from the circulation desk on the library’s first floor.
Madison libraries are also featuring Black History Month displays highlighting the contributions of Black Americans past and present.
“The best thing about all of this programming that is going on is the ability to encourage people to increase their knowledge. It’s the opportunity to use our beloved libraries in yet another way,” Fabu says. “There will be so many great books right in that library that we can read about great historical figures in the civil rights movement and history from Africa to the present day.”
It all starts out with the Black History Month Kick-off Celebration.
“Did I mention there will be delicious soul food from Melly Mel’s?” Fabu laughs. “This is going to be a great celebration, so come on out and celebrate. It’s going to be family friendly and fun.”
“Black History Month Kickoff with Fabu” will take place at the Goodman South Madison Library on Friday, Feb. 5, 6:30 p.m.
