Author: On Common Ground News

Congressman Hank Johnson and Tuskegee Airmen Val Archer (center) join 2019 U.S. Service Academy nominees for a picture on Feb.4 4 at the ART Station in Stone Mountain.   Rep. Hank Johnson celebrates U.S. Service Academy nominations Congressman Hank Johnson (GA-04) has announced his office nominated 35 students to attend a U.S. Service Academy: Military Academy (West Point), Naval Academy, Air Force Academy, Coast Guard Academy, the Merchant Marine Academy and the ROTC. This year’s 35 nominees are the most for any single year nominated by Rep. Johnson. Two students were nominated for the Merchant Marines, 14 for the Navy, seven…

The community is invited to attend a Black History discussion entitled “Black Migrations: New Destinations and New Lives” featuring a historian from Clark Atlanta University on Saturday, Feb. 16, 11 a.m. at Stonecrest Library, 3123 Klondike Road. The lecture will chronicle African Americans’ migration footprint during the early 20th century, tracing their steps from the South to the Midwest. Attendees will have a chance to win a bundle of books from the library bookstore. The event is sponsored by the Association for the Study of African American Life and History. Funding provided by the DeKalb Library Foundation.

The RKL Education Foundation, Inc., in conjunction with the Rho Kappa Lambda Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., is inviting residents, businesses and community leaders to the 9th Annual Gwinnett County MLK Unity Breakfast on Saturday, Feb. 23, 9 a.m., 550 Trackside, 550 N. Clayton Street, Lawrenceville. The breakfast serves as a celebration of the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s service, as well as other black pioneers. Dr. Kevin B Lee, senior pastor of Berean Christian Church in Gwinnett County, will be the keynote speaker and one of several honorees who have made a lasting impression in the Gwinnett…

The Rev. William D. Watley, senior pastor, and the Music and Worship Arts Department at Saint Philip A.M.E. Church will present a Black History Month concert entitled “Let My People Go” on Sunday, Feb. 24, 5 p.m., 240 Candler Road SE, Atlanta. The free concert will feature Negro spirituals led by the Saint Philip Choir along with the following invited guest choirs: Inspirational Voices at Berean Seventh Day Adventist Church; Conyers Seventh Day Adventist Church Choir; Celestial Choir at Greenforest Community Baptist Church; Greater Atlanta Adventist Academy Concert Choir; North Decatur Presbyterian Church Choir; Voices of Hope of Ray of Hope Christian…

Thanks to a special grant from Coca-Cola, you can visit the National Center for Civil and Human Rights for free during the month of February. The cultural attraction, established in 2007, is located in downtown Atlanta adjacent to the World of Coca-Cola and the Georgia Aquarium on land donated by the Coca-Cola Company. Civil rights legends Evelyn Lowery and former United Nations Ambassador Andrew Young helped launch the center, which has become one of the few places in the world connecting the American Civil Rights Movement with the contemporary struggle for Human Rights around the world. The 42,000-quare-foot facility offers…

Join the Friends of Stonecrest Library for the Black History film series each Monday during the month of February, 3123 Klondike Road, Stonecrest. Enjoy a film with surround sound theater style. The film starts at 6 p.m. The series is funded by the Friends of Stonecrest Library. Feb. 11 — Tell Them We are Rising: The Story of HBCUs Feb. 18 — Artists of the Harlem Renaissance Feb. 25 — Zora’s Roots: The Life of Zora Neale Hurston

Brush up on your knowledge of black history at the Black History A to Z Museum on Saturday, Feb. 16, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., at the Wesley Chapel-William C. Brown Library, 2861 Wesley Chapel Road, Decatur. Enjoy black history trivia and storytelling, artifacts and memorabilia highlighting accomplishments of Black persons from around the world curated by Dr. Joyya Smith and Sandra Smith. Light refreshments will be served.

The public is invited to an exhibition entitled “The Integration of Sports History: African Americans in Athletics” on Friday, Feb. 15, 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., at the Gwinnett Justice and Administration Center atrium, 75 Langley Drive, Lawrenceville. CBS commentator and former NBA player Mike Glenn will provide a guided tour of an exhibit of rare newspapers, artwork, and other documents that chronicle the journey of black athletes into professional sports. Light refreshments will be served. This event is free of charge and co-sponsored by the Gwinnett County Office of Community Outreach.

Join Gwinnett County Government and the United Ebony Society for a Black History Month celebration on Thursday, Feb. 21, 6 p.m. at the Gwinnett Justice and Administration Center atrium, 75 Langley Drive, Lawrenceville. The reception will feature performances, speakers, and special presentations. Refreshments will be served.

Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. (AKA), in partnership with the Educational Advancement Foundation (EAF), announced the establishment of the AKA-HBCU Endowment Fund on Jan. 30. Over the next four years, the AKA-HBCU Endowment Fund will distribute $10 million to 96 accredited institutions. Presidents from 32 of the participating HBCUs will receive the first installment of the endowment gift in the amount of $50,000 on Feb. 28 during a Black History Month program at the AKA International Headquarters in Chicago. The program will include a tour of the recently renovated Ivy Center International Headquarters in the historic Hyde Park neighborhood. “As an HBCU graduate and…