DeKalb County Public Library announces Doris K. Wells Heritage Festival Events for December

DECATUR, GA— DeKalb County Public Library announced today its slate of December events for the 2023 Doris. K. Wells Heritage Festival. Spanning the months of December 2023 and January 2024, the two-month celebration brings an array of programs to the library.

“We invite everyone to join us in a two-month celebration of stories, traditions and shared experiences,” said Alison Weissinger, director, DeKalb County Public Library. “Our aim is to foster a sense of community and appreciation for the rich heritage that makes DeKalb County so special.”

The more than 20 programs will feature storytelling, food, crafts, informational workshops and more. Highlights include:

• Gullah Tales & Stories of Strength and Perseverance on Saturday, Dec. 9, 1 p.m., at County Line-Ellenwood Library. Storyteller LaDoris Bias-Davis will bring to life Gullah tales, African American folktales and more.
• First Fruits, Family and Community Kwanzaa Celebration on Monday, Dec. 18, 7 p.m., at Flat Shoals Library. Author, percussionist and storyteller Jerry G. White will entertain the audience at this interactive program with drums, dancing, music and storytelling.
• Frederick Douglas Reese Foundation Discussion and Exhibit on Saturday, Dec. 23, 11 a.m., at County Line-Ellenwood Library. The grandsons of civil rights activist Dr. Frederick D. Reese will educate participants about the Selma Teachers’ March and how the actions of their grandfather and the “Courageous Eight” shaped the Voting Rights Act.

The Doris K. Wells Heritage Festival is an annual celebration of the diverse communities that make up DeKalb County. It is named in honor of DeKalb County Public Library’s first African-American  librarian, the late Doris K. Wells.

The festival originated in 1983 as the Kwanzaa Awareness Festival at Scott Candler Library. More than 1,000 people attended this inaugural event. Since then, the festival has evolved into the annual, two-month celebration DeKalb celebrates today.

All events are free and open to the public. Find more information and the schedule at dekalblibrary.org/news/heritagefestival.