African American Family Stories & Poetry - In-person

with the Olney Writer's Group

Join us for a Black History Month Celebration featuring writer Francene Hill and poet Linda R. Moore as they share their powerful family history, stories, and poetry.

OLNEY WRITER'S GROUP MEMBERS FRANCENE HILL AND LINDA R. MOORE are family friends-- their parents were classmates at Dunbar High School in Little Rock, AR-- who by chance reconnected at an Olney Writer's Group meeting after 30+ years (hear the full story on 2/9!). During this special Black History event, Francene and Linda will share their compelling family history and excerpts from their writing and poetry. Learn about their writing journeys, what motivates them, and their strategies for promoting and publishing their work. A Q&A session and light refreshments will follow.

FRANCENE HILL will present details about her upcoming book, Tiny Tots in Tiaras and Tuxedos, which chronicles the story of her mother, Kermit Bland Hill. As a pioneering African American woman, Kermit founded the "Tiny Tot Nursery School of St. Louis" during the Baby Boom era. Drawing from personal letters, photographs, and oral histories, the book provides an intimate look at Kermit's life and achievements. For more information or to join the mailing list, visit tinytotalums.com.

For nearly her entire lifetime, LINDA R. MOORE dreamed of becoming a writer, but other considerations—raising a family and a career as visionary educator—got in the way. The recent COVID pandemic shutdown provided her with an unanticipated opportunity to explore poetry writing, initially as a self-care strategy and later as a passion, at a time when nothing seemed to be as it should have been. She will read from a collection of poems that reflect on how we choose to survive and thrive in the face of unforeseen challenges.

No registration is required but seating is limited.

Questions about this program? Contact the Olney branch at 240-773-9545.

Take a look at MCPL's online resources. Don't have a card right now?  No worries!  Find out how to Get a Library Card.

Accommodation Requests

People who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing should request English-language captioning or sign-language interpretation at least five days before the library-sponsored program they plan to attend. Contact the Assistant Facilities and Accessibility Program Manager at 240-777-0002 with all other accommodation requests.

cm 1.1 01/03/2023

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