SPRINGFIELD, Mo., July 22, 2020 — An upcoming all-ages event in downtown Springfield will build awareness of and spark conversations about the connections between our city’s history and our own lived experiences.
The Black History Summer Academy Community Day at the History Museum on the Square will take place from 1 to 5:30 p.m. on Saturday, August 1. It serves as a public coda to the annual academy, which was held in a virtual format in June due to the coronavirus pandemic. The event is co-sponsored by the Drury University School of Education and Child Developmentand the Missouri Humanities Council, which made a $2,500 grant to help make it possible.
The public is invited to join BHSA participants as they tour the museum and discuss their takeaways afterward on the square. Community members may attend the museum for free if they pre-register for one of two time slots at 1 and 3:30 p.m. These guided tours will focus on the contributions African Americans have made to Springfield. The museum is otherwise open to the public with an admission charge during this time.
Conversations will be held on the square for people of all ages following each of the two tour times, with refreshments provided. The events will adhere to building occupancy orders and health safety measures throughout the day. People are encouraged to bring masks to wear; masks will be made available to anyone who does not have one. Community Foundation of the Ozarks contributed $300 toward this event through its Ozarks Inclusive Opportunity Fund, which will provide event health and safety supplies such as masks and no-contact thermometers.
The rescheduled event now coincides with the annual Park Day Celebration, a reunion event for Springfield’s African American community held in Silver Springs Park.
To register or for more information, go to: www.bit.ly/BHSA0801
About the Black Summer History Academy
The BHSA began in 1993 after a group of Springfield community members were denied their request for black history to be taught in Springfield Public Schools. In response, the group launched BHSA, which was held annually from 1993 to 2008 and was revived in June of 2015. Since BHSA’s establishment, SPS has added Black history to its curriculum and is now an official BHSA sponsor.
BHSA classes consist of a lesson, business activity and artistic enrichment activity. At its core, BHSA works to celebrate African Americans’ place in Ozarks history and beyond. By showcasing Black leadership, celebrating Black achievement, and honoring Black culture and heritage, BHSA builds community among African Americans and directly challenges implicit and explicit biases that have spurred inequality in the Springfield community.
###
