DAVENPORT, Iowa — A day to celebrate culture, heritage and achievements is coming back to the TMBC Lincoln Resource Center in Davenport. The center's annual Black History Month event will be on Saturday, Feb. 10 from 1 to 4 p.m.
This free celebration will feature a variety of activities, as well as a selfie station for event-goers to document their afternoon.
This year, local students will be participating in the center's BHM wax museum, portraying prominent people of Black history. There will be a film festival as well as 'Pastries with Pals' in the center's library featuring a donut wall and a book giveaway.
There will also be appearances by local leaders in several different professions.
"We went on Facebook to ask kids what they want to be when they grow up, so we'll have people that represent those careers out and about to talk to the kids," Tracy Singleton, the center's executive director, said. "Everything from lawyers to police officers to doctors and more."
And new this year, the event is putting a special emphasis on everyday inventions we enjoy thanks to their Black creators. Usually, the center puts up a display, but in 2024, they're taking things one step further by demonstrating the inventions in real time!
In honor of John Thomas White, the inventor of the lemon squeezer, lemonade shakeups will be offered. Ice cream will be there since the scooper was invented by Alfred L. Cralle. A putting green will be on hand in honor of inventor Dr. George Grant. Potato chips, the fishing reel, hush puppies and the cell phone will also be honored.
Singleton joined The Current on News 8 to discuss the event. You can watch her full interview in the above video.
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