After the successful showing of last year’s program, the Education in Zion Gallery decided to do two different activities to celebrate Black History Month this year: first, a Family Home Evening program and, second, a documentary showing.
The Education in Zion gallery has partnered with the Multi-cultural student services to arrange a Family Home Evening program for the month of February. It will include vignettes of pioneers from different time periods. It starts with Jane Manning James’ story and moves on to those of Samuel D. Chambers and Martha Stevens and ends with this year’s new addition, the story of Mary Frances Sturlaugson — the first black sister missionary.
It’s a half-hour program held in the main area of the gallery. Books and pictures will be on display for the people who attend. Attendants are recommended to come prepared to share their own stories.
Heather Severovich, curator for the gallery, invites students, faculty and staff to attend.
“This special Family Home Evening program started in February 2012 and had an overwhelming attendance,” Severovich said. “It was by far the gallery’s best attended program in 2012.”
Camlyn Giddins, Rebecca Soelberg and Melinda Clark all work at the gallery and have been reading about the lives of the characters who will be discussed during the Family Home Evening program.
“A lot of people think that FHE programs are just a tour of the gallery, but it’s really something related to the gallery but with a more in-depth look at it,” Clark said. “It’s a representation of the whole spirit of the gallery (and) of sacrifice. People don’t realize it’s more story telling thing than touring around the gallery.”
Giddins, one of the students, is excited to be able to be a part of this month’s activities.
“We do have a piano, which is great, I’m so happy,” Giddins said. “We’ll be singing a song really pertinent to one of our character’s stories.”
For the second activity, the gallery and Phi Alpha Theta, the Honors History Society, will host a screening of “Nobody Knows: The Untold Story of Black Mormons.”
“Nobody Knows: The Untold Story of Black Mormons,” is an award-winning documentary that was released in 2009. It discusses the African American presence in the LDS church.
“There’s so much to learn from the people that have come before us,” Soelberg said.
Giddins and Severovich invite everyone to attend either or both activities.
“Anyone is invited to learn about any culture; it does relate to a lot of different people,” Giddins said.
