Music festival to mark Black History Month

From the blues and jazz to hip-hop, from spirituals to the forefathers of rock and roll, America’s music is replete with the influence of the African-American community. In celebration of Black History Month (February), the Monmouth County Library System will host a History through Music Festival on Feb. 6 at 2 p.m. at the Monmouth County Library Headquarters, 125 Symmes Drive, Manalapan.

Narrator Darrell Willis will take the audience on a journey through a musical timeline. Featured performances highlight the musical talents of Tyrone Laws (drums), the New Agape Choir (spiritual and gospel sounds), Courteney Lynn Wilds, soprano (opera and classical), Dianne Tam (jazz), and a dance performance of Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” by the Icon Dance troupe.

Other entertainment including jazz, African drums, steel pan music, hip-hop and more will be featured. Learn about the differences and impact of reggae, calypso and soca from the Caribbean and music-influenced religious experiences through dance.

Enjoy a sampling of African, American and Caribbean traditional foods, as light refreshments will be served.

The event is sponsored by the Manalapan Arts Council, and is co-sponsored by the Monmouth County Library.

In addition, the library system will sponsor a second musical performance by Local Commotion: A Salute to Thomas Georgia Dorsey and Gospel on Feb. 20 at 2 p.m. at the MonmouthCounty Eastern Branch, 1001 Route 35, Shrewsbury.

Also to celebrate Black History Month, the library system will show two films in February: Michael Jackson’s “This is It” on Feb. 2 at 11 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. at library headquarters in Manalapan; and the Civil War epic “Glory” on Feb. 4 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. at the Eastern Branch in Shrewsbury.

For more information, contact the MonmouthCounty Library at 732-431-7220, or log on to www.monmouthcountylib.org.