Past Events

The Springfield African American Read-In (a collaborative partnership of the Missouri State University Libraries, Springfield-Greene County Libraries, Springfield Public Schools, Drury University, and the NAACP Springfield Chapter) invites you to join us for two exciting author presentations.

Brandy Colbert, award-winning Young Adult Author, presents a virtual presentation with live Q & A on Thursday, February 17, 7:30pm – 8:30pm, at the Library Center (4653 S. Campbell Ave, Springfield, MO). Ms Colbert grew up in Springfield, Missouri and graduated from Glendale High School and Missouri State University. Ms. Colbert’s most recent book publications are “Black Birds in the Sky,” (2021) and “The Voting Booth,” (2020).

Charlotte Johnson Cosby, retired educator and author of the children’s book, “Dad’s Mission: A Pictorial History of Colonel Frederick Drew Gregory, U.S. Astronaut,” gives a special guest talk as part of a program on Saturday, February 19, 3:30pm – 5:00pm at the Diversity Center (Historic Washington Avenue Baptist Church), Drury University campus, 803 N. Drury Lane, Springfield, MO.

Both events are open to the public and are free events. Celebration cake pops to be served to attendees.

January 2021

Greetings Springfield African American Read-In Community and Friends,
We hope that each of you, our friends and fans, are well in the 2021 New Year!
2020 was a difficult year for us all with the horrid ravages of the COVID-19 pandemic and the pandemic of racism in America that resulted in the brutal killing of innocent African American men and women; George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery, to name a few.
During the first week of 2021, we witnessed an insurrection attempt against our American democracy with the siege of our national capitol and an attempt to prevent the approval of the electoral college vote in the free and fair 2020 presidential election.
The purpose of this message is a public announcement from the Springfield African American Read-In Committee (AARIC) to inform the public, with great disappointment, that we will not host a 2021 African American Read-In program in February 2021. In normal times, the AARIC would be sending out publicity about a program after months of planning meetings and rehearsals. Due to the pandemic lockdowns, quarantines, and social distancing we were unable to conduct the work or labor of love that goes into putting together a program in February 2021. However, we will continue to honor African American writers and celebrate their books, poetry, songs, stories, and other cultural treasures. We are looking forward to the future when in February 2022, if not sooner, we will be able to gather again with AARI readers, performers, and a live audience for a celebration. In addition to this letter, we are posting the words of “Lift Every Voice and Sing” by James Weldon Johnson.
Let us all stand together for better days, the end of systemic racism in America, and an end to the deadly, worldwide COVID-19.
Until we meet again, we wish you all health and happiness!

Grace M. Jackson-Brown, Ph.D., M.L.S., Chairperson of the Springfield AARIC, on behalf of the Springfield AARIC (Nora England, Charlotte Hardin, Gwen Marshall, Eva Pelkey, Toni Robinson, and Rosalyn Thomas)

Lift every voice and sing
Till earth and heaven ring,
Ring with the harmonies of Liberty;
Let our rejoicing rise
High as the listening skies,
Let it resound loud as the rolling sea.
Sing a song full of the faith that the dark past has taught us,
Sing a song full of the hope that the present has brought us,
Facing the rising sun of our new day begun
Let us march on till victory is won.

Stony the road we trod,
Bitter the chastening rod,
Felt in the days when hope unborn had died;
Yet with a steady beat,
Have not our weary feet
Come to the place for which our fathers sighed?
We have come over a way that with tears has been watered,
We have come, treading our path through the blood of the slaughtered,
Out from the gloomy past,
Till now we stand at last
Where the white gleam of our bright star is cast.
God of our weary years,
God of our silent tears,
Thou who has brought us thus far on the way;
Thou who has by Thy might Led us into the light,
Keep us forever in the path, we pray.
Lest our feet stray from the places, our God, where we met Thee,
Lest, our hearts drunk with the wine of the world, we forget Thee;
Shadowed beneath Thy hand,
May we forever stand.
True to our God,
True to our native land.

Celebrate Black History Month with the Springfield African American Read-In as we welcome and host the award-winning storyteller Gladys Caines Coggswell. Ms. Coggswell is recipient of the Distinguished Achievement Award by the Missouri Humanities Council and author of the book Stories from the Heart: Missouri’s African American Heritage.

Feast of Stories

Friday, February 28, 2020
7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m
Ms. Coggswell will tell entertaining stories for all ages.
Free and open to the public.
Library Station in the Santa Fe Room
2535 N. Kansas Expressway, Springfield, Missouri 65803 (map)

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Saturday, February 29, 2020
9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Ms. Coggswell, assisted by her apprentice, Angela Williams, will lead an interactive storytelling and sharing workshop titled “Developing and Telling Family Stories.”
Free and appropriate for professional or amateur storytellers and young adults. A continental breakfast will be provided.
Springfield Art Museum
1111 E. Brookside, Springfield Missouri 65807 (map)

Sponsorship

Feast of Stories is made possible through a 2020 Missouri Humanities Council grant awarded to the Springfield African American Read-In (AARI). The Springfield AARI is a collaborative partnership of five organizations: Springfield-Greene County Libraries, the Missouri State University Libraries, Drury University, Springfield Public Schools, and the Springfield Chapter of the NAACP. Generous support for the 2020 events was also received from the Springfield Art Museum. The Springfield AARI wishes to thank all our supporters.

Thursday, April 25, 2019, 7:30 – 9:00 p.m. in the Missouri State University Meyer Library, Auditorium 101

A panel will discuss the topic “Mirrors, Windows, and Sliding Glass Doors–African American Children’s Literature Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow.” Panelists include Community Activist/Author/University Professor Sabrina Brinson; Minister/Community Organizer Christine Peoples; and Youth Services Librarian Phyllis Davis. They will discuss background knowledge, along with their experiences sharing African American literature with children and youth. Audience members are welcome to participate in a general Q&A.

This event is part of the Tenth Anniversary Celebration of the Springfield African American Read-In.

AG Ford, the illustrator of best-selling children’s literature, will discuss his work, the process of making picture book art, and becoming an illustrator during two free Springfield events.

Thursday, March 28, 2019:

• 2p.m. – 3p.m. followed by a book signing in the Missouri State University, Meyer Library, auditorium 101
• 7:p.m. – 8:00pm followed by a book signing in the Library Center (4653 S. Campbell Avenue)

Books will be available for purchase at the events.

The art of AG Ford has appeared in over 30 books published for children, including “My Daddy, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.” and “Malcolm Little: The Boy Who Would Grow Up To Become Malcolm X,” both featured titles in the traveling exhibit Telling a People’s Story: African American Children’s Illustrated Literature that is being shown in Springfield.

An Opening Reception for the traveling exhibit Telling A People’s Story: African-American Children’s Illustrated Literature will be held on February 1, 2019, 7:00pm – 8:30pm at The Library Center (4653 S. Campbell Avenue). The Telling a People’s Story Exhibit follows the journey of African American People from Africa past to America present through children’s books. A highlight to the exhibit will be a speaking visit in March 2019 by best-selling children’s book illustrator  AG Ford whose art work is featured in the exhibit. The exhibit showing is in celebration of the Tenth Anniversary of the Springfield African American Read-In. Telling a People’s Story will be on display at The Library Center from February 2019 thru March 2019 and on display at the Missouri State University, Meyer Library from April 2019 thru May 2019. The exhibit reception, which is free and open to a general public, will feature music, games, and prizes. Refreshments will be served.

Panels from the exhibit Telling a People’s Story

Announcing the Tenth Anniversary Theme: “Freedom Stories…The Journey Continues”

Events begin in February 2019!