Black History Month is now in full swing, and all month long, organizations from throughout the region will be hosting a number of commemorative events to honor the occasion. From fantastic works of film to art, education, and more, there are countless ways to celebrate the contributions and creations of the Black community. And now, thanks to the team at Mercer County Community College, Black History Month celebrations will be hitting the big screen.

Throughout the month of February, Mercer County Community College will be hosting a Black Film Festival in honor of Black History Month. These screenings will be held at Mercer County Community College’s James Kearney Campus, located at the heart of Downtown Trenton at 102 N Broad St, Trenton, NJ 08608. The programming is sponsored by the team at Boyd Youth Development. At the screenings, guests will have the opportunity to enjoy a number of compelling selections, including:

• Stamped: From the Beginning (February 9th, 5:30pm): “Stamped: From the Beginning” is a 2023 film based off the work’s of Ibram X. Kedni’s book of the same title. The documentary chronicles the story of anti-Black racism emerged in America and how these ideas have manifested throughout the course of this nation’s history. This informative documentary presents a fast-paced retrospective on the history of racism in America, illuminating not only how systems of oppression came to be, but how these intricate systems can be dismantled in the fight for a more equitable society.
• The African Americans – The Black Atlantic/Into The Fire (February 16th, 5:30pm): The African Americans is a PBS mini-series hosted by Harvard scholar Henry Louis Gates, Jr. Per PBS, “the six-hour series explores the evolution of the African-American people, as well as the multiplicity of cultural institutions, political strategies, and religious and social perspectives they developed — forging their own history, culture and society against unimaginable odds.” The featured episodes for this day’s screening include:
  • The Black Atlantic: This episode will unpack the earliest Africans, both enslaved and free, who first arrived on American shores.
  • Into the Fire: Into the Fire covers the period immediately following the Civil War and the end of slavery, with a particular focus on Reconstruction’s immense but tragically brief “moment in the sun.”
• The African Americans – Rise!/It’s Nation Time (February 24th, 11:30am): Continuing with “The African Americans” series, this screening’s episodes will feature:
  • Rise!: “Rise!” chronicles the road to the Civil Rights Movement, from Rosa Parks to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
  • It’s Nation Time: The final episode for the screening series will discuss the progress made in the present era, from 1968 through 2023 and beyond.

This fascinating film festival offers a refreshing glimpse at the rich history, culture, and iconic heroes of America’s Black community. The upcoming festival offers guests a profound retrospective on the past, as well as heartening encouragement for the journey ahead. Black History Month is a wonderful time for education, reflection, and community connection, and these screenings promise to be a thought-provoking way to spend this important time of year.

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