Three Rivers Community College Honors Black History Month with a Variety of Programs

Three Rivers has a variety of special events planned to celebrate Black History Month. Join us for a book signing and reading by prominent Norwich author, Lottie Scott, and a poetry reading and signing by Hartford’s first poet laureate and Three Rivers Professor, Frederick Douglas Knowles II. Sanofka Education and Leadership, Inc. and Three Rivers are hosting an artistic production of Black History Month followed by an awards ceremony that honors six local women who make a difference in the lives African American students. The final event of the month is a LGBTQ and Black History Trivia Night, which is co-sponsored by outCT. All events are free and welcome to the public.
 
Deep South - Deep North: A Family's Journey by Lottie Scott
Wednesday, February 20, 12:30-1:15 pm, Room C-101
Join us as author Lottie Scott discusses her book, her life, and the history of her journey on February 20. Deep South - Deep North: A Family's Journey tells the heartbreaking and triumphant tale of her maturation into adulthood against a racially-charged, impoverished, yet fiercely loving backdrop in Longtown, South Carolina. In 1957, she moved to Norwich, Connecticut, where she raised her son and has called Norwich home ever since. She has been involved in Civil Rights and Civil Liberties as a Leader and Advocate for fifty-five years in Norwich and Connecticut. In 2017, she received the Willard M. McRae Community Diversity Award and a Writer's Block Ink Humanitarian ACE Award.  The event is sponsored by Student Programs and the Equity and Diversity Committee. If possible, please RSVP to Dianne.me.Daniels@gmail.com if you plan to attend. 
 
A Night with Knowles
Wednesday, February 20, 6:00 pm, Room F-117
Later that day, “A Night with Knowles,” will feature Associate Professor Frederick-Douglass Knowles II, Hartford’s first poet laureate.  He will read from his poetry book, BlackRoseCity, a collection of poems that explores the underpinnings of interpersonal relationships in communities isolated by socio-political barriers and reflects on the memories of a city youth growing up in Norwich. Knowles, Hartford’s poet laureate, has taught at Three Rivers for 11 years in the English and Communications Department and also teaches classes at a local prison as part of the Three Rivers Community College Second Chance Pell Grant program. He co-founded the Men Against Domestic Violence Artistic Expression annual event which consists of music, poetry readings and performances, and a live artist painting. Knowles also chairs the Three Rivers Community Involvement Committee.
 
There Come a Time When Silence is Betrayal
Monday, February 25, 6:00-8:00 pm, Room F-117
Three Rivers and Sankofa Education and Leadership, Inc. collaborated to honor Black History Month with an artistic black history production followed by an awards ceremony to recognize seven women in the community who are making a difference in the lives of African American students. Honorees include:
Dr. Michelle Dunlap, Professor at Connecticut College
Angy Gardner, Co-Owner of Uncle D's Blazing BBQ
Ayanti Grant, Esq., District Director for US Congressman Joe Courtney
Tamara Lanier, Chair of Criminal Justice for Connecticut State Conference of NAACP Branches
Tonya Laymon, Teacher and Choral Director at Norwich Free Academy
Veda Wellington, Secretary in Registrar’s Office at Three Rivers Community College
Sarette Williams, Esq., Chair of the Board of Trustees at Norwich Free Academy
 
LGBTQ and Black History Trivia Night
Wednesday, February 27, 5:30-7:00 pm, Room F-117
Bring a friend and enjoy an educational night of fun and games at the LGBTQ and Black History Trivia Night. There will be free pizza and prizes. The event is sponsored by Three Rivers Student Services and outCT.

Three Rivers Community College is an accessible, affordable, and culturally diverse two-year college located in Norwich, Connecticut, with an off-campus instructional center at the Naval Submarine Base in Groton. Knowing that the educational goals of its students are as diverse as their backgrounds, Three Rivers provides a broad range of credit and non-credit liberal arts, sciences, nursing, engineering, manufacturing, career and technical courses.  The student population consists of more than 4,300 enrolled students each semester. To learn more about what Three Rivers has to offer, visit www.threerivers.edu.