Black History Month 2021


 February is Black History Month and this year we are celebrating African American Poets.  

What is Black History Month?

Each February, the United States celebrates African- American History Month, also known as Black History Month.  This annual observance recognizes the important achievements by African Americans in U.S. history.

In 1926, just 61 years after the abolition of slavery, the Association for Study of Negro Life and History decided to sponsor a national week dedicated to Black history in February, coinciding with the birthdays of Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass.

By the late 1960s the success of the civil rights movement and a growing awareness of black identity led many U.S. colleges to start teaching African-American history, which until then had been largely ignored. Soon, universities and cities began honoring this important aspect of the American Story by celebrating African-American History Month. 

In 1976 President Gerald Ford officially recognized Black History Month calling upon the public to “seize the opportunity to honor the too-often neglected accomplishments of black Americans in every area of endeavor throughout our history.”


Programs on this theme include:





08/02, 11 am – What's the Buzz this Week? A Chat about Amanda Gorman – with Karoline Steckley – President, AIAFVG

Amanda Gorman just wowed the world with her poem The Hill We Climb, composed for and recited at the Presidential Inauguration.  Amanda was the Youth Poet Laureate at age 17.  At 22, she is the youngest poet to read at an Inauguration, and has a reading scheduled at the Super Bowl of all places.  In addition she's a Harvard University graduate, a fashion icon and more!  


Karoline will look at Amanda Gorman and her inspiration to write the Inauguration poem and also take a closer look at some of her interesting facets that made her the star of the inauguration. 

Karoline Steckley is the President of the Associazione Italo Americana FVG, an English Teacher at AIAFVG and CIOFS FB FVG in Trieste, a blogger, a writer, a TESOL Member and Regular Speaker at TESOL Italy Conventions, originally from Racine, WI.

with guests:

Laura Williams teaches Advanced Placement World History, World History, and US History at Elba Central School in Elba, NY.  She has spoken at the TESOL Italy Convention.

Angela Boone Mansfield is an educator in the Minnesota Department of Education working towards Equitable Access to Excellent and Diverse Educators.  She is based in Minneapolis, MN.

Denise Tecchio is the Coordinator of the American Corner Trieste, originally from Cincinnati, OH




11/02, 7 pm – Women’s Book Club – discussing The Bluest Eye By Toni Morrison on Zoom. 



23/02, 11am NEW! Adult Read Aloud – Listen to The Voice of Langston Hughes 1950’s poetry readings by Langston Hughes himself on Facebook ACTS.