Town of North Hempstead Celebrates Black History Month

District One Councilwoman Viviana Russell, the first African American female  Board member, helped to bring about the Town's first annual Black History Month presentation on Friday evening at Town hall.

Town Supervisor  noted during his address that typically the Town has had a program during a Town board meeting and that this was the first time there has been a separate program for Black History Month. He called this "another step forward."

"We are starting something that I think will become part of our institution here in the Town of North Hempstead," Kaiman added.

The program included some information about the history of Black History month given by Russell, including that it started out as something called Negro History Week and was done in February in honor of Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln, both of whom have birthdays in February.

There were quiz questions throughout the program and prizes given for the correct answers.

Performances for the night included a member of the Drummers of the Diaspora playing the Djembe drum and giving libations; Co-chair of Unity Circle of Hempstead Mothers Center Linda Boyce reading some poetry; a performance by Westbury Gospel Tabernacle Church dance troupe Children of Destiny; a dance performed by Alvin Ailey-trained dancer Joyous Pierce and a piece by Westbury's Sanaa Movement.

Boyce read some points in African American history, including that Crispus Attucks was the first person to die in the American Revolution and that Christopher Columbus came to America with a black navigator in 1492. She also read her own poem entitled "Lift Up Your Heads."

Fourth District Councilwoman Maria-Christina Poons, Russell, Kaiman and Sixth District Councilman Fred Pollack read about famous African American members of the Town of North Hempstead including Cato Sands, Charles Levi and Hannah Towsent.

Sands was a freed slave and acquired more than three acres of land in Port Washington, Kaiman said. Sands purchased that property in 1834 for about $400, which was a lot of money back then, Kaiman added. Sands' house at 35 Mill Pond Road still stands.

Kaiman called the gathering of the first annual Black History Month program "small but warm" and noted that with the program being broadcast on television that it reaches a bigger audience and becomes a part of history too.