President’s Greeting
Season’s Greetings and Happy Holidays to you and your families.
2020 has been a challenging year because of the COVID-19 pandemic and social and political unrest. We have diligently worked with the staff of the African American Research Library and Cultural Center (AARLCC) to fulfill our mission and serve the community despite these challenges. We have successfully done the following in a virtual environment:
- Presented the 9th Annual South Florida Book Festival in July
- Received a grant to produce an Original Play about Esther Rolle
- Sponsored a dynamic series of “Cultural Conversations” featuring national speakers
- Raised over $8,000 to support AARLCC programing at the virtual Friends of AARLCC 18th Anniversary
- Received a $5,000 grant from the law firm of RTR, LLP, in partnership with the Broward County Panhellenic Council to host a Thanksgiving Basket Giveaway for 200 community families.
I want to thank the Executive Board for their unwavering support and willingness to give so much of their time talent and treasure to achieve our goals.
I am hopeful that 2021 will be another exciting year at AARLCC!
On behalf of the AARLC Executive Board, I wish you a happy, healthy, and peaceful New Year!
Pamela Adams, President
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Friends of AARLCC Aiding the Community with Turkey Give- Away
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The Porch is the Tree is the Watering Hole
Come out and view the free new exhibit at the African American Research Library & Cultural Center. The Porch is the Tree is the Watering Hole exhibit will be open to the public on Thursdays and Saturdays from 11AM - 2PM starting Saturday, December 12, 2020 through May 29, 2021.
Viewed through the lenses of art, architecture, photography, and poetry, The Porch is the Tree is the Watering Hole is a dynamic exploration of space and community within the African diaspora. Highlighting the Black experience in Black neighborhoods, the exhibition celebrates the history of the Sistrunk community with works by: Germane Barnes, Darius V. Daughtry, David I. Muir, Adler Guerrier, Olalekan Jeyifous, Adrienne Chadwick, Marlene Brunot, and George Gadson. The exhibition is curated by Dominique Denis.
The Porch is the Tree is the Watering Hole will be at the African American Research Library & Cultural Center, 2650 NW Sixth St. Fort Lauderdale, FL 33311 Capacity is limited due to physical distancing guidelines; reservations are required to attend. To register for this free exhibit, click here. |
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Featured Special Collection at AARLCC
The Esther Rolle Collection at AARLCC shares the life and times of one of Florida’s finest actresses. She was a product of Pompano Beach, Florida (1920-1998) and rose to stardom as the award-winning actress of the television series, “Good Times.” Rolle played Florida Evans, the mother of a Black family and insisted that the promoters include a father in the cast. Two seasons were played as a sitcom on the CBS series, “Maude” and was later promoted as its own series for six seasons. She was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress.
The Special Collections at the African American Research Library and Cultural Center includes her many awards, and accolades, such as her NAACP Image Award, statuettes, a beaded gown, drama, memorabilia, and artwork. Noteworthy are Rolle’s photographs of the Emmy Award for her performance in TV drama, “Summer of My German Soldier,” and her Raggedy Andy Doll, among other items. This Collection was gifted by the family of Esther Rolle to share her accomplishments and successes with the world.
Watch for the Centennial Celebration honoring the 100th birthday of this inspiring and awesome actress. You will not want to miss it. Her party is being sponsored by AARLCC and slated to be presented in Spring 2021.
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Membership Has Its Privileges
As we approach the end of a truly unforgettable year, I want to thank you for helping the African-American Research Library and Cultural Center rise to meet the challenges of 2020. I am truly grateful for your generous support of the Friends of AARLCC. Your support makes it possible for us to continue to provide quality services, even if it is all online! So, we are presenting the African-American experiences and conversations in new ways and reaching wider audiences around the world. I hope you take the time to read about how your generosity is helping AARLCC to provide groundbreaking exhibitions, innovative resources, and more. You are welcome to come back and visit us, even if we must be socially distant.
Our membership is annual and October is our Membership renewal month, so I hope that you will consider renewing your membership today at the same level or perhaps upgrading to a new membership level. Please help our 2020 Year-end Campaign raise funds to support our upcoming projects!
Please welcome our new members for this quarter – Tameka Hobbs, Veronica Giles, Marsha Ellison and Sheila Pettis.
Membership Levels
General Member $35
Centennial Member $100
Business Member $150
Lifetime Member $1,000
Join us today at our website – www.friendsofaarlcc.org – or send us a check made payable to Friends of AARLCC. Also, you can click on the button at the bottom of this page to join or renew your membership with the Friends of AARLCC or make TAX DEDUCTIBLE donation today!
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Why Join the Friends of AARLCC?
- Preserve the history, culture and art of African American and others of the African diaspora at AARLCC
- Provide programming for youth and adults at AARLCC
- Build Bridges
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