Look/Listen

The St. Louis County Library’s Black History Celebration kicks off on January 25 at 7 p.m. with a talk from Robbie Montgomery of Sweetie Pie’s at the library headquarters.

Montgomery is the owner of three St. Louis soul food restaurants, and rose to national celebrity as the television star of OWN’s Welcome to Sweetie Pie’s. She’ll share her own success story, and explain how a lung condition led to a total change in her career. Originally a backup singer to Ike and Tina Turner, the restaurateur has welcomed visits from Oprah and The Food Network’s Guy Fieri. After her talk, audience members can samples of desserts from Sweetie Pie’s.

The theme for this year’s Black History Celebration is “A Community in Action,” and programs run throughout January, February, and March at all St. Louis County Library branches. Events include a performance of Who Did It? The Three Little Pigs, by the Black Rep, an expo of African American artists, authors and musicians, and a performance by local jazz band Soul Café Jazz Group.

The Saint Louis Country Library Headquarters are located at 1640 S. Lindbergh. All events are free, and the full schedule of events can be found on the library’s website, slcl.org.