The Missouri Historical Society is hosting a series of free, in-person events at the Missouri History Museum in honor of Black History Month. The programs mark the return of public events for the organization’s three locations, which closed for much of January due to the spike of COVID cases in the St. Louis area. The Missouri History Museum, the Soldiers Memorial Military Museum, and the MHS Library and Research Center all reopened in early February.
“By the end of last year, we had really good engagement among the community visiting the museum, both for exhibits and programming. We were bummed to shut down for a few weeks in January. But safety is, of course, a huge priority,” says Lindsay Newton, Director of Education & Community Engagement for MHS. “We’re just so happy to be welcoming people back now.”
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In addition to programs for adults, the Missouri History Museum is also emphasizing their youth programming this year by offering two storytelling events, Protest and Community Storytelling and Health Storytelling. “Young people play such a big role in determining our future,” says Newton. “We’re just so excited that the young people are able to get really involved Black History Month celebrations, too.”
The Legacy of Homer G. Phillips Hospital
In honor of this year’s national theme for Black History Month, “Black Health and Wellness,” this event will delve into the importance of Homer G. Phillips Hospital and the Black medical professionals who worked there. The facility was the first teaching hospital west of the Mississippi River that served Black patients, and more Black medical professionals received their degrees there than at any other teaching hospital in the world. Candace O’Connor, author of Climbing the Ladder, Chasing the Dream: The History of Homer G. Phillips Hospital, and historian Dr. Pricilla Dowden-White will be leading a discussion about the history of the hospital. After their discussion, a group of Black medical practitioners currently in the field will talk about the problems that still arise and their own accounts from the profession. For those who will be unable to attend in-person, this event will be available virtually at mohistory.org. February 17, 5:30-8 p.m.
History Exploration Days – Protests and Progress: St. Louis Neighborhoods
Students from Pre-K-12th grade are invited to further educate themselves about the complex history surrounding St. Louis communities both past and present. There will be a wide array of activities offered, including a craft room where kids can learn more about the city’s neighborhoods while crafting an artifact of their own, interactive drop-in stations where they can inspect historic artifacts at touch tables, and a self-guided gallery exploration of “community superheroes” where patrons can examine the Beyond the Ballot exhibit. February 18 & 19, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m
Protest and Community Storytelling
As part of History Exploration Days, the Historical Clubhouse will present an interactive story time for ages 2-11 titled “Protest and Community Storytelling” that will cover communities, local neighborhoods, and protests through kid’s books. This event has a capacity of 20, and spots will be given on a first-come, first-served basis. There will be a virtual storytelling event at 11:15 a.m. for those who cannot attend in-person. February 18,10:30-11 a.m.
Race, Violence, and Justice: The Mink Slide Salon
Local filmmaker Owen K. Woodard will share a snippet from his film, The Mink Slide, named for the African-American business district where, in 1946, 25 Black World War II veterans prevented the lynching of 19-year-old WWII veteran James Stephenson and his mother, Gladys. Dr. Geoff Ward, professor at Washington University in St. Louis and keynote speaker for this event, will discuss racial violence throughout American history, how it coincides with Missouri’s history, and how reconciliation and healing can occur. The Historians’ Center will have newspapers available that detail the events and the riots that followed. There will also be a live musical performance by Dr. Marty K. Casey and Leland Crenshaw in Grand Hall, and patrons can purchase refreshments provided by Café St. Louis by Pure. This event will also be streamed virtually at mohistory.org. February 24, 5:30-8 p.m.
Sticking with this year’s national theme of “Black Health and Wellness,” this event will explore the prominence of St. Louis’ Homer G. Phillips Hospital, as well as the significance of Black Americans in the medical and health fields. “[We will be] telling the stories of people from George Washington Carver to Michelle Obama to Dr. Patricia Bath. There’s a lot of opportunities for learning,” says Newton. This event is aimed toward children ages 2-6 and is also limited to only 20 people. February 25, 10:30-11 a.m.
