Altadena Baptist Church Celebrates Black History Month

Charmaine Jefferson (Photo – calarts.edu)

For 40 years, the church has held an Annual Black History Celebration, but the last three years the celebration was virtual.

By News Desk

This year, the celebration will be live, at Altadena Baptist Church, on Sunday, February 18th at 5:00 pm. This is the first in-person event in four years. This year, the Black History Committee keynote speaker is Charmaine Jefferson.

Jefferson is currently the Board of Trustees Chair for the California Institute of the Arts, and Principal & Service Provider for Kélan Resources, which integrates art, history, culture, inclusion, and diversity into the DNA of education. She received a B.A. in Dance from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), M.A. in Dance Education from New York University (NYU), and J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center. She is also recognized for having served as Executive Director of Dance Theatre of Harlem, and the California African American Museum in Los Angeles.

Through her maternal great-grandfather, John Morton Riddle, Jefferson is a relative of Carter G. Woodson, the founder of the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASAALH) and “Father of Black History.” Jefferson’s family of cousins have deep roots in the Pasadena/Altadena and Los Angeles communities including Ralph Riddle, Pasadena Police Department’s first black officer. In her keynote, Jefferson will speak to these connections and align her remarks as well to ASAALH’s 2024 Black History theme devoted to “Blacks in the Arts.”

Consistent with the theme, Altadena Baptist Church will present an exhibition of local school student artwork curated by Visual Artist and retired educator, LaMonte Westmoreland.

Following the celebration attendees are invited to join a meal in Barinaga Hall. This is a free event.

Altadena Baptist Church Celebrates Black History Month
February 18
5:00 pm
Location
Altadena Baptist Church
791 E Calaveras St.
Altadena, CA 91001