Due to a change in sponsorship, the Jacksonville Black History Calendar printed its last edition in 2019 after a 30 year tenure. Founded by Dr. Brenda Simmons and the late Clovia Russell, the calendar was a well anticipated staple in the community as holders could not only read about local trailblazers within its pages and view important Black History dates, they also received valuable coupons from Burger King to use throughout the year.
The publication has received numerous accolades and was also recognized with the Preservation Award from the Jacksonville Historic Commission. Its reach extended throughout the world. Fortunately, all publications of the calendar have been digitized and are readily available on the Jacksonville Public Library’s website.
In an effort to see the rich information shared by the calendar continue, the Jacksonville Black History Calendar Committee has partnered with the Jacksonville Free Press to continue publishing information about the accomplishments of African Americans on the First Coast in a monthly article. Like the calendar, the monthly column will continue to support the National Black History Month themes as announced by the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH). The 2020 theme is: “African Americans and the Vote.”
The formal announcement is scheduled for Thursday, January 16, 2020 at the Highlands Branch Library Auditorium, 1826 Dunn Avenue at 4:00 p.m.
“We owe our community a debt of gratitude for supporting this project over the years,” said Simmons. “We thank you for your support and look forward to the reinvention of this project for 21st century readership.”
