Along with its panel discussion, What brought you to Murfreesboro, Linebaugh has art and objects on display from China, Laos, Norway, Egypt and Mexico.
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Over the years Murfreesboro has grown by leaps and bounds.
Along with that growth has come a growing diversity, which will be highlighted by this month’s Bicentennial topic, Our People.
“The best way to bring understanding of others is to hear their stories, so we ave the Feb. 18 event the title, ‘What Brought You to Murfreesboro?’ and have invited Murfreesboro citizens from seven ethnic backgrounds to share their story by answering the question,” Linebaugh Library’s Carol Ghattas explained. “In listening to those from Laotian, Arab, Hispanic, African and other backgrounds, the community will learn what attracts people to our city, what Murfreesboro looks like from the ‘outside looking in’ and gain a better understanding of our neighbors.”
Ghattas said participants will share their own immigration stories and explain “their journey to this city” during the discussion, which will take place from 2-4 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 18 in the Reading Room at Linebaugh Library.
“It is my hope that not only adults will take advantage of this program, but bring their children to the event as well,” she said, adding Friends of Linebaugh will provide refreshments for the event, which is free and open to the public.
In addition participants have brought photos and other items from their home countries, which will be on display for the month at the library.
In keeping with February’s national theme of Black History Month, many events are geared toward the history of Murfreesboro’s African American community.
On Feb. 16, Leigh Ann Gardner, a graduate assistant at the MTSU Center for Historic Preservation, will give a lecture about African American mutual aid groups in Murfreesboro.
These groups, like the Benevolent Society and Cemetery, Working Peoples Labor and Aid Association, the Sons and Daughters of Cyrene) and the Grant Courts of Calanthe, were voluntary associations formed to provide mutual aid, benefit or insurance for relief from sundry difficulties.
Benevolent societies were usually formed by people of shared backgrounds or ethnicities. They helped African Americans forge bonds of community and were a vital part of Murfreesboro’s history.
The lecture, “We Are As Grand As We Want To Be: African American Mutual Aid Groups in Murfreesboro,” will be at 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 16 at the Bradley Academy.
On Feb. 25, Zeta Phi Beta Sorority will hold a soul-food cook off from 2-4 p.m. at Patterson Park Community Center.
The public is invited to attend. Food categories includes entrée/main dish, side dish, bread, and dessert. First place winner in each category will win a $25 gift card.
Before the cook off, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority’s Pi Nu Omega Chapter will hold a Black History and Murfreesboro’s History Makers Quiz Bowl in Patterson Park’s theater.
Middle School students will be quizzed over black history nationally with special emphasis on the role African-Americans played in Murfreesboro over the past 200 years.
To round out the month, the Business Education Partnership Foundation will hold an Arts for Education Elegant Evening, which will feature an evening of food, music, entertainment and art (both youth and adult.)
This is a fundraiser for BEP programming to enhance math and science education in both Murfreesboro City and Rutherford County schools.
The fundraiser is set for 6-9 p.m. Friday, Feb. 24 at the Rutherford County Chamber of Commerce. |
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