Each week, join Suffolk Public Library as we highlight Black authors, actors, and other creatives and talk about topics pertaining to African Americans in celebration of Black History Month. For adults.

No registration required to attend in person. Registration is required to attend virtually. Registered participants will provide their email address to receive a link to the Zoom meeting at least 15 minutes before the event begins.

Black History Month Live Talks schedule of events:

Local History

February 2

Join SPL and local authors and guest speakers V.M. Roberts and Jeanice Thomas for a local history discussion. Roberts and Thomas will discuss their books, which detail local African American history.

About the Authors/Speakers

Jeanice B. Thomas, MBA, is a scientist/research chemist (retired), author, editor, motivational speaker, and champion for STEM. Thomas is the author of Breaking through Barriers: The Journey and Breaking through Barriers: The Journey Continues.

V.M. Roberts, MBA, holds an MPH in Epidemiology (Purdue University), an MBA in Health Administration (Eastern University), and a BA in Journalism (Temple University). Roberts’ books cover a wide variety of genres, including Romantic Thrillers, Political Suspense, and Nonfiction.

Women in Romance with Beverly Jenkins and T.B. Bond

February 9

Authors Beverly Jenkins and T.B. Bond will be joining us for a panel discussion on Black women in the Romance genre and the importance of representation in Romance, and will share advice on how to start writing your own romance novel. A Q&A will follow for participants. Beverly Jenkins will be joining via Zoom.

About the Authors/Speakers

Beverly Jenkins is the recipient of the 2017 Romance Writers of America Nora Roberts Lifetime Achievement Award, as well as the 2016 Romantic Times Reviewers’ Choice Award for historical romance. She has been nominated for the NAACP Image Award in Literature, was featured both in the documentary Love Between the Covers and on CBS Sunday Morning. Since the publication of Night Song in 1994, she has been leading the charge for multicultural romance, and has been a constant darling of reviewers, fans, and her peers alike, garnering accolades for her work from the likes of The Wall Street Journal, People Magazine, and NPR.

T.B. Bond has been writing, drawing, and web designing for years. When she is not doing one of those things, she’s reading and watching anime. Nerdtastic to the core she’s a Whovian, Trekie, Otaku, and probably a whole host of other things. Currently, she lives with her husband, a fellow nerd, in Virginia.

Representation in Media

February 23

Join director and professor of theatre Brittney S. Harris for a discussion on Black representation in media, what it gets right, and what it gets wrong. A Q&A will follow for participants.