The Committee of the Township of Union will host its Black History Month Celebration titled Reflections: The African American Experience on Saturday, February 27th at 2:00 p.m. at Central Five-Jefferson School, located at 155 Hilton Avenue in Vauxhall.
The program will feature a performance of the Tony Award winning play Fences directed by Jerome A. John, along with the presentation of the Eulace Peacock Unsung Hero Award.
“We are proud to bring the entire community together to celebrate this time of year, and share the experiences captured by August Wilson in his award-winning play,” said Mayor Manuel Figueiredo.
The works of August Wilson present a landscape beset by social injustice and Fences is no different.
The third in a series of seven plays whose purpose is to chronicle the African American experience throughout each decade of the 20th century, Fences is set in the 1950’s. It focuses on members and friends of the African-American Maxson family and their struggles with family, friends and racial injustice, all while reconciling troubled pasts and un-promised futures.
“It’s extremely important for our residents to know that honoring Black History starts with the realization that Black History is part of the American narrative- it’s not separate and apart from American History,” said Committeeman Cliff People.
In line with the Program’s theme for its Black History Month Celebration, the Township has also taken to highlighting the “reflections” of several prominent members of the community in short vignettes that air on their local television network, UnionTV 34. The vignettes can also be found online at https://vimeo.com/channels/unionevents.
Tickets for the February 27th celebration are $10 and can be purchased at Town Hall, online at UnionBHM.eventbrite.com, and limited tickets will also be available at the door.
For additional information on the program or ticketing, please contact Natalie Pineiro, Public Information Officer, Township of Union at npineiro@uniontownship.com or at 908-851-5465.