African American Museum Celebrates Kwanzaa on December 29

The traditional lighting ceremony will be part of the Kwanzaa program at the African American Museum.

Nassau County Executive Ed Mangano announces that the African American Museum and Center for Education and Applied Arts will celebrate Kwanzaa on Wednesday, December 29, with a family-friendly program involving a candlelighting and traditional storytelling.

The candlelighting ceremony and “Griot/Storytellers” program will take place from 3 to 5 p.m. The storytellers program focuses on the role of “griots” – or the elders in a community – in conveying oral history to younger generations. These accounts can be in the form of song, poem or riddle, and can also incorporate dance. As part of the program, attendees will be invited to participate.

Prior to the Kwanzaa program, the museum will offer two hands-on workshops from noon to 2 p.m. One will incorporate doll hair-braiding in which hair “kinkologist” Carla Brown will provide instruction in traditional hair-braiding methods.

In the second workshop, museum director and artist David Byre-Tyre will lead participants in the completion of a new mosaic for the recording studio and oral history program.

“Since its introduction more than 40 years ago, the Kwanzaa celebration has emerged as a significant celebration during which the African American community can both commemorate and reflect upon its historic roots in Africa, as well as the awe-inspiring impact it has had on the American experience,” says Mangano. “I invite all Nassau County residents to join us at the African American Museum on this occasion.”

The African American Museum and Center for Education and Applied Arts was founded in 1970 and is centrally located in Hempstead at 110 North Franklin Street. The museum, celebrating 40 years as an African American cultural center on Long Island, will be showcasing select works from its collection during 2011. Currently, the museum is featuring the work of Carla Brown, Bob Carter, Calvin Coleman II, Stanwyck Cromwell and Frank.

The museum is open Tuesday - Friday, noon - 8 p.m., Saturday, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m., and Monday by appointment. For more information, call 516-572-0730 or visit www.theaam.org.