Lehigh Valley Black News Network is an informative eNewsletter & Black Blog Pusher designed to inform you about events and community information related to the connection and inclusion of communities of African-Black-African American descent throughout the Lehigh Valley and the State of Pennsylvania. The LV BNN e-letter is distributed and viewed by over 15000 internet readers from the Lehigh Valley Region, parts of Philadelphia, Harrisburg and Reading Pennsylvania.
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MLK Jr. Day 2025 @ The Allentown Art Museum: January 20th 11am to 5:00pm
12noon-4 p.m. – Hourly poetry performances in the galleries
noon – Michael Freeman: Michael Freeman is an abstract and performance artist with a vision impairment known as tunnel vision. His paintings primarily feature tactile components and texture so they can be felt by others with visual impairments.
1 p.m. Jinx Leonard
Jinx Leonard is a Black trans woman who writes poems and short stories about the high of transitioning, dating while trans, and the beauty of self love with humor, rawness, and a sense of self.
2 p.m. Lisbeth Brito
Lisbeth Brito is an Afro-Latinx poet, mental-health professional, and the host of “Spilled Ink: Spoken Word” at the Inkwell in Allentown. Her poems focus on raw emotions that stem from trauma, identity, relationships, and loss.
3 p.m. Ikea Clinton
Ikea “Kay Cee” Clinton is an author, empathist, and domestic-violence-awareness advocate. She published her first book, Breaking the Silence, in 2020 and has always leaned on poetry for self-expression.
4 p.m. Latrice Young
Latrice is a multifaceted choreopoet, global storyteller, and artrepreneur. After earning a B.A. in creative writing/poetry from Purdue University in 2018, she founded Dunique LLC in 2019. She later pursued an MFA in performance creation at Moravian University and Touchstone Theatre, focusing on choreopoems, ritual, and healing. She has facilitated workshops and performed original works, including her piece “Ain’t I/Ain’t It/Ain’t We” at Touchstone Theatre’s 2023 Fresh Voices showcase. As coexecutive leader of the Naptown African American Theatre Collective, she celebrates Black culture and continues to support local arts through various volunteer and creative endeavors.
12:30 p.m. – Storytelling in Rodale Classroom
1-2 p.m. – Musical performance by Bev Conklin
3 p.m.– Jazz performance in the AAM auditorium by the Philadelphia Clef Club Philharmonic
Kirk Whalum, photos by Tim Koen
1 p.m. Jinx LeonardJinx Leonard is a Black trans woman who writes poems and short stories about the high of transitioning, dating while trans, and the beauty of self love with humor, rawness, and a sense of self.
2 p.m. Lisbeth BritoLisbeth Brito is an Afro-Latinx poet, mental-health professional, and the host of “Spilled Ink: Spoken Word” at the Inkwell in Allentown. Her poems focus on raw emotions that stem from trauma, identity, relationships, and loss.
3 p.m. Ikea ClintonIkea “Kay Cee” Clinton is an author, empathist, and domestic-violence-awareness advocate. She published her first book, Breaking the Silence, in 2020 and has always leaned on poetry for self-expression.
4 p.m. Latrice YoungLatrice is a multifaceted choreopoet, global storyteller, and artrepreneur. After earning a B.A. in creative writing/poetry from Purdue University in 2018, she founded Dunique LLC in 2019. She later pursued an MFA in performance creation at Moravian University and Touchstone Theatre, focusing on choreopoems, ritual, and healing. She has facilitated workshops and performed original works, including her piece “Ain’t I/Ain’t It/Ain’t We” at Touchstone Theatre’s 2023 Fresh Voices showcase. As coexecutive leader of the Naptown African American Theatre Collective, she celebrates Black culture and continues to support local arts through various volunteer and creative endeavors.
12:30 p.m. – Storytelling in Rodale Classroom
1-2 p.m. – Musical performance by Bev Conklin
3 p.m.– Jazz performance in the AAM auditorium by the Philadelphia Clef Club Philharmonic
Kirk Whalum, photos by Tim KoenLehigh County DCED and Black Heritage Association Partner to Empower Section 3 Construction Businesses
Allentown, PA December 20th 2025 – The Black Heritage Association of the Lehigh Valley (BHALV) has announced a strategic partnership with the Lehigh County Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) to train and certify local construction contractors and laborers. This initiative is designed to foster economic growth and create meaningful opportunities for minority and Section 3 construction businesses in the Lehigh Valley.
Through a grant provided by Lehigh County Department of Community and Economic Development, BHALV will implement its S3 Construction Business Certification program, focusing on outreach, education, and certification of construction companies and workers in Lehigh County. Read more
Thank You to Our Sponsors and Readers: Celebrating 25 Years Together!
As 2024 comes to a close, we at the Lehigh Valley Black News Network have so much to celebrate and it’s all thanks to you. This coming year marks our 25th Anniversary, a milestone we’ve reached because of the unwavering support of our sponsors, readers, and community. Together, we’ve built a legacy of connection, empowerment, and storytelling that has stood the test of time.
To our sponsors, your generosity has been the cornerstone of our success. Your commitment to our mission has allowed us to shine a light on the voices, achievements, and issues that matter most. We are deeply grateful for your partnership and the faith you’ve placed in us to make an impact.
To our readers, thank you for being the driving force behind everything we do. Your loyalty, engagement, and enthusiasm inspire us every day. Over the past 25 years, your support has shaped this platform into a trusted source of news and a space where our community’s stories can thrive.
As we celebrate this incredible milestone, we are also filled with the spirit of the season. From all of us at the Lehigh Valley Black News Network, Happy Holidays! May this time of year bring you joy, warmth, and time with those you hold dear.
We look forward to continuing our journey together in 2025 and beyond, building on our legacy and making the next 25 years even more impactful. Thank you for being an essential part of our story.
With heartfelt gratitude and holiday cheer,
Kevin Easterling- CEO Black Heritage Association of the Lehigh Valley
'Sand Ni—er’: Allentown Councilwoman Allegedly Tells Black City Clerk ‘F--k You’ After Years of Racist Abuse Sparks Lawsuit
By Jill Jordan Sieder | Published on: December 15, 2024 Atlanta Black Star
A Black woman who serves as deputy city clerk for Allentown, Pennsylvania, is suing the city for permitting a racially hostile workplace environment, which she says has included racial slurs and other demeaning comments by city officials directed at her and other Black employees and citizens for years.
In her complaint filed in federal court last week, Tawanna Whitehead alleges that during her 15-year tenure, she has been subjected to “myriad racially hostile incidents” that violate state and federal civil rights law.
They include an incident in 2015 when “a high-ranking City official allegedly used the term ‘Sand Ni—er’ multiple times” in her presence, then repeated the racial slur again in the presence of the city council president and her current supervisor Michael Hanlon, the city clerk.
In her complaint filed in federal court last week, Tawanna Whitehead alleges that during her 15-year tenure, she has been subjected to “myriad racially hostile incidents” that violate state and federal civil rights law.
They include an incident in 2015 when “a high-ranking City official allegedly used the term ‘Sand Ni—er’ multiple times” in her presence, then repeated the racial slur again in the presence of the city council president and her current supervisor Michael Hanlon, the city clerk.
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Genesius Theatre is seeking performers for RAISIN AUDITIONS: Sunday, November 17th from 6:00pm to 9:45pm:
Genesius Theatre is seeking Black and African-American actor/singers to portray roles in RAISIN, the Tony-Award-winning musical adaptation of Lorraine Hansberry’s “A Raisin in the Sun.” Auditions are by appointment on Sunday, November 17. The show performs the first two weeks of May 2025 in Reading Pennsylvania
THE SEARCH IS ON FOR OUR NEXT PRODUCTIONS! GENESIUS THEATRE – THIS 2025
PRESENTS "Raisin"
RAISIN AUDITIONS: November 17th from 6pm to 9:45pm, 15 minute time slots
Sign up for your audition here, and make sure to fill out all necessary fields. We will need a picture of you in a jpg, jpeg, or png. Please come prepared. We will have an accompanist available. Please make note of the show dates as well.
Show dates: Raisin - May 2, 3, 4, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11
Sunday shows are at 3pm, all others are at 7:30pm
For any questions about auditions, email us at genesiusauditions1971@gmail.com
Genesius Theatre is a 501c3 nonprofit community theatre in Reading, Pennsylvania. All roles are unpaid.
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Cornel West can’t be on Pennsylvania’s presidential ballot, court decides
BY MARC LEVY
Updated 8:51 PM EDT, August 21, 2024
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Pennsylvania Democrats have won legal challenges keeping the left-wing Party for Socialism and Liberation off the battleground state’s presidential ballot, at least for now, while a lawyer with deep Republican Party ties is working to help independent candidate Cornel West get on it.
The court cases are among a raft of partisan legal maneuvering around third-party candidates seeking to get on Pennsylvania’s ballot, including a pending challenge by Democrats to the filing in Pennsylvania by independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
A Commonwealth Court judge agreed with two Democratic Party-aligned challenges on Tuesday, ruling that the paperwork filed by the Party for Socialism and Liberation was fatally flawed and ordering the party’s presidential candidate, Claudia De la Cruz, off Pennsylvania’s Nov. 5 ballot.
Updated 8:51 PM EDT, August 21, 2024
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Pennsylvania Democrats have won legal challenges keeping the left-wing Party for Socialism and Liberation off the battleground state’s presidential ballot, at least for now, while a lawyer with deep Republican Party ties is working to help independent candidate Cornel West get on it.
The court cases are among a raft of partisan legal maneuvering around third-party candidates seeking to get on Pennsylvania’s ballot, including a pending challenge by Democrats to the filing in Pennsylvania by independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
A Commonwealth Court judge agreed with two Democratic Party-aligned challenges on Tuesday, ruling that the paperwork filed by the Party for Socialism and Liberation was fatally flawed and ordering the party’s presidential candidate, Claudia De la Cruz, off Pennsylvania’s Nov. 5 ballot.
Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival Presents the “The Color Purple,” July 17 to August 4th 2024
https://pashakespeare.org/shows/the-color-purple/
July 17 to August 4 | Main Stage
The epic Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Alice Walker comes to life in an emotional tour de force musical infused with a soul-stirring score of jazz, gospel, ragtime, and blues. Set against the backdrop of the American South in the early 20th century, the story follows the transformative journey of Celie, a young African American woman who courageously navigates a life marked by abuse, separation, and discrimination to discover the strength to break free from oppression and find her own voice. From the hauntingly beautiful “I’m Here” to the exuberant celebration of “The Color Purple,” this sensational Tony Award-winning musical is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the enduring power of love. · Ages 13+
Running Time: 2 hours and 35 minutes, with a 15-minute intermission
Content advisory and trigger warning: contains violence, abuse, strong language, mature themes and situations.
Juneteenth: Teaching Outside the Textbook: June 11, 2024 Zinn Education Project- Teaching People's History
Background on Juneteenth
Here are key points from scholars Greg Carr, Christopher Wilson, and Clint Smith on the history beyond the traditional textbook narrative about Juneteenth.Black Troops Spreading the Word with Every Marching Foot
By Howard University professor Greg Carr, transcribed from a Teach the Black Freedom Struggle Online Class
While General Granger read the Emancipation Proclamation off that veranda in Galveston, there were at least nine regiments of the United States Colored Troops marking their way through Texas, the last of the 10 states in the Confederacy to give up. Black troops, some of those same Black troops that have captured Richmond, those Black troops were now in Texas. So while Granger makes the formal announcement on June 19th, and a year later to the day, Black folks start celebrating Juneteenth formally, those Black troops are spreading the word with every marching foot as they come across the South.
June 19th is the official day marking these emancipation celebrations as it formally comes into the African awareness in Texas. But the dates are usually linked to whenever people found out they were free, which is why in Mississippi, in Alabama, in Arkansas, in Oklahoma, you might see an August date or July date. This is described in O Freedom: Afro-American Emancipation Celebrations by William Wiggins. What we see in Galveston, Texas, in 1865, is also connected to the Caribbean, described in Howard University professor Jeffrey Kerr-Ritchie’s book on Emancipation Day celebrations called Rites of August First: Emancipation Day in the Black Atlantic World. There is also Decoration Day.
We think about the roots of what become Memorial Day, the idea of honoring our ancestors who made the ultimate sacrifice, by placing flowers on their graves and you see that coming out of South Carolina. There’s a very good book called Conjuring Freedom that talks about that South Carolina regiment of Colored Troops and the beautiful Ed Dwight monument on the South Carolina State House grounds.
City of Allentown PA Juneteenth Block Party: Wednesday June 19, 2024 (03:00pm 7:00pm)
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