Come hear vocalist Randye Jones (Grinnell College) and saxophonist Dr. Damani Phillips (University of Iowa) perform a variety of  musical selections from the rich history of music of the African-American tradition. Originally conceived as a program commemorating the 150th anniversary of the ratification of the 13th Amendment, Dr. Phillips and Ms. Jones will explore […]

Join the AAMI this holiday season for a small exhibit that revisions holiday stories by exploring the history of Saint Nicholas. The Jolly Old Saint Nick we know today is based on a real Catholic bishop. Saint Nicholas, revered for his generosity to children and the poor, was granted sainthood after his death in 343 […]

Join us for a book discussion of Welcome to Braggsville written by T. Geronimo Johnson, a graduate of the Iowa Writer’s Workshop. This book tells the story of a college student from the south who attends UC Berkeley his freshman year and has to navigate between his rural hometown values and his new cosmopolitan intellectual community.

Come celebrate the holidays during this collaborative district event! Take a horse drawn wagon ride through Czech Village, Saturday 10am-5pm. Park once and enjoy activities on both sides of the river with shuttle rides running 10am-5pm Saturday and 10am-3pm Sunday. Deck the District kicks off Fri Dec. 2 at 6:30 pm with the Svaty Mikulas […]

The AAMI will host holiday craft tables for children to learn about the seven principles of Kwanzaa: Unity, Self-Determination, Collective Work and Responsibility, Cooperative Economics, Purpose, Creativity, and Faith. Children will start by making their own Mkeka, or placemat, a symbol of tradition and history that the Kwanzaa table is built on. They will also […]

Join us at the Cedar Rapids Barnes and Noble for a discussion with Invisible Hawkeyes authors Lena and Michael Hill. A provocative balance of both local and national cultural history, Invisible Hawkeyes tells the stories of the University of Iowa’s integration in the period of 1930–1960. The blend of first-person testimonial and more formal, scholarly […]

Join us for a book discussion on Drinking Coffee Elsewhere written by ZZ Packer, graduate of the Iowa Writers' Workshop. Several tales are set in black communities in the South and explore the identity crises of God-fearing, economically disenfranchised teens and young women while highlighting the complex emotions involved in having to make difficult choices.