Roswell Roots Festival Returns in February

From the City of Roswell:

The 13th annual Roswell Roots Festival will take place during February in celebration of African American History Month. 

Roswell Roots is the largest and most comprehensive African American History celebration in Georgia and features a variety of exhibits, cultural events and music performances.

Highlights of this year’s festival include:

·         Sheila Pree Bright: Invisible Suburbia

February 1-28 at Barrington Hall

Sheila Pree Bright is a fine-art photographer based in Atlanta. Her "Suburbia" series spotlights middle-class African-American suburban homes -- a lifestyle that she contends is nearly invisible in the mainstream media. Seven large-scale photographs will be on view in Barrington Hall.

·         Black Heritage: The Unsung Heroes of Roswell, Georgia

February 1-28 at City Hall Rotunda

An exhibit of photographs, artifacts and textiles, highlighting the history of African Americans in the Roswell area and their influence and impact on our community since 1839.

·         LIVE! in Roswell Presents Masters of Soul

February 7, 8:00 p.m. at Roswell Cultural Arts Center

Presented in the Roswell Presents the Doubletree by Hilton-Roswell LIVE! in Roswell series, Masters of Soul is a celebration of Motown and soul artists of the 1960s, including The Temptations, The Supremes, Marvin Gaye, The Commodores, and Gladys Knight & the Pips.

·         3-minute Activists: The Soul of Slam

February 12, 7:30 p.m., Aurora Cineplex

A free special screening of this new feature-length documentary filmed entirely on location during the 2013 Roswell Roots Festival. A question-and-answer session with selected filmmakers and featured poets will immediately follow the film.

·         “Slammin’ in the Suburbs”: Roswell Poetry Slam

February 20 at 7:00 p.m. at Roswell Historic Cottage

This is Roswell’s 10th annual poetry slam, during which poets perform their work and are judged by members of the audience on content and presentation. Last year’s slam served as inspiration for a documentary that will also been screened during the festival.

·         3rd Annual Cornbread Cook-Off

February 22 at 1:00 p.m. at Child Development Association

Enter for the chance to win a prize for Best Cornbread, chosen by professional judges as well as a People’s Choice Award chosen by attendees.

·         Let it Shine: The American Civil Rights Movement

Tuesday, February 25, 7:00 p.m. at Teaching Museum North

This honest and powerful play brings to the stage pivotal moments of the American struggle for civil rights. The Freedom Riders, “Bombingham,” and the Montgomery bus boycott are just a few of the key events that unfold.

For a full listing of Roswell Roots events, visit www.roswellroots.com.