LINCOLN SQUARE — Throughout February, Chicago Public Library branches are hosting a variety of events and activities to coincide with Black History Month.
Here are opportunities in the neighborhood, all free and open to the public:
• Afrocentric gift wrapping, 6-7 p.m. Wednesday at the Albany Park Branch Library, 3401 W. Foster Ave.
Local jewelry and fashion designer Cliffort Smith will teach attendees how to use papers and fabrics, jewelry and ribbons, and different colors and textures to create beautifully wrapped gifts. Bring your own box, all other materials will be provided.
• "The Magic of Water and Its Role in the Lives of African Descendants," 10-11 a.m. Feb. 18 at the Sulzer Regional Library, 4455 N. Lincoln Ave.
Storyteller Mama Edie Armstrong leads this interactive and entertaining program — geared toward children — that speaks to the great respect African people have had for water, as well as the role water played in the slave trade.
• "Transforming Lives One Garden at a Time," 2-3 p.m. Feb. 25 at the Sulzer Regional Library.
Darius Jones landed in Cook County Jail at age 17 after stealing a car. Today he's the general manager of the hydroponic urban farm Garfield Produce and was named one of "20 to know in their 20s" by Crain's Chicago Business.
During his presentation, Jones will speak about how agriculture can teach self-worth and reduce gun violence. He'll also share gardening tips and demonstrate how to grow vegetables without using soil.
