UMass Libraries Annual Reception to Honor Founder of Black Feminist Archive
The University of Massachusetts Amherst Libraries will be honoring Irma McClaurin, the founder of the Black Feminist Archive, at their annual reception on Saturday, Oct. 19. McClaurin, a three-time UMass graduate and award-winning poet, will be the keynote speaker at the event, which will also feature a special performance by jazz artist Connie Fredericks-Malone. Attendees will have the opportunity to bid on historic images of Black luminaries and support the Irma McClaurin Black Feminist Archive Endowment.
The event is open to alumni, friends, and students, with registration fees going towards the endowment. More information can be found online at umassalumni.com/BFA.
In addition to this celebration, the Friends of Jones Libraries will be hosting a pickleball tournament to raise money for programs at Jones Libraries in Amherst. The tournament will take place on Sunday, Oct. 27, at Hampshire College’s Bay Road Multi-Sport Center. Participants will have the chance to win prizes such as a pickleball racquet and gift certificates for pickleball equipment.
For those interested in the arts, the Easthampton Theater Company is holding auditions for their production of “On Golden Pond,” a play about family and aging. The show features roles for adult men, women, and a teen boy, with rehearsals starting in December and the show running in March.
And for a fun Halloween event, the Amherst Dog Park will be hosting a costume contest for dogs and their owners on Sunday, Oct. 26. Categories include Best Owner/Dog Combo, Funniest, Scariest, and more. Volunteers are also needed for the event.
Lastly, the Amherst Historical Society will be presenting a lecture on the history of cider-making in New England on Sunday, Oct. 20, at Jones Library. The lecture will explore the traditions of cider-making and the differences between sweet cider and hard cider.
With a variety of events happening in the area, there is something for everyone to enjoy and support in the coming weeks.
