AMHERST — The town’s celebration of Black History Month will begin with the raising of the Pan-African flag in front of Town Hall on Feb. 1 at 6 p.m.
The in-person event will feature the display of the red, black and green flag, reading of the Black History Month proclamation issued by the Town Council this week, and singing.
The flag will remain up throughout February to remind residents and visitors about the month’s virtual celebrations and recognitions, according to the proclamation.
The Black History Month proclamation references achievements in Massachusetts, including Edmonia Lewis, the first professional African American sculptor, who learned her craft in Boston; and Phillis Wheatley, the first African American to publish a book of poetry; as well as the town’s contributions to literature and learning, and during times of war.
“The African American residents of Amherst have fought for our collective defense and freedom from the Revolution and Civil War to the present, including in the 5th Regiment Massachusetts Voluntary Cavalry, who were among those who delivered the news of freedom in Texas on June 19, 1865, and the 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry,” the proclamation reads.
The Town Council also proclaimed Jan. 17, 2022 as a day to recognize and remember the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. “and the dreams and ideals for which he stood and affirm our commitment to realizing his dreams.”
Before the proclamations were adopted, District 2 Councilor Pat DeAngelis read from an opinion column written by Cliff Albright and LaTosha Brown. co-founders of Black Voters Matter, published in The Guardian. They wrote that no celebration for King should occur without passage of voting rights legislation, and that there is an attack on access to the ballot box and political backlash from Republican-controlled statehouses following the 2020 presidential election.
The recent failure of voting rights to pass Congress, DeAngelis said, “shows the lengths to which some legislators will go to keep Black voters away from the polls” and that the “attack on Black voters is an attack on our democracy.”
Councilors narrowly voted this week to continue meeting in person, but with the option for any councilor to participate remotely.
Seven of the 13 councilors met from the Town Room at Town Hall on Monday, joined by town staff. The room was closed to the public.
But District 1 Councilor Cathy Schoen, who joined remotely, said it is a challenge for viewers to hear and identify who is speaking, in part due to the requirement to wear masks. There are also worries about health risks to staff who directly support the council, including Town Manager Paul Bockelman and Athena O’Keeffe, the council clerk.
District 3 Councilor Jennifer Taub said she heard feedback from constituents that councilors were not setting a good example for townspeople by meeting in person during the pandemic.
Council President Lynn Griesemer broke a deadlock to continue holding meetings from Town Hall, but said there will be times when she can’t preside from the room, and she will work with Bockelman on ensuring safety protocols are in place.
Residents are needed to serve on the Elementary School and Jones Library building committees, which will guide both projects in the coming years.
The Elementary School Building Committee will work with consultants to develop the required plans and authorize the submission of these plans to the Massachusetts School Building Authority. The committee will focus on design, community engagement and various approval processes.
More information on the Elementary School Building Project is at amherst-school-project.com.
The Jones Library Building Committee will work as a team with several consultants to develop a timeline, milestones and plans for the project, and recommend a specific set of plans to the trustees and town manager.
More information on that building project is at joneslibrary.org/352/Jones-Building-Project.
A former director of human resources for the town of Amherst is now serving in a similar role at Holyoke Community College.
Evelyn Rivera-Riffenburg of Holyoke became the college’s executive director of human resources this week.
President Christina Royal said in a statement that Rivera-Riffenburg brings an array of skills and experience to the college’s executive team.
“She has worked throughout her career in recruiting, employee relations, labor relations, training and development and as a trusted adviser to hourly and management employees,” Royal said. “She is particularly experienced in innovating and improving processes and procedures with digital technology to enhance and improve hiring experiences for potential candidates.”
MONDAY: Public Art Commission, 4 p.m.
TUESDAY: Joint Amherst and Amherst Regional school committees meeting, 6 p.m.