BIPOC Comic Celebration program series planned at EVPL

Evansville – Throughout June, EVPL will host a series of events that invite the community to discover the heroism, culture, history, art and more that live within BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) comic books.

The BIPOC Comic Celebration includes nine programs that encourage people of all ages to explore the past in a creative and challenging way through the lens of comic books and graphic novels. Stories told by BIPOC authors and illustrators may offer new perspectives on otherwise familiar narratives from history and mythology.

Show Them Who We Are, a presentation by Aretha Graves of the Soul Writers Guild, will explore ethnic cultures and how the possibilities of modern superheroes become real. Her program will be held Saturday, June 6; the following Saturday, June 13, there will be a panel discussion about the presentation. Both events will be from 1 – 2:30 p.m. at the Greater St. James Community Recreation & Education Center (CREC).

Other programs throughout the month include movie viewings and book discussions, comic book creation, and collectible swaps. Students ages 8-18 are also invited to submit entries to an essay contest, with the opportunity to win local bookstore gift certificates and other prizes.

The series will culminate with Superhero Saturday on June 27 from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. at EVPL Central, celebrating BIPOC comics, characters, and creators. Author Milton J. Davis will host a presentation at 10 a.m. and participate in a Q&A with film critic Ted Haycraft at 12:30 p.m. Local artists Akpan Akpan, Dave Branstetter and Michael Kasinger will be in attendance, and the event will also include comic book and book sales, crafts, refreshments and more.

This celebration is a collaboration between EVPL and the Soul Writers’ Guild at the Evansville African American Museum, with special contributions by ComicQuest.

Full details about the BIPOC Comic Book Celebration, including essay contest submission guidelines, are available at evpl.org/comic.

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