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Sankofa Book Club - Black History Month Read

The Great Divide by Cristina Henriquez

The book examines construction of the Panama Canal, the intersecting lives of locals fighting to protect their homeland, West Indian laborer recruitments, and profiteering white Americans.

Join the African American Research Library and Cultural Center for the Black History month Sankofa Book Club discussion focusing on engagement and outreach to the Panamanian community of South Florida tri counties – Broward, Miami Dade and Palm Beach.

The Great Divide examines the construction of the Panama Canal, following the intersecting lives of local families fighting to protect their homeland, West Indian laborers recruitments to dig the waterway, and the white Americans who gained profit and glory for themselves.  The book is written by Cristina Henriquez.

The book discussion will serve as a precursor to the African American Research Library and Cultural Center's annual Graves Matter program focusing on three major cemeteries in Panama, Central America to engage more local Panamanians within the AARLCC family on on Wednesday, February 12, 2024 from 5:30 - 7:30 pm.  Speakers include representatives from the CGM Cemetery Preservation Foundation (Panama, Central America and Florida, USA); the Panama Canal Museum Collection and the Digital Library of the Caribbean (dLOC) of the George A. Smathers Library, University of Florida, Gainesville.  The South Florida Panama Association is supporting the library's efforts with audience development.  For registration and details, click here.

Hard cover, e-books and audio book copies are available for borrowing free with your Broward County Library card.

About the African American Research Library and Cultural Center 

The Broward County African American Research Library and Cultural Center (AARLCC) is located in the Sistrunk community, one of the oldest historically Black communities named for one of Fort Lauderdale’s first Black physicians. Opening to the public on October 26, 2002, AARLCC became the third public library of its kind in the United States dedicated to the study of Black history and culture. The 60,000 square-foot Center serves as a repository of materials related to the local, national, and international voices of the African diaspora with more than 85,000 books, manuscripts, artifacts, framed art, print, photography, audiovisual, and documents held in our Adult Services Section and Special Collections. The Youth Services Section features a special collection of Coretta Scott King Award books and the Ashley Bryan Art Collection from illustrators of African Descent. AARLCC also features a 5,000 sq. ft. museum, a 300-seat state-of-the-art theatre, and a Computer Training Center.

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