Register

Black History Saturday School CommuniVersity

Free Monthly Black History Classes for Children and Adults

AARLCC is hosting the best and brightest experts on Black history to our community to promote intergenerational learning in a family-friendly environment.

The African American Research Library and Cultural Center continues its award-winning Black History Saturday School with its CommuniVersity Series. AARLCC is hosting the best and brightest experts on Black history to our community to promote intergenerational learning in a family-friendly environment.

Open to participants ages 13 and up. Registration is required. Space is limited.

CommuniVersity Story Time will be available for participants ages 5 to 12.

• Session 1: Saturday, October 4, 2025
  • “Liberation Through Literacy: Black Education, Resistance, and the Freedom to Read" with Dr. Tameka Hobbs. This intergenerational education program explores the enduring legacy of Black educational resistance and the transformative power of literacy. From the clandestine lessons of Mary Peake and the ciphering traditions on plantations, to the intellectual leadership of Frederick Douglass, Dorothy Porter Wesley, and Carter G. Woodson, participants will trace the arc of Black learning as a form of liberation. Dr. Hobbs is a historian and the Regional Manager of Broward County's African American Research Library and Cultural Center. 

• Session 2: Saturday, November 15, 2025
  • "Understanding African History" with Derek Davis

• Session 3: Saturday, December 6, 2025
  • "The History and Future of Generational Wealth" with Dwayne Rayner. Explore how generational wealth has been built, lost, and reimagined in America. Drawing on three decades of experience in Wall Street banking, corporate finance, venture capital, and impact investing, this presentation will highlight practical strategies for individuals, families, and communities to create lasting legacies. It blends history, financial insight, and a vision for a more inclusive future of wealth-building. Dwayne Rayner, a Fort Lauderdale native with over 30 years of experience in finance, is the Managing Director of Renaissance Capital Advisors, LLC, a business advisory and investment firm. After earning his MBA from the Wharton School of Business, he worked at leading firms including Enron, Solomon Brothers, and JP Morgan as an M&A banker, and later served as Director of Social Impact Investing at the Wayfarer Foundation, a family office funding early-stage entrepreneurs and mission-driven ventures. These roles have given him a well-rounded perspective on building wealth across sectors. In addition to his professional leadership, Dwayne has served for over 20 years as Curriculum Director and Board Member of Youth About Business, reflecting his deep commitment to preparing young people for financial and entrepreneurial leadership. Passionate about advancing financial literacy, he continues to dedicate his work to bridging finance, community, and opportunity for future generations.

• Session 4: Saturday, January 24, 2026
  • Dr. Melanie Acosta
• Session 5: Saturday, February 7, 2026
  • Dr. Sondra Washington

• Session 6: Saturday, March 7, 2026
  • "'Talk That Talk': Celebrating African American Vernacular Traditions" with Dr. Regis Fox. Join us as we explore African American Vernacular Traditions, some of the most unique cultural products of the African diaspora. Together, we will unpack some of the most compelling examples of the genre, including spirituals, work songs, folktales, and the blues. We will examine how these texts come to life through ritual and performance, as well as how they operate as sites of creative expression and survival. Regis M. Fox, Associate Professor of English at Florida Atlantic University, earned a Ph. D in English from the University of California, Riverside. Her primary research interests include Nineteenth-Century American Literatures, Feminist Theory, and African-American Literary and Cultural Studies. She released her first book, Resistance Reimagined: Black Women's Critical Thought as Survival (University Press of Florida) in 2017.

• Session 7: Saturday, April 11, 2026
  • "The History of South Broward County" with Cynthia Strachan of the Bowles-Strachan House
• Session 8: Saturday, May 2, 2026
  • "Legal Giants of Broward County" with Carlisa Russell

• Session 9: Saturday, June 6, 2026
  • "What You Need to Know about the Caribbean" with Calibe Thompson of Island SPACE Caribbean Museum.

    “What You Need to Know about the Caribbean: Threads of Freedom” with Calibe Thompson of Island SPACE Caribbean Museum will trace the shared roots and routes of African-descended peoples across the Caribbean and the United States. From the transatlantic slave trade to independence movements, migration, and cultural exchange, this session explores how Caribbean history and heritage are deeply interwoven with Black American identity. Attendees will gain a richer understanding of the resilience, creativity, and global impact of the Caribbean diaspora. Calibe Thompson is the co-founder and executive director of Caribbean arts nonprofit Island SPACE Caribbean Museum. She is a Jamaican-American entrepreneur—television producer, award-winning publisher, author and speaker—leading an organization whose mission is to elevate the profile of Caribbean art, history and culture in every form throughout South Florida and the broader diaspora. 

Upcoming Events