This month, in particular, offers Hyde families a great opportunity to reflect and continue to have difficult conversations about this country’s history. We’re lucky we live in a city that provides countless resources to learn about the significance of Black History Month - a little further down in the newsletter you’ll find a list of events you can attend.
If you’re looking for something to watch with the family “PBS KIDS will premiere four new episodes from LYLA IN THE LOOP on February 3, including stories that celebrate Jamaica Day and highlight Black inventors, in addition to a new game “Lyla and Stu’s Hairdos.” The game gives players a chance to help style Lyla’s hair, with help from Lyla herself, who will guide players step-by-step to get her look just right. PBS KIDS will also debut new episodes of XAVIER RIDDLE AND THE SECRET MUSEUM, featuring Willard Wigan and Jackie Robinson, in addition to a Black History Month playlist all month long on pbskids.org.” You can check out their full lineup here.
Evelyn Boyd Granville
Evelyn Boyd Granville was the second African American woman in U.S. history to receive a Ph.D. in Mathematics. Born in Washington, DC in 1924, she would later graduate as valedictorian from a then-segregated Dunbar High School. After receiving her Master's and Ph.D. from Yale University she was hired by IBM where she designed computer software that helped analyze satellite orbits for NASA. In 1962 she would work on NASA’s Apollo program. She later went into academia where she taught mathematics and developed elementary school math enrichment programs. When asked to summarize her major accomplishments, Dr. Granville said, "First of all, showing that women can do mathematics." Then she added, "Being an African American woman, letting people know that we have brains too."
Chuck Brown
Charles “Chuck” Brown, known as the “Godfather of Go-Go,” a mix of Latin music, Afrobeats, jazz and call-and-response with the audience. Brown moved to the nation’s capital when he was 6 years old and grew up listening to jazz and blues leading him to learn the guitar. In 1965 he joined the band Los Latinos, eventually forming his own group the Soul Searchers in the early 1970s. It was then he would first record music with his signature go-go sound. This genre of music can still be heard in clubs all around the city. Every August DC celebrates Chuck Brown Day by holding a go-go music concert.
