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Honoring Black History Month

Honoring Black History Month in Asheville
A side view of the Burton Street Community Center and its mural of community founder E.W. Pearson
The City will host a variety of history-focused events, including at the Burton Street Community Center. | Photo via Asheville Parks and Recreation
Every February, the country marks the history, struggles, achievements, and contributions of generations of Black Americans. From storytelling to music, learning to creating, here are just a few of the ways to honor Black History Month in Asheville.

Hearing history

Exile From Altamont? Race and Belonging in Thomas Wolfe’s Asheville | Tuesday, Feb. 13, Saturday, Feb. 17 | Times vary | Pack Memorial Library, 67 Haywood St., Asheville | Free | Day one of the mini-symposium will include selections from Wolfe’s “Welcome to Our City” as well as a reading of “The Road” by Andrea Clark and a facilitated discussion. On day two, Dr. Darin Waters and Dr. Kevin Young will present on Wolfe’s examination of race. Registration is encouraged.

E.W. Pearson and Burton Street | Friday, Feb. 16 | 6-7:30 p.m. | Burton Street Community Center, 134 Burton St., Asheville | Free | Learn more about the Burton Street community during a discussion about the community’s history and its founder Edward W. Pearson.

Telling stories

A Night of Black Storytelling on The Block | Friday, Feb. 2 | 5-7 p.m. | The Block, 39 S. Market St., Asheville | Free | This special First Friday event kicks off Black History Month with poetry reading by Kevin Evans, music by Adama Dembele, a history of hip-hop listening session with Nex Millen, community conversations, a maker’s market, and more.

Composer and musician Sam Waymon is dressed in a black hat, grey vest, and black coat and is sitting in front of a black background.

Sam Waymon will bring his charming sound to the local stage.

|

Photo via Warren Wilson College

Experiencing art

Black History Through the Eyes of Art Opening Reception | Friday, Feb. 16 | 6-8 p.m. | Dr. Wesley Grant Sr. Southside Community Center, 285 Livingston St., Asheville | Free | Take a look at Black history through the eyes of local artists and how they acknowledge and honor the past. The art will be on display through Thursday, Feb. 29.

Sam Waymon | Friday, Feb. 16 | 7-9 p.m. | Kittredge Theatre at Warren Wilson College, 701 Warren Wilson Rd., Swannanoa | $40 | The award-winning film composer, songwriter, performer, singer, pianist, and brother of the late Nina Simone will celebrate the month and the artist’s WNC roots with both original compositions and reinterpretations of classic tunes.
More ways to mark the month
 
Events
Wednesday, Jan. 31
  • Everybody But You, Bro Open Mic | Wednesday, Jan. 31 | 6-8 p.m. | Different Wrld, 701 Haywood Rd., Asheville | Free | Show your best material at this open mic for women, nonbinary + femme comedians.
  • Bingo Night | Wednesday, Jan. 31 | 6:30-7:30 p.m. | The Madness Sushi and Burger Bar, 1020 Merrimon Ave., Asheville | Free | Meet new people, play a round or two, and compete to win prizes.
Thursday, Feb. 1
  • Read to Gracie the Therapy Dog | Thursday, Feb. 1 | 4-5 p.m. | Enka-Candler Library, 1404 Sandhill Rd., Candler | Free | Let your little ones get comfortable in their reading skills with the help of Gracie the Great Pyrenees mix.
  • The Love Night | Thursday, Feb. 1 | 6-9 p.m. | Pillar Rooftop Bar, 309 College St., 6th Floor, Asheville | $30 | Grab your friends or come solo as the speed dating sparks fly during your search for the perfect match.
Friday, Feb. 2
  • Succulent & Sangria Workshop | Friday, Feb. 2 | 6:30-8 p.m. | PlantHouse, 2 Hendersonville Rd., Asheville | $30-$50 | Learn to create and care for your own succulent terrarium — and sip some sangria while you work.
  • An Iliad by Lisa Peterson & Denis O’Hare | Friday, Feb. 2-Sunday, Feb. 4 | Times vary | Black Mountain Center for the Arts, 225 W. State St., Black Mountain | $25 | Experience this intimate and incisive adaptation of Homer’s epic masterpiece.
Saturday, Feb. 3
  • Seed Starting Workshop | Saturday, Feb. 3 | 10-11:30 a.m. | Reems Creek Nursery, 76 Monticello Rd., Weaverville | Free | Get a jumpstart on the growing season by learning about successful seed starting from the experts — registration is required.
  • Rumours ATL | Saturday, Feb. 3 | 8 p.m. | The Orange Peel, 101 Biltmore Ave., Asheville | $25-$28 | Experience an authentic, stage-scorching recreation of live Fleetwood Mac shows.
May-July
  • Mountain Institute for Lifelong Learning at Warren Wilson College | Monday, May 13-Friday, July 26 | Warren Wilson College, 701 Warren Wilson Rd., Swannanoa | $650-$5,800 | Register for Warren Wilson College’s lifelong learning program, happening May-July + featuring a variety of non-credit adult courses and three “Worldwide” traveling opportunities.*
Events calendar here
Click here to have your event featured.
 
News Notes
Civic
  • At its Monday, Jan. 22 meeting, the Community Reparations Commission received its first presentation from the Carter Development Group’s “Cease the Harm” audit. The audit, which reviewed more than 1,000 documents in seven focus areas, comprises 70 recommendations, including on affordable housing + improved data collection. (Asheville Citizen-Times)
Concert
  • Make like a rolling stone and take shelter from the storm because Bob Dylan is bringing his “Rough and Rowdy Ways” tour to Harrah’s Cherokee Center - Asheville on Thursday, March 21. You can get tickets starting this Friday, Feb. 2 at 10 a.m., or if you’re in the HCCA Fan Club, tickets go on sale on Thursday, Feb. 1 at 10 a.m.
Biz
  • Asheville Angels, which provides capital and expertise to area start-ups, is celebrating its 10th anniversary and officially rebranding as VentureSouth Asheville. It began as a local initiative before joining Greenville-based VentureSouth as its first non-SC chapter. Register for the lunch on Tuesday, Feb. 6 to learn more about the rebrand and the work.
Award
  • Blue Ridge Pride (BRP) will receive the Dan Mauney Equality Award from North Carolina’s Human Rights Campaign. The nominations commended the organization’s intergenerational programs and ability to bounce back after COVID-19. BRP will accept the award at a ceremony in Charlotte on Saturday, Feb. 10.
Real Estate
  • A 550-acre tract of land in Swannanoa has hit the market for $19 million. If that green seems familiar, it’s because the total 840-acre site was slated to be the first Tiger Woods-designed golf course in the US seventeen years ago, but the downturn of the real estate market and other issues meant that the project never saw completion. (WLOS)
Environment
  • The US Fish and Wildlife Service announced a 12-month species status assessment for the Hickory Nut Gorge green salamander after a petition from the Center for Biological Diversity. The assessment will evaluate the amphibian, only found in this gorge southeast of Asheville, for listing under the Endangered Species Act. (Asheville Citizen-Times)
Sports
  • He’s back up to bat. Nate Shaver has been named the Asheville Tourists’ Manager for the fourth consecutive season. He’ll be joined by three returning coaches and two new coaches — Alex Harter as Pitching Coach and Nick LaRue as Strength and Conditioning Coach. The 2024 season will open at McCormick Field on Friday, April 5.
State
  • Caesars Entertainment and Harrah’s Cherokee Casinos announced a partnership to offer mobile sports betting in NC starting at the state’s official launch on Monday, March 11. Caesars Sportsbook will act under the gaming license of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians Tribal Casino Gaming Enterprise and accept app sign-ups starting Friday, March 1.
Finance
  • One card, all the perks. Unlimited 1.5% cash back, a sign-up bonus worth hundreds, and 0% intro APR for 15 months (all with no annual fee) almost sounds too good to be true — but this card has it all.*
 
Asked

💘 Our readers’ local love stories

Our readers’ local love stories
The Asheville skyline with a sunset behind it and heart location markers over various buildings.
There’s love all around the Land of the Sky. | Graphic by AVLtoday
Have you found love in Asheville? We want to know about it.

This Valentine’s Day, we’re creating a map of places where our readers have made memories around the area. We want to hear about every kind of relationship. Tell us about your meet cute stories, getting advice from a parent, learning to love yourself... we love love stories in all their forms. (But do keep it PG, please.)

Add a story to our map below by clicking the green “add point” button. You have until Friday, Feb. 9 to submit for a chance to be featured in our interactive map (and newsletter).
Tell your love story
The Buy

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Women’s UGG Tasman Slippers, which keep your whole foot cozy with sheepskin and have a thick enough sole for outside wear, too.
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The Wrap
 
Molly Wilson.jpeg

Today’s edition by:
Molly
From the editor
In another life, I was a Dungeon Master. Let’s be clear — I wasn’t very good. There were a lot of details, calculations, and lore to remember to keep a Dungeons + Dragons game going, and I preferred the storytelling. But I might just have found the encouragement I need to get back to the table. The River Arts District Brewing Co. is hosting its first Dungeons n’ Drafts event on Sunday, Feb. 4, so whether you’re a lifelong DnD player or brand new to the game, this is your chance to join the party.
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