SFAAHCS Film Festival: ‘African Americans in Times of War: A Resilient Spirit’

For 62 years, the San Francisco African American Historical and Cultural Society has been one of the leading voices promoting Black history and the contributions of African Americans both nationally and locally.

The 2018 Black History Month theme is “African Americans in Times of War: A Resilient Spirit.” The kickoff celebration will be held in the San Francisco City Hall Rotunda on Friday, Feb. 2, at 12:00 noon.

As part of the Black History Month celebration, the Society, SFAAHCS, will hold a film festival around the theme at the African American Art and Culture Complex, 762 Fulton St., on Saturday, Feb. 10, from 12:00 noon to 8:00 p.m. Local men and women who lived and worked in San Francisco over the past 60 years will participate in a panel and forum followed by a reception.

The 2018 Black History Month theme is “African Americans in Times of War: A Resilient Spirit.” The kickoff celebration will be held in the San Francisco City Hall Rotunda on Friday, Feb. 2, at 12:00 noon.

The video showcase presented by Lance Burton and Planet Fillmore Communications includes:

“Cool Black Ball – Barbary Coast – Uptown Fillmore”: The Pacific Avenue corridor was heavily populated with Black dance clubs and plenty of Black musicians, entertainers and Buffalo Soldiers. African American musical culture found its way out of North Beach’s Barbary Coast, Tenderloin and Cow Hollow to Pacific Heights.

“Cakewalk”: 120 years ago, George Walker and Bert Williams danced their way into the Hall of Legends with their famous street routines at Grant and O’Farrell Streets, where they meet Market Street.

“Ranger Penn Buffalo Soldiers”: National Park Ranger Rik Penn, a fixture at the Presidio for years, tells what it meant to have the Buffalo Soldiers in San Francisco at the turn of the 20th century.

“Bunny Talks Playpen”: Bunny Simon owned eight different night clubs with the popular Playpen on Divisadero Street. For 25 years, Bunny Simon entertained the Bay Area with famed talent such as Sly and the Family Stone of San Francisco.

“Driver, Get Me to Fillmore”: Bunny Simon, H. Weldon Flynn, David Johnson, Dr. Raye Richardson of Marcus Book Store, Bobby Spider Webb, Charles Sullivan, Supervisor Willie B. Kennedy and Da Mayor, Willie L. Brown, relate what happened in the Fillmore.

“Fillmore Reunion: The Shack”: In the 1940s, Hamilton Square was the only place in the city that Black youngsters could use as a playground. In 2010, former youngsters came back to tell their stories and honor those early years at “The Shack,” Hamilton Recreation Center, 1900 Geary Blvd.

All events are FREE to the public!

Learn more about the San Francisco African American Historical and Cultural Society at http://www.sfaahcs.org/.