Lessons from a hero of the past
Despite the Odds: Today's Victories Over Past Struggles
A Tribute to Frederick DouglassWinchester Town Hall71 Mount Vernon St., WinchesterSunday, Feb. 13, 2:30 to 4:30 p.m.Free and open to all781-937-3954
The seeds of Winchester's celebration of Black History Month were planted by an unpleasant incident on Halloween night in 1992.
Agnes K. Lugira, a native of Uganda, was picking up her children after trick-or-treating when they shouted to her, ''Come and see!"
To her dismay, someone had written racist graffiti on the wall of the ABC House, a chapter of A Better Chance Inc., a national nonprofit organization that provides expanded educational and career opportunities to academically talented students of color.
''My husband and I decided that we needed to start something in the community that would educate people," Lugira said. ''I wanted to get rid of the stereotypes that black people are only good at sports and entertaining. I learned that black people have invented many things and have done a lot in the medical field."
Lugira and her husband, Dr. Aloysius M. Lugira, who lived in Winchester for 20 years before moving two years ago to Woburn, decided to begin the annual celebration.
''Black history means humanity, respect for all, love for all, recognizing that we were all created by the same God and we are all good," said Agnes Lugira. ''Every year we focus on unity and diversity. I see it as a field of flowers. Each flower has its own beauty. That is how mankind is. That is how I see the world."
The theme of this year's celebration is ''Despite the Odds: Today's Victories Over Past Struggles." The festivities will feature Boston University professor James Spruill, who will deliver a speech as Frederick Douglass, the famous abolitionist with a connection to Winchester.
The Ugandan International Ensemble, a Boston-based choir, will also perform. Winners of a contest funded by the John and Mary Murphy Foundation will be announced at the event, and prizes will be awarded to charities of the winners' choice. Winchester adults and students were asked to answer the question: ''What message does Frederick Douglass' life hold for you?" They could paint, write, sculpt, draw, or photograph their entries.
After the program, guests can sample a variety of food donated by local businesses.
John Sullivan, town moderator and an attorney in Winchester, will be the master of ceremonies for this year's event. ''I think, for those of us in today's time, we don't realize how people really have to take an independent stand and reach out, not only to their own communities, but to other communities," said Sullivan. He believes Douglass was a hero because he was able to rise out of slavery and, despite many obstacles, spread his antislavery message across the country.
Sullivan said that prior to being asked to be master of ceremonies for last year's event, he knew very little about Douglass, so he called on the help of friend and law partner, Pat Hall. Hall gave him the biography, ''Frederick Douglass," by William S. McFeely.
Sullivan said he began reading the book and could not put it down. By the next day, he had read the entire book and was still thirsty for more information.
Hall did some research and discovered that Frederick Douglass had given a speech in Winchester on March 22, 1862, and was even able to find a copy of the speech in the archives of The New York Telegraph.
Thanks to the $5,000 in funding that the Winchester Public Library received from the John and Mary Murphy Foundation, education about Douglass's contributions to history will not end after the celebration on Jan. 13. Biographies and related books will be available at the library and at schools for adults and children to read.
''This guy was a hero," said Sullivan. ''I thought it was an amazing story."
DONNA NOVAK
