Celebrate Black History Month at Epcot

Guests at Walt Disney World will be able to celebrate Black History Month at the America Adventure Pavilion in Epcot throughout the month of February. Guests will find new historical artifacts, learn history about the influence of African-American culture, and take part in book signings.

First, Guests will have the opportunity to meet three acclaimed African-American authors on select Saturdays. Book signings will be open to all guests. Authors include:

Terry McMillan, author of “Who Asked You?” 
Saturday, February 6 – 1-2 p.m. and 3-4 p.m.

Critically acclaimed New York Times bestselling author Terry McMillan is known for her powerful novels and short stories about African American women. Many will remember her novel, “Waiting to Exhale,” which was adapted into a film starring Whitney Houston and Angela Bassett back in 1995. Other novels by McMillan include “How Stella Got Her Groove Back,” “Disappearing Acts,” and “A Day Late and a Dollar Short.” McMillan recently published her eighth novel, “Who Asked You?,” a story about the challenges and strength of a family.

Chef G. Garvin, author of “Turn Up The Heat With G. Garvin: More Than 200 Incredible Recipes from the Chef Who Keeps it Super Simple”
Saturday, Feb.13, 1-2 p.m. and 3-4 p.m.

Television chef, Chef G. Garvin will be on hand with his first cookbook, “Turn Up the Heat with G. Garvin: More Than 200 Incredible Recipes from the Chef Who Keeps it Super Simple.” Chef Garvin has enjoyed continued success with his subsequent cookbooks and television show “Road Trip with G. Garvin” on The Cooking Channel.

Terrence Roberts, author of “Lessons from Little Rock” 
Saturday, Feb. 27, 1-2 p.m. and 3-4 p.m.

Terrence James Roberts, Ph.D. is one of the “Little Rock Nine,” a group of history-making African American students who, in 1957, were the first black students ever to attend classes at Little Rock Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas. His book, “Lessons from Little Rock,” is a memoir of his experience during the integration of Little Rock Central High School and the lessons learned from that historic episode.

In addition, to celebrate this month, the Kinsey Collection exhibit, called “Re-Discovering American: Family Treasures from the Kinsey Collection” will see a few new pieces added to the display. This presentation includes rare art, documents, books and artifacts attributed to African American history brought to life courtesy of philanthropists Bernard, Shirley and their son Khalil Kinsey who have shared some of their vast personal collection of artifacts spanning 400 years of history. Recently, three new pieces were added to the exhibit located in the American Adventure Pavilion. They include:

• “Banneker’s Almanack and Ephemeras” by Benjamin Banneker which  is the mathematical and mechanical work of Benjamin Banneker. Thomas Jefferson, then Secretary of State, read and approved of Banneker’s work. The almanac was published in 1771.

• “My Bondage and My Freedom” by Frederick Douglass is an autobiography recounting Frederick Douglass’s life as a slave and that as a freeman. Published in 1855, the book is a first edition.

• “Survivor” by Elizabeth Catlett is a beautiful Linoleum block print inspired by a photograph taken by Dorthea Lang titled “Ex-slave with a Long Memory.”  The print was created in 1983.

Also, new artwork, has been added to the American Pavilion Rotunda. These pieces of art include images of influential men and women who contributed to the progress of America. For the month of February, contributions will include many African American notables, such as Thurgood Marshall, the first African American U.S. Supreme Court Justice; Ronald Erwin McNair, the second African American to fly in space; and Bessie Coleman, the first African American woman to stage a public airplane flight in America.

Finally, at Liberty Inn, Guests can enjoy Mrs. Fisher’s Peach Cobbler. The dessert’s recipe was featured in a cookbook by one of the first African American authors to publish a cookbook, Mrs. Abby Fischer. The book which contains 160 Southern-style recipes is called “What Mrs. Fischer Knows About Southern Cooking.”