Pride has been in the news, the latest target of Conservative Cancel Culture. Whether it is the Pride merch at Target being pushed to the back of the store in Southern States, banning of books that contain LGBTQIA+ characters or the harassment of people who "look" different from what is "normal", regular people living our lives are under attack. What is our-story - and how do we move forward as we embrace what makes us unique along with sharing our culture and learning about others. Join us for a look at why Pride matters, past, present and future.

The state of censorship: Defending the right to read

In schools and libraries around the country, protestors are attempting to ban books and trample students’ First Amendment right to read. In a discussion designed to educate, aggravate, and activate, award-winning school librarian Martha Hickson will deliver the latest news on school censorship and share strategies to keep free people reading freely.

Our speaker will be Martha Hickson. Martha Hickson holds a masters degree in Library and Information science from Rutgers University and has been a librarian at North Hunterdon High School in Annandale, NJ, since 2005. She has written for for a variety of publications, including School Library Journal, Booklist, KnowledgeQuest, the American Library Association Intellectual Freedom Blog, NJ.com, and CNN.com. Her defense of intellectual freedom has been recognized with awards from the New Jersey Association of School Librarians, the New Jersey Library Association, the American Association of School Librarians, and the National Council of Teachers of English. In 2022, the National Coalition Against Censorship presented Martha with the Judith Krug Outstanding Librarian Award and the American Library Association presented her with the Lemony Snicket Prize for Noble Librarians Faced with Adversity in recognition of her “energy and bravery in the face of … persistent and ongoing hostility,” while advocating for students’ First Amendment right to read.

Doors will open at 6:00pm. This is a free event, open to all friendly members of the public. Refreshments will be served.

Most people today don't realize that despite Mother's Day being a national holiday since 1914, Father's Day was considered too effeminate a celebration, and it wasn't until 1972 that it became official in the US. The first celebration was actually to honor the fathers killed in a mining disaster in West Virginia in July, 1907, suggested by a woman who missed her own father. A later celebration in 1910 was promoted by the daughter of a single father raising his six children after the death of his wife in childbirth, to be on his birthday June 5th. There was even a rally to change the two celebrations into Parents Day, an idea that never really materialized. And recently, even a suggestion for "Special Person's Day," to be inclusive, met with skepticism. Join us Monday, June 26th for a historical discussion of the influence of the Great Depression and World War II on Father's Day, as well as the psychological, social, and emotional importance of a father. A quiz is sure to be part of the discussion.