2009 Bo American Corner Reports

Martin Luther King Birthday and Presidential Inauguration Program in Makeni, Kabala, Bo, Kenema and Njala (January 27-30, 2009)

The IRC Director, James B. Taylor, departed Freetown January 27, 2009 for the provinces for the purpose of magazine and book donations and video programs. The programs focused on the contributions of Martin Luther King, Jr (MLK) to the Civil Rights Movement in the US and the Inauguration of the 44th President, Barack Obama.

IRC Director donated magazines and books to Makeni and Kabala libraries on the first day.  Makeni and Kabala are about 178 and 300 Km north from Freetown respectively.  On January 28, a full day of programs was planned for the American Corner in Bo, Southern Sierra Leone, about 230 km from Freetown.

The following videos were screened at the four-hour program in Bo.
·         Free at Last (MLK)
·         I have a Dream Speech (MLK)
·         The March on Washington (MLK)
·         The Inauguration of the 44th President of the United States of America.

The program was interspersed by a time for refreshment and informative discussions.

The next day, the same program was repeated for audiences at the Kenema Library in Kenema Town.  Kenema is about 300 km South East of Sierra Leone.  Although, the IRC does not have an American Corner there, the good relationship between the IRC and the Library as one of our partner institutions had made it possible for the venue to be used for programming.  The IRC Director also donated magazines to both Bo and Kenema libraries.

The programs in Bo and Kenema received wide publicity with turn-outs exceeding the projected guest lists.  Guests were very enthusiastic and the discussion sessions were lively.  Many contributors linked the work of Martin Luther King and the civil rights struggle to the realization of his dream in America by the election of the first African-American President, Barack Obama.  The Press covered both programs in their news broadcasts.