A day Sacramento won’t soon forget

On May 2, 1967, a group of 30 Black Panthers marched into the State Capitol carrying shotguns pointed at the sky. The protest would end in arrests and, the next morning, photos blanketing the front pages of newspapers around the country. For many people outside of Northern California, May 2 marked their introduction to the Panthers and their cause.

On this coming Tuesday, May 2, the local chapter of Black Lives Matter will host a 50-year anniversary march at noon at Southside Park (2115 Sixth Street), eventually making its way to the State Capitol. Community members are welcome to gather to discuss this historic day and continue the fight for equality.

Also of interest: Black Lives Matter Sacramento is throwing a sign-making party at 6 p.m. Saturday, April 29, at Colonial Heights Library (4799 Stockton Boulevard). Get pumped over art supplies. For more details on the party and the march, visit www.facebook.com/BlackLivesMatterSac.

If you’re interested in learning more about the Panthers, a related artist talk is going down at the Jan Shrem and Maria Manetti Shrem Museum of Art at UC Davis (254 Old Davis Road) at 2 p.m. Sunday, April 30. Artist Sadie Barnette and her father Rodney Barnette will discuss family history, politics, identity and art—and in particular, the FBI file that documents Rodney’s surveillance while a Black Panther. Rujeko Hockley, assistant curator at the Whitney Museum of American Art, will moderate the conversation, titled “The Past is the Present.” Afterward, walk through the Shrem to explore Sadie’s exhibit, Dear 1968,…. Per usual, entrance into the museum is free. Learn more at www.facebook.com/manettishrem.

For another way to support the local black community, check out the inaugural Black Family Day on the main quad at Sacramento State University (6000 J Street). From 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, April 29, there will be live entertainment, guest speakers, food and more, all aimed at celebrating African-American culture and promoting inclusivity. More at http://csus.edu/saseep/mlk/bfd.