More people should know Ella Baker’s name. Born in Virginia and raised in Littleton, North Carolina, Baker attended Shaw University in Raleigh and worked as a field organizer for the NAACP, doing tireless behind-the-scenes organizing work throughout the South. In 1960, she helped form the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) and in 1964, she helped organize Freedom Summer.
Today, when so many hard-won civil rights are being rolled back, Baker’s leadership is a shining example of how to fight for justice; coming in at just over an hour, documentary Fundi: The Story of Ella Baker, is a primer on Baker’s legacy. The film is a free event and is being screened as an accompaniment to the Nasher exhibit, By dawn’s early light, which runs through May 11. —Sarah Edwards
It’s no secret that we love the Triangle’s libraries. Durham’s robust county library system, anchored by the recently renovated downtown branch, is a welcoming hub of (FREE!) resources and events. The Friends of the Durham library, an all-volunteer nonprofit, has raised over $1 million over its long history to support those services. Stop by their bookstore this week for a sale on their over 20,000 donated books, suitable for readers of all ages. Friday’s member-only sale (memberships are available at the door) runs from 3-7 p.m. and includes a special 25 percent off discount, while doors are open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. to the non-member public on Saturday. —Chase Pellegrini de Paur
Puppet, meet mass extinction. Mass extinction, meet puppet. With shows like The Immortal Jellyfish Girl, Wakka Wakka Productions has cornered a niche market: Taking on grim, difficult sociopolitical stories and making them accessible to people of all ages via puppetry. (Other topics from this NYC-based visual theatre company: consumerism, financial crises, human rights.)
In this production, set in 2555, times are especially grim: There is a war and “dead zones” across the earth as mass extinction takes effect. The luminescent, immortal jellyfish girl has plenty to navigate, across two local NC State LIVE! shows—a Friday evening performance at 7:30, followed by a post-show talk with the artists, and a family matinee performance at 3 p.m. on March 8. Youth tickets are $10 and tickets for adults are $25. —Sarah Edwards
When Katelyn MacDonald, a leader at Duke Memorial Church’s LGBTQ group, ascended the church’s stairs during Pride Month last year and played the queer pop star’s “Hot to Go” hit on the bells—a musical action that promptly went viral—a flag was firmly planted: This is a Chappell Roan city. Fans can don some pink boots and keep the energy going this Saturday night at party iconic’s themed event. If the music is too Gen Z for your taste, other era-themed dance parties are frequently hosted at Motorco. Last week, for example, millennials got their turn with an indie sleaze party, and on March 15, Gen X and Cyndi Lauper enthusiasts alike can keep the party going with a vinyl dance night from The 80s Danse Society. —Sarah Edwards
It’s the 13th century: Genghis Khan is establishing his Mongol empire, England’s King John is signing the Magna Carta, Chinese soldiers are using the first known rockets in warfare, and the German boys church choir Thomanerchor Leipzig is singing its first notes. Associated closely with Bach, who served as its music director in the 1700s, the legendary choir is on a world tour that includes stops at Carnegie Hall and Duke Chapel.
When they’re not singing, the boys (aged nine to 18) spend their days at a special boarding school so each can “make the very best of his talent,” per a promotional video. “If you are not totally gripped by the music of Johann Sebastian Bach, you don’t want to be a member of the Thomanerchor,” shares the choir’s current music director in the video. Cool! —Chase Pellegrini de Paur
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