Garfield Park Conservatory is celebrating Black History Month with free programs for all ages. Most don’t require reservations, although the conservatory recommends booking online in advance in order to visit the conservatory.
Freedom Foragers Scavenger Hunt
At the conservatory’s front desk, guests can pick up a piece of paper that lists the names of a handful of plants with a clue about which rooms to find them in. These plants are all edible or have healing properties, although guests shouldn’t pick or eat them. The self-guided tour is also available digitally on your phone or the conservatory’s website.
The self-guided tour provides information about abolitionist Harriet Tubman, who used her knowledge of plants for medicine as she freed hundreds of enslaved people in the mid-1800s.
“The scavenger hunt doesn’t necessarily include the herbs that Harriet Tubman used,” said Onyx Engobor, the conservatory’s exhibit specialist. Tubman often used sassafras, black cherry and pawpaw, Engobor said, along with plants that have sedative properties, so she could keep babies from crying.
Historic Black Figures in Botany
Around the conservatory, there are four interpretive signs that give information about black figures in botany. The sign on Wangari Maathai, the first African woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize, discusses her Green Belt Movement, which Engobor said helped plant more than 10 million trees.
“Her story is about how one’s connection to nature is sacred,” Engobor said.
The other signs give details about Edmond Albius, a boy who was enslaved and developed a technique to cultivate vanilla, plus Marie Clark Taylor, the first woman to earn a doctoral degree in science and the first African American woman to earn a doctorate in botany. A sign about Ron Finley, a current Black figure in botany, details his work on turning abandoned lots into food sanctuaries in Los Angeles.
“The goal was to share some history on folks who have made contributions then and now and provide diverse narratives,” Engobor said.
“Plantzilla” read aloud
On Feb. 10, from 11 a.m. to noon, author Jerdine Nolen will read her book “Plantzilla.” The picture book tells the tale of a third grader who brings home his carnivorous class plant for the summer. Nolen will also answer questions about her book.
“It’s one of the kids’ favorite plants,” said Grace Urrutia, the conservatory’s special events and education outreach coordinator, about carnivorous plants. “They always ask about them when they come in.”
Meeting History
A new photography exhibit at the conservatory opens Feb. 16 to highlight Garfield Park’s Citizen Archive. Built with help from local residents, the archive explores the Garfield Park neighborhood through the stories of those who live here. There will be a community opening celebration for the exhibit March 10.
Urban Roots Black History Tours
On Feb. 24 from 11 a.m. to noon, Garfield Park Conservatory will offer a tour, put on by Urban Roots, the conservatory’s environmental justice program composed of local high-school students. These teens will be stationed at a plant and share with guests their relationship and cultural connection to that plant.
“They’re focusing on plants that they connect with on a deeper level,” Urrutia said. One student, Urrutia said, chose bamboo because of its resilience and fast growth. The tour is free with registration.
Budding Botanists and Art After Dark
The conservatory’s Budding Botanists and Art After Dark programs offer similar activities, though the first is from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and the latter takes place from 4 to 7:30 p.m. For Budding Botanists on Feb. 10 and 11, and Art After Dark on Valentine’s Day, the conservatory offers a craft to make plant puppets. During the activity, participants will learn about carnivorous plants, specifically those in South Africa.
For Budding Botanists on Feb. 17 and 18, plus Art After Dark Feb. 21, the conservatory is exploring Abiyoyo, a South African folktale about a giant named Abiyoyo and a magic wand that makes the giant disappear. Participants will make their own wands, using objects they might find on a nature walk, like sticks and yarn.
And for Feb. 24’s Budding Botanists event and Art After Dark Feb. 28, guests will make 3D models of how to make their communities more sustainable and healthier, while learning about the basics of environmental justice.
“We always have a difficult time figuring out how to talk about environmental justice with a five-year-old,” Urrutia said of the Budding Botanists version of the craft. “One way we’re approaching this is by asking them, ‘What are the things that you see in your neighborhood and what are some things that you think would help your neighborhood? Can we build that?’”
Diaspora Dinner
In the conservatory’s community room on Feb. 14 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., registered participants can take a free cooking class. Urban Roots members will teach guests how to make cilantro cola, black eyed pea salad and stew, all while discussing food justice. Register for the Diaspora Dinner on Eventbrite.
Momentum Coffee
Though not an event or program, the conservatory’s new cafe, Momentum Coffee, is a West-side, Black-owned business. Nikki Bravo and Tracy Powell founded the coffee shop in 2020 in the South Loop and, as of the conservatory’s coffee cart opening in January, now have six locations around town. In the Horticulture Hall from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., try Momentum’s espresso drinks, cold brew and pastries.