Cox Communications Celebrates Black History Month

It's no secret that I love holidays.  OK, you caught me...I'm a straight out cornball when it comes to commemorating any and all occasion.  I do it because it's fun, but also because I think it's important to give the boys exposure and traditions they will hold on to for years to come.
While Valentine's Day is probably the first thing that comes to mind in February, this month is also dedicated to celebrating Black History and luckily, Cox Communications (my cable provider) is celebrating by highlighting culturally relevant programming available On DEMAND and participating in various celebrations and events across the country!

You can check in with your local Cox Communications for their events, but here in Virginia there are several choices.  In partnership with Fairfax County, Cox will host a celebration of Black History Month at the Fairfax County Government Center.  In Roanoke, Cox will present a scholarship to the Jefferson Center Music Lab Institute.  The scholarship will enable young musicians to participate in its camp, culminating in a series of final performances and recordings at the Jefferson Center.  And right here in Hampton Roads, Cox 11 is focusing its programming on some of the best Black History Month activities throughout the community.  The shows Cox Connections and Hot Ticket will feature stories on Hampton University's Black History Month calendar, the Virginia Arts Festival, Hurrah Players, and the Urban League of Hampton Roads.
Cox's On DEMAND programming will also give us opportunities to celebrate Black History (although admittedly many of these choices are probably more mom/dad friendly than for the boys!).  Cox will be featuring three collections-the Black Directors Collection (featuring such movies as The Paperboy, Sparkle, The Secret Life of Bees, The Best Man, Precious, Do the Right Thing, and more) and the Black Cinema Collection (featuring such movies as Won't Back Down, Amistad, Pride, Ali, Roots: The Mini Series, Salute, The Great Debaters, and more), which will be available from February 1st-28th.  The Tyler Perry collection will be available from February 5th-March 4th.  Some of the titles available from it include Alex Cross, Tyler Perry's Madea's Witness Protection, Tyler Perry's Daddy Little Girls, Tyler Perry's Diary of a Mad Black Woman, Tyler Perry's Meets the Browns, and more.  A "Black Cinema" category will also be available On DEMAND year round.  We seriously may not leave the couch!
As if those options didnt give us enough choices, Lifetime will be airing two original movies, including Betty and Coretta (February 3-25), focusing on the lives of Dr. Betty Shabazz and Coretta Scott King, the wives of civil rights icons Malcolm X and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Finally, special music choices will be available on the free music channels.
I like a full calendar, and with all the choices available from Cox we can count on filling our days with fun activities and our nights with fun programming...all the while exposing the boys (and ourselves) to a bit of Black History.  Win-win, eh?