The Arlington Public Library System will observe Black History Month with a free lecture series featuring prominent African American community leaders reading inspirational books and passages. A question and answer session is scheduled after each presentation. The lectures will be held in the Community Room of the George W. Hawkes Central Library from 2 to 4 p.m. February 9, 16 and 23.

Lecture series features Arlington Mayor Elzie Odom, Dr. Monica Anderson and Lynne Haze.

Mayor Elzie Odom worked for the United States Postal Service from 1950 to 1987. In 1967, he became the United States Postal Inspector, the fifth African American in the nation to receive this appointment. He was the first African American elected to the Arlington City Council in 1990. He has been Arlington’s mayor since 1997. Dr. Monica Anderson, an Arlington dentist, is a featured columnist for the Star-Telegram and author of Mom, Are We There Yet? Lynne Haze, co-host of the Joe Soto morning radio show on KRNB 105.7, is also an accomplished voice-over talent and has worked in management for RCA and Mercury Records.

Lecture series features Nadine Felix and Cheryl Harris

Nadine Felix is the director of the Arlington Convention Center and Cheryl Harris serves on the Advisory Board of the Arlington Public Library System.

Lecture series features Sgt. James Hawthorne and Paulette Owens-Holmes

Sgt. James Hawthorne is the media officer for the Arlington Police Department and Paulette Owens-Holmes is the director of the City of Arlington Human Resources Department.