LUZCO Celebrates Black History

Presenter Angela da Silva Provides a Captivating Narrative on the Life of a Missouri Slave.

LUZCO honored Black History Month yesterday, February 21, 2022, by inviting Cultural Preservationist Angela da Silva for a special presentation and luncheon, featuring savory eats from King Edwards Fried Chicken. Da Silva is known throughout Missouri for her portrayals of Clara Brown, a freed slave who spent 30 years searching for her husband and children after they were sold to different slave owners, and Lila, a Missouri slave whose story is one of “survival, strength, and, ultimately, success as she takes control of her future when the quest for freedom could no longer be ignored.” 

As for her motivation for her presentations, Da Silva said, “I recognized a need for African Americans to tell their story. The narrative was being controlled by others who might not have had all the facts or were given to editing out the cruelty of slavery. There are nuances to cultural stories that you would have to be a part of that culture to understand.” 

About Angela da Silva

Angela da Silva is a professor at Lindenwood University and has been a part of the Rockwood School District for more than 22 years, educating children on the atrocities of slavery, especially in the state of Missouri. Additionally, her audiences have included attendees of the American Historians National Conference and the Congressional Committee on Economic Development in Washington D.C. Da Silva is also the owner of the National Black Tourism Network and the recipient of numerous awards, including the Pathfinder Award, Missouri’s top industry award in Tourism. She has served many commission appointments and has sat on several influential boards.