BROWARD — A statewide, federally funded event at the Broward County Libraries Division’s African-American Research Library and Cultural Center has been postponed because of the federal government shutdown.

The Save Our African-American Treasures event, planned for Oct. 26-27, will be rescheduled for early next year.

Though the shutdown ended Oct. 16, it is too late to finalize the details of the event, said Regional Library Manager Elaina Norlin.
The event was planned with the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture.

“They have already contacted us and we are looking at other dates,” she said. “February would be great because it’s Black History Month.”

The two-day program, the first in Florida, is designed to help all South Florida residents identify and preserve items of historical and cultural significance. About 40 museum experts from around the country are expected to attend. At the event, people can bring up to three personal items for a 15-minute, professional consultation with experts on how to care for them. The specialists will serve as reviewers, not appraisers, and will not determine items’ monetary values. Objects such as books, photographs, ceramics, metalwork and textiles no larger than a shopping bag (furniture, carpets, firearms and paintings are excluded) can be reviewed.

For more information, call 954-357-6149.