Black History Month in Lawrence has significance because of more than 150 years of history.

“Really, the beginning of a real African-American community here was a direct result of the opportunity they had during the Civil War to follow Union soldiers into Kansas and into eastern Kansas,” said Katie Armitage, a Lawrence resident and historian.

A panel discussion at 7 p.m. Tuesday at the Lawrence Public Library’s auditorium will reflect on how 150 years of slavery, segregation, discrimination and the Civil Rights Movement have shaped Lawrence’s history.

The event focuses on the Lawrence-Douglas County African-American Oral History project, funded by Capitol Federal Savings, Kansas Humanities Council and Douglas County Community Foundation to interview local black families and record their histories.

It added to a project that Curtis Nether, a former Lawrence High School teacher, began in 1977. Along with Armitage and Nether, Dorothy Harvey and Leonard Monroe will serve on Tuesday’s panel at the library, 707 Vt. Harvey and Monroe will speak about their memories growing up in Lawrence and their families’ histories.

“Whether it’s this month, next month or any month, getting people to discuss it and really listening and putting a face to it — that’s the value,” said Pattie Johnston, who works in outreach services for the library.

The oral history project’s Web site is available at www.lawrence.lib.ks.us/oralhistory.