Each February, Americans across the United States commemorate Black History Month, a month-long national celebration of the contributions and achievements that black men and women have made throughout U.S. and world history.
Honoring Black History Month remains as important as it has ever been, as it is a reminder that the black experience is woven into the fabric of America. Black History Month serves as an inclusive month-long call to action for Americans to remember, learn, understand, recognize, and accept the key contributions that black men and women have made in all aspects of U.S. society.
Black History Month grew out of Dr. Carter G. Woodson’s (1875–1950) idea for a “Negro History Week” in the 1920’s.
In celebration of Black History Month, we have compiled the following list of City-based events and activities that anyone, including students and teachers, can enjoy this month. It is our hope that you will enjoy these great events and venues. If you have further event suggestions, please leave them in the comments below!
Events in the Bronx
Black History Month Trivia
Thursday, February 13, 4:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Bronx Library Center – 310 East Kingsbridge Road
Cost: FREE
Teens (13–18 years old)
(From NYPL) How well do you know the history of the African-Americans that shaped our lives? From Thurgood Marshall to Rosa Parks, we’ll discuss them here at Trivia Night. Join us and show your skills.
Black History Month Music Celebration
Thursday, February 13, 3:30 p.m.
Thursday, February 20, 3:30 p.m.
Thursday, February 27, 3:30 p.m.
Tremont Library – 1866 Washington Avenue
Cost: FREE
All ages
(From NYPL) Learn about famous African Americans and how they affected mainstream white culture through their still famous creations in Classical Music. Series includes: Scott Joplin, Hale Smith, Anton Dvorak and Harry Burleigh, Leontine Price, Kathleen Battle and the exceptional, age defiant Jesse Norman.
Arts, Culture, & Fun: Valentine’s Day Concert with Annette St. John
Friday, February 14, 6:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
Hunts Point Recreation Center – 765 Manida Street
Cost: FREE (Please RSVP on Eventbrite)
All ages
(From NYC Parks) Born and raised in Harlem, vocalist Annette St. John grew up in an artistic family that influenced her musical style: equal parts jazz, blues, standards, and gospel. She has worked with greats like Jimmy Smith, Della Griffin, and George Benson, and performed all over Manhattan, including at the Apollo, the Blue Note, the Village Vanguard, Smoke and the Cotton Club. In recent years she has appeared in Japan and led her own groups in NYC. Annette always says, “It’s Not Work If You Love What You Do!”
Harriet Tubman’s (1820–1913) exploits as a “conductor” on the Underground Railroad are the subject of a recent biopic, “Harriet,” that can be seen for FREE at various locations throughout the City this month!
Black History Month Film: “Harriet”
Saturday, February 15, 1:00 p.m.
West Farms Library – 2085 Honeywell Avenue
Cost: FREE
Teens (Ages 13–18)
(From NYPL) Attend a screening of the 2019 film, “Harriet.” From her escape from slavery, through the dangerous missions she led to liberate hundreds of slaves through the Underground Railroad, the story of heroic abolitionist Harriet Tubman is told.
Movie Flick: Duke Ellington and More Stories to Celebrate African-American History
Saturday, February 15, 2:00 p.m.–3:30 p.m.
Allerton Library – 2740 Barnes Avenue
Cost: FREE
All ages
(From NYPL) Listen to and watch four inspiring stories about four influential African-Americans and their impact on our world including Duke Ellington and Ella Fitzgerald.
Saturday Cinema
Saturday, February 15, 2:00 p.m. (“Southside With You”)
Saturday, February 22, 2:00 p.m. (“Fences”)
Saturday, February 29, 2:00 p.m. (“Loving”)
Westchester Square Library – 2521 Glebe Avenue
Cost: FREE
Teens (13–18 years old)
(From NYPL) In celebration of Black History Month, NYPL’s Westchester Square branch is showcasing free movie screenings. Learn more about each screening on Westchester Square Library’s Saturday Cinema page
Eunice Carter (1899–1970), one of New York’s first-ever female black lawyers, was responsible for building the case and strategy that led to the successful prosecution of notorious mobster, Charles “Lucky” Luciano.
Black History Month Celebration
Tuesday, February 18, 3:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Hunts Point Library – 877 Southern Boulevard
Cost: FREE
All ages
(From NYPL) Hunts Point is celebrating Black History Month with a dedication to unsung heroes like Claudette Colvin, Garrett Morgan, and Eunice Carter. Join us on the Children’s Floor for an afternoon of storytime, scavenger hunts, and games!
Black Superheroes Comic Book Discussion
Tuesday, February 18, 4:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Bronx Library Center – 310 East Kingsbridge Road
Cost: FREE
Teens (13–18 years old)
(From NYPL) In celebration of Black History, we will discuss black comics and how they have shaped the comic world.
National African American Read-In: Black Horror Films and Literature
Wednesday, February 19, 3:00 p.m.–4:30 p.m.
Thursday, February 20, 3:00 p.m.–4:30 p.m.
Baychester Library – 2049 Asch Loop North
Cost: FREE
Teens (13–18 years old)
(From NYPL) Come and join us for two days as we watch, read, and discuss horror films and literature created by Black directors, screenwriters, and authors. Discussions are centered on the daily horrors African Americans endure due to systematic oppression and how they preserve to overcome these horrors.
Photo from the Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture (Photo by Lewis Wickes Hine)
Read & Craft on African American History
Thursday, February 20, 4:00 p.m.
Baychester Library – 2049 Asch Loop North
Cost: FREE
Ages 4–12 years old
(From NYPL) Paying tribute to the generations of African Americans who struggled with adversity to achieve full citizenship through stories and crafts. All supplies are provided.
Black History Month Exhibition Closing Reception
Saturday, February 29, 1:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Poe Park Visitor Center in Poe Park – 2640 Grand Concourse
Cost: FREE
All ages
(From NYC Parks) The Poe Park Visitor Center proudly presents NYC Parks’ February exhibition for Black History Month. Four featured artists—Kristen Cherry, James Deliard, Thomas Green, and Dolo—offer their interpretation of the black experience through their artistic work.
Events in Brooklyn
Throughout February, Brooklyn Public Library (BPL) branches across Brooklyn are holding a range of events for attendees of all ages in celebration of Black History Month. For details, check out the list below, and for a full listing, visit BPL’s Black History Month Events Calendar.
Jackie Robinson (1919–1972) broke professional baseball’s “color barrier” as a member of the Brooklyn Dodgers.
For Kids by Kids: Black History Month
Friday, February 14, 3:00 p.m. – 3:45 p.m.
Gravesend Library – 303 Avenue X at West 2nd Street
Cost: FREE
Ages 7–12
(From BPL) We will be making a giant poster of Ruby Bridges together for Black History Month–each square by a different person!
For Teens by Teens: Black History Month
Friday, February 14, 4:00 p.m.–5:00 p.m.
Gravesend Library – 303 Avenue X at West 2nd Street
Cost: FREE
Ages 13–18
(From BPL) Join the team of friendly teens to plan and do teen activities in the library. Come by yourself or with friends. Suggest whatever programs you like! Today we will be making a giant poster of Ruby Bridges together for Black History Month–each square by a different person!
Celebrate Black History Month with Shine and the Moonbeams
Saturday, February 15, 11:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m.
Sheepshead Bay Library – 2636 East 14th Street at Avenue Z
Cost: FREE
All ages
(From BPL) Shine and the Moonbeams create a soulful musical extravaganza that captures the sweetness, uncertainty, and simplicity of youth.
This graphic novel by Rita Lorraine Hubbard features the story of Mary Hardway Walker (1848–1969), a woman who learned to read at 116 years old.
Black History Month Movie & Event
Tuesday, February 18, 3:30 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Ulmer Park Library – 2602 Bath Avenue at 26th Street
Cost: FREE
Ages 8 and up
(From BPL) Join us for our Black History Month Movie and Event, where you will watch “The Jackie Robinson Story” and complete small activity packages.
Asante’s African Safari: Storytelling, Music, & Dance
Wednesday, February 19, 11:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m.
Midwood Library – 975 East 16th Street at Avenue J
Cost: FREE
Ages 0–5 years old
(From BPL) African-American stories and tales, accompanied by music and dance.
Honoring Garret Morgan, Inventor of the Traffic Light
Wednesday, February 19, 2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Homecrest Library – 2525 Coney Island Avenue at Avenue V
Cost: FREE
Ages 13 – 18 years old
(From BPL) Please join us for a special program in tribute to Garrett Augustus Morgan, the pioneering African-American inventor who created the first three-position traffic signal. Garrett Morgan had profound impacts on the way we design safety devices today, and his inventions saved myriad lives during his lifetime and led to other developments that saved even more.
Throughout February, you can celebrate black history by participating in any of the African dance workshops being held across the City.
African Dance-Urban Stages
Thursday, February 20, 2:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Fort Hamilton Library – 9424 Fourth Avenue
Cost: FREE
All ages
(From BPL) Dance concert for kids
Saturday Storytime: Special Storytime with Nina Crews
Saturday, February 22, 11:00 a.m.–11:30 a.m.
Brooklyn Heights Library – 109 Remsen Street
Cost: FREE
Ages 0 – 5 years
(From BPL) Join us for a special Saturday Storytime with illustrator Nina Crews, in celebration of Black History Month! She’ll be reading from her new book, “A Girl Like Me.” Light refreshments will be served, and books will be available for purchase. All ages welcome.
Black History Month: Brooklyn and the Underground Railroad
Saturday, February 22, 11:00 a.m.–12:30 p.m.
Brooklyn Bridge Park
Cost: FREE (Participants are selected by lottery; RSVP is required on Urban Park Ranger’s registration page)
Ages 10 years and up
(From NYC Parks) The Underground Railroad was a network of sanctuaries for enslaved women and men escaping slavery in the South to seek freedom in the North. Join the Urban Park Rangers for a walk through Brooklyn Bridge Park highlighting the borough’s link to freedom.
Plymouth Church in Brooklyn was a critical hub of the Underground Railroad during the 19th century. (Photo Credit: Tony Fischer, Flickr)
Kids Explore: The Oldest Student: How Mary Walker Learned to Read
Tuesday, February 25, 4:00 p.m.–5:00 p.m.
BPL Annex – 1 John Street
Ages 6 and Up
(From BPL) In 1848, Mary Walker was born into slavery. At age 15, she was freed, and by age 20, she was married and had her first child. By age 68, she had worked numerous jobs, including cooking, cleaning, babysitting, and selling sandwiches to raise money for her church. At 114, she was the last remaining member of her family. And at 116, she learned to read.
Join us as we read Mary’s story as told by Rita Lorraine Hubbard in her new book, “The Oldest Student: How Mary Walker Learned to Read.” Plus, create your own alphabet book to take home with you
Black History Month Jeopardy
Thursday, February 27, 4:00 p.m.–5:00 p.m.
BPL Annex – 1 John Street
Cost: FREE
Ages 9–17 years old
(From BPL) February is Black History Month! Join us for an hour of Jeopardy to test your knowledge and compete against your friends! There will be prizes!
Saturday Storytime: Black History Month
Saturday, February 29, 11:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
Gravesend Library – 303 Avenue X at West 2nd Street
Cost: FREE
Ages 5 years and up
(From BPL) Join us each Saturday to hear new stories and favorite tales read aloud. This Saturday, we will be celebrating the culmination of Black History Month.
Events in Manhattan
Harlem Chamber Players Annual Black History Month Program
Thursday, February 13, 6:30 p.m.
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture – 515 Malcolm X Boulevard
Cost: FREE
Teens (13–18 years old) and adults
(From NYPL) The 12th annual Black History Month Celebration by the Harlem Chamber Players is a celebration #HarlemRen100 with music by Florence Price and George Walker, and poetry by Langston Hughes. The program, hosted by Terrance McKnight of WQXR, features virtuoso pianist Joseph Joubert, soprano Renay Joubert, and members of The Harlem Chamber Players.
Please contact us immediately for American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation. Requests can be made by calling 212-340-0951 or 212-340-0909, or e-mail accessibility@nypl.org.
FIRST COME, FIRST SEATED
Events are free and open to all, but due to space constraints registration is requested. We generally overbook to ensure a full house. Registered guests are given priority check-in 15 to 30 minutes before start time. After the event starts all registered seats are released regardless of registration, so we recommend that you arrive early.
Black History Month: Seneca Village
Saturday, February 22, 1:00 p.m.–2:30 p.m.
81st Street and Central Park West
Cost: FREE
Ages 13 years & up
(From NYC Parks) Urban Park Rangers specialize in the interpretation of historic turning points, both natural and man-made, in our city’s long history.
Seneca Village was an important community of predominantly African-American property owners living in an area that now makes up part of Central Park. Learn about the lives of Seneca Village’s residents in the 1800s and the community’s place in pre-Central Park.
At the Movies: Buffalo Soldiers
Saturday, February 22, 2:00 p.m.
Fort Washington Library – 535 West 179th Street
Cost: FREE
Teens (13–18 years old)
(From NYPL) Fact-based story about the all-black US Cavalry Troop H which protected the Western territories in post-Civil War times. The story focuses on the troops attempts to capture an Apache warrior named Vittorio who slaughters the settlers in New Mexico. The film examines the racial tensions that existed between the black soldiers and some of the white soldiers and the truths about the Native American invaders.
The Frederick Douglass Memorial near Central Park in Manhattan is one of several sculptures that commemorate black history across the City. (Photo Credit: NYC Parks)
Black History Month – Arts, Culture, & Fun: Concert with Emme Kemp
Saturday, February 22, 2:00 p.m.–4:00 p.m.
Jackie Robinson Recreation Center (in Jackie Robinson Park)
Ages 5 years old and up (Please RSVP on Eventbrite)
(From NYC Parks) Join us for a Black History Month piano concert. We will feature artist Emme Kemp for the first hour of play followed by open play for those who want to showcase their talents!
Chicago-born Emme Kemp is rightly hailed by the National Jazz Museum in Harlem as “an unsung heroine in American Music”. A piano prodigy at age 3, steeped in blues, gospel, and wider-ranging styles, she eventually studied with the eminent classical pianist Egon Petri as a teenager. She studied American music at Northwestern University, Berklee College of Music, and New York University, and is well known as a protégé to jazz great Eubie Blake and as a Broadway composer (“Bubblin’ Brown Sugar”). She has held engagements at New York venues such as the Waldorf Astoria and the Rainbow Room, and appeared in the Woody Allen film “Sweet and Lowdown”. Kemp has received honors from numerous organizations, including the National Endowment for the Arts, ASCAP, and International Women in Jazz.
Black History Month: Poetry Hike
Sunday, February 23, 1:00 p.m.–2:30 p.m.
Pelham Bay Nature Center (in Pelham Bay Park)
Cost: FREE
Ages 5 years old and up
(From NYC Parks) Come celebrate Black History Month on a poetry and nature hike through Pelham Bay Park.
Attendees will be able to view the beautiful natural vistas of the Bronx while experiencing the nature poetry of some of the greatest African-American poets, such as Maya Angelou and Langston Hughes. For younger children, we will have an arts and crafts program based on bringing African folk tales to life.
Monday Explorations: Black History Month: Clothespin Dolls
Monday, February 24, 4:30 p.m.
Countee Cullen Library – 104 West 136th Street
Cost: FREE
Ages 7–13 years old
(From NYPL) Did you know that clothespins are used for other things besides keeping clothes neat? They can also be used to make dolls that you can play with. During this Monday Explorations session, you will learn about how, long ago, people used this everyday object to make something fun. Using fabric, paint, and yarn, you can customize your own clothespin doll however you would like. Make one who looks like you, or make a whole family. Invite a friend. All materials are provided. We hope to see you there!
The New York Times Magazine’s, “The 1619 Project,” marks the 400th anniversary of the first enslaved people arriving in America. (Photo Credit: Tony Cenicola, NY Times)
Black History Month Toddler Storytime
Wednesday, February 26, 10:00 a.m.
Battery Park City Library – 175 North End Avenue
Cost: FREE
Ages 18–36 months
(From NYPL) Join us for our Black History Month Toddler Storytime. We will read books, sing songs and create our own Freedom Quilt. Limited to first 25 adults with children, and children must be supervised by an adult at all times.
BHM 2020: 1619 Project Discussion Group
Thursday, February 27, 6:00 p.m.
Roosevelt Island Library – 524 Main Street
Cost: FREE
Ages 12 years old and up
(From NYPL) Join your community for a discussion of the “1619 Project,” an ongoing project developed by “The New York Times Magazine” in 2019 that challenges Americans to reframe U.S. history by marking the year when the first enslaved Africans arrived on Virginia soil as our nation’s foundational date. Spearheaded by investigative journalist Nikole Hannah-Jones, who covers racial injustice for the Times, the project has enlisted prominent black writers and artists to contribute, tackling topics including slavery’s impact on modern labor practices and the influence of race on medical care.
Please ask for a copy of the 1619 Project at the desk or read it online.
Celebrating Black History Month with Film (“Fences”)
Friday, February 28, 1:00–3:00 p.m.
Harry Belafonte 115th Street Library – 203 West 115th Street
Cost: FREE
For all ages
(From NYPL) Troy Maxson (Denzel Washington) makes his living as a sanitation worker in 1950s Pittsburgh. Maxson once dreamed of becoming a professional baseball player, but was deemed too old when the major leagues began admitting black athletes. Bitter over his missed opportunity, Troy creates further tension in his family when he squashes his son’s (Jovan Adepo) chance to meet a college football recruiter.
Earlier this year, Congressman John Lewis spoke with NYC public school students about his contributions to the Civil Rights Movement and the importance of “getting into good trouble.”
Black History Month Button Making
Friday, February 28, 2020
Kips Bay Library – 446 Third Avenue
Cost: FREE
Teens (13–18 years old)
(From NYPL) Make buttons celebrating Black History Month using images from the NYPL Digital Collections and from popular books.
At the Movies: “Harriet”
Saturday, February 29, 2:00 p.m.
Fort Washington Library – 535 West 179th Street
Cost: FREE
Teens (13–18 years old)
(From NYPL) The extraordinary tale of Harriet Tubman’s escape from slavery and transformation into one of America’s greatest heroes, whose courage, ingenuity and tenacity freed hundreds of slaves and changed the course of history.
Subversion and the Art of Slavery Abolition
Now through 7/31/2020
Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture – 515 Malcolm X Boulevard
Cost: FREE
Teens (13–18 years old) and adults
(From NYPL) Art denotes strategy, ingenuity, and imagination. While slaveholders and vigilantes threatened and attempted to control Black bodily autonomy in various ways across the Atlantic world, enslaved people and their allies artfully countered this malevolence via everyday and more formally coordinated kinds of resistance. With a principal focus on American and British efforts, this exhibition highlights how slavery abolitionists used a diversity of art, including rebellion, speeches and pamphlets, novels, slave narratives, newspapers, poetry, music, and the visual arts, to agitate for enslaved peoples’ right to liberty and equality. Subversion & The Art of Slavery Abolition is curated by Dr. Michelle D. Commander, Associate Director and Curator of the Lapidus Center for the Historical Analysis of Transatlantic Slavery.
“What you’re calling ‘African history, Negro history,’ are the missing pages of World history.”
Events in Staten Island
Roots of American Music
Tuesday, February 18, 3:00 p.m.
Port Richmond Library – 75 Bennett Street
Cost: FREE
Ages 16–24 years old
(From NYPL) Hip-hop, blues, jazz, and soul are all cornerstones of American music. They’re also all built on African American traditions. Listen with us and explore the history behind jams you love.
Family Storytime: Black History Month
Wednesday, February 19, 4:00 p.m.
Richmondtown Library – 200 Clarke Avenue
Cost: FREE
Ages 2–12 years old
(From NYPL) Join us for songs, rhymes, and favorite read-aloud books as we show you that storytime is fun for the whole family. For young children of all ages. Ideal for caregivers with multiple-aged children.
Black History Month: African-American History of Staten Island
Saturday, February 22, 11:00 a.m.–12:30 p.m.
Tappen Park – Bay Street and Canal Street
Cost: FREE
Ages 8 and up
(From NYC Parks) Our Urban Park Rangers will provide historical information on points of interest that are focal points of the African-American story on Staten Island.
Shirley Chisholm’s (1924–2005) political career inspired generations of women and black people to seek public office, including President Barack Obama, Congresswoman Barbara Lee, and Senator Kamala Harris.
KIDZ African American Month Celebration
Saturday, February 22, 3:00 p.m.
Port Richmond Library
Cost: FREE
Ages 3–12 years old
(From NYPL) Be inspired! Let’s remember those who made extraordinary contributions to American History. We will read stories and design “Freedom Quilts” in commemoration of African American History Month. “Every Great Dream begins with a Dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world” – Harriet Tubman
FREE snacks while they last.
Kids Black History Karaoke
Tuesday, February 25, 3:30 p.m.
West New Brighton Library – 976 Castleton Avenue
Cost: FREE
Ages 5 years old and up
(From NYPL) Do you love to sing? Join us as we sing some pop, rock, rap, disco in honor of Black History Month.
Black History Month Scavenger Hunt
Friday, February 28, 3:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Mariners Harbor Library – 206 South Avenue
Cost: FREE
Ages 8–12 years old
(From NYPL) Search the library for books about famous historical figures and learn more about their work. Find one fact and win a prize.
Events in Queens
Stop by the Lewis Latimer House Museum in Flushing to learn more about Lewis Latimer (1848–1928) and his contributions to American scientific history.
History of Negro Leagues Baseball
Saturday, February 15, 3:00 p.m.
South Jamaica Library – 108-41 Guy R. Brewer Boulevard
Cost: FREE
Ages 12 years old and up
(From QPL) Local author and historian Philip Ross presents the history of baseball’s Negro Leagues, teams, and players. Mr. Ross will draw upon his lengthy research and interviews with dozens of former players, many of whom have become close friends.
Memoir Talk: This African American Life – by Hugh B. Price
Sunday, February 16, 2:30 p.m.–4:00 p.m.
Lewis H. Latimer House – 34-41 137th Street
Cost: FREE (Please RSVP on Eventbrite)
Teens (13–18 years old) and adults
(From NYC Parks) “‘People who believe a problem can be solved tend to get busy solving it,” William Raspberry wrote in the Washington Post in July 1994. “Hugh B. Price is a believer.”
This comment on Price’s inaugural keynote address as head of the National Urban League proved prescient. Over his tenure, Price launched the League’s Campaign for African-American Achievement, spearheaded pressure on the federal government to combat police brutality and racial profiling, and helped repair frayed relations between the black and Jewish communities.
Yet his role with the League was just one among many for this impressive man. In This African-American Life, Price traces his forbears, among them Nero Hawley, who fought under George Washington; George and Rebecca Latimer, who escaped slavery by stowing away on a boat and traveling north as master and slave; and Lewis Latimer, who worked with Alexander Graham Bell and Thomas Edison and played a pivotal role in perfecting the light bulb…”
Join author Hugh B. Price for a book talk that chronicles an outstanding African American life.
Watch Black History on Screen
Tuesday, February 18, 3:00 p.m. (“The Help”)
Wednesday, February 19, 3:00 p.m. (“Selma”)
Thursday, February 20, 3:00 p.m. (“Black Panther”)
Friday, February 21, 3:00 p.m. (“Race”)
South Ozone Park Library – 128-16 Rockaway Boulevard
Cost: FREE
Teens (13–18 years old) and adults
Stop by the South Ozone Park library during Midwinter Recess (February 17–21, 2020) to check out any of the four great movies that will be shown in celebration of Black History Month for FREE.
During Midwinter Recess, students can stop by the Queens Botanical Garden and learn more about Dr. George Washington Carver (1864–1943) and his contributions to the field of botany. (Photo Credit: Queens Botanical Garden)
Mid-Winter Break Family Programs: George Washington Carver Workshop
Tuesday, February 18, 1:00 p.m.–2:30 p.m.
Queens Botanical Garden – 43-50 Main Street
Cost: $10 (Please RSVP on Eventbrite)
Ages 4 years old and up
(From NYC Parks) Called the “Wizard of Tuskegee,” Dr. George Washington Carver made significant contributions in the field of botany. Learn how plants played a very important role in his early life and later achievements. Students will follow in Dr. Carver’s steps, using plants to paint and creating a healing lotion to take home.
Library Doodles
Tuesday, February 18, 4:00 p.m.
Woodhaven Library – 85-41 Forest Parkway
Cost: FREE
Ages 8–15 years old
(From Queens Public Library) Like drawing? Help us add some of your original drawings to our library zine to celebrate Black History Month! Stories, poems, jokes, and puzzles are also accepted.
African American Inventors
Tuesday, February 18, 4:00 p.m.
Flushing Library – 41-17 Main Street
Cost: FREE
Ages 8–12 years old
(From QPL) In this special STEAM activity for kids, we are inspired by the work of African American inventors. No registration necessary; supplies are limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis.
“The Negro Motorist Green Book” was an invaluable tool for black travelers for 30 years, as it helped them avoid dangers and inconveniences during the latter part of the Jim Crow era.
Friends of Flushing Presents: An African American History Month Celebration
Tuesday, February 18, 5:30 p.m.
Flushing Library – 41-17 Main Street
Cost: FREE
Ages 12 years old and up
(From QPL) Join us for an evening of discussion, poetry, music, and dance.
African American Dance Workshop
Wednesday, February 19, 1:00 p.m.
Central Library – 89-11 Merrick Boulevard
Cost: FREE
Ages 8 years old and up
(From QPL) In celebration of Black History Month, the Central Library invites you to attend this cultural dance workshop. Dances will be viewed from historical, social and cultural angles, and common themes connecting dance with other disciplines will be explored.
African American Stories and Songs with Bob “Bobaloo” Basey
Wednesday, February 19, 4:00 p.m.
East Elmhurst Library – 95-06 Astoria Boulevard
Cost: FREE
Ages 4–8 years old
(From QPL) Children in grades Pre-K-2 will enjoy myths and fables celebrating the oral tradition of Africa plus some sing alongs.
Cuban singer, Celia Cruz (1925–2003), helped popularize the musical genre of salsa in the U.S., and served as an inspiration to Afro-Latinos across the U.S. and around the world.
Celebrate Black History with Lewis Latimer House Museum
Thursday, February 20, 2:00 p.m.
Queensbridge Library – 10-43 41st Avenue
Cost: FREE
Ages 6 years old and up
(From QPL) Join Queensbridge Tech Lab in a presentation about Lewis Latimer and his extraordinary contribution to America’s scientific history. The Lewis Latimer House Museum will take you through his life history and then intrigue you with a hands-on workshop on how to make a circuit out of LED lights.
American Tap Dance Foundation presents, “A Tribute to the Tap Masters”
Thursday, February 20, 3:00 p.m.
East Elmhurst Library – 95-06 Astoria Boulevard
Cost: FREE
Ages 10 years old and up
(From QPL) This next generation of young and emerging talent illustrate the history of tap dance and share the steps and style of tap masters such as Bill “Bojangles” Robinson, Buster Brown, The Copasetics, Eddie Brown, Leon Collins, and more.
Craft that Celebrates Black History
Friday, February 21, 3:30 p.m.
Sunnyside Library – 43-06 Greenpoint Avenue
Cost: FREE
Ages 5 years old and up
(From Queens Public Library) Learn about the life and achievements of Mary McLeod Bethune, a famous African American educator, and then make a Mary McLeod Bethune’s School that Grew craft.
Listen to some of the most riveting and revered speeches by black Americans, including Malcolm X (pictured), Sojourner Truth, and Dr. Martin Luther King at the Poppenhusen Library on February 24!
Learn the Blues
Monday, February 24, 4:00 p.m.
Woodhaven Library – 85-41 Forest Parkway
Cost: FREE
Ages 8 years old and up
(From QPL) Learn the history of the blues and how to play some simple blues riffs on a guitar!
Famous African American Speeches and Poems
Monday, February 24, 5:00 p.m.
Poppenhusen Library – 121-23 14th Avenue
Cost: FREE
Ages 10 years old and up
(From QPL) Listen to the most revered speeches, addresses, and poems by African Americans including Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Sojourner Truth, Shirley Chisholm, Frederick Douglass, Malcolm X, and more and discover how their powerful words changed the course of history.
Virtual Reality: Traveling While Black
Monday, February 24, 6:00 p.m.
Ridgewood Library – 20-12 Madison Street
Cost: FREE
Teens (Ages 13–18 years old) and up
(From QPL) Come experience the Emmy-nominated virtual reality documentary “Traveling While Black” with our Oculus Gos, generously donated by the Friends of Ridgewood Library.
On behalf of the DOE, we hope you enjoy this month’s learning opportunities!
