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Black History Month Events

Celebrate Black History Month with these virtual events and socially distanced happenings in Seattle and around the country. From opera to Seattle Rep's own August Wilson Reading Challenge, there are a number of ways to take part in Black History Month. 

Local

  • February 12-14, times vary: Jazz in the City The Jackson Street Music Program is presenting Jazz in the City’s 2021 Seattle Jazz As Culture Festival. This weekend-long virtual event aims to not only provide artistic and entertaining content, but it also seeks to inspire educational dialogue and inquiry of Jazz as part of the African American Cultural diaspora. Jazz in the City is free to attend, but donations are greatly appreciated.
  • February 20 at 7:30 p.m. PT: A Night at the Opera: Celebrating Black Voices. Join Northwest African American Museum (NAAM) and Seattle Opera for this live drive-in event. Featuring performances from contemporary Black singers from across the country, this socially distanced event aims to celebrate and highlight Black History. Tickets are available for purchase.
  • February 21, all day: GSBA Pass the Mic with NAAM. Northwest African American Museum is taking over the Greater Seattle Business Association's Facebook and Instagram accounts on February 21. Throughout the day, they'll be sharing the history of Black businesses in the Pacific Northwest, giving updates about their current online programming, and hosting a Black LGBTQ-centered virtual story time session for kids of all ages.
  • February 12-26, times vary: The Soul of Seattle. Join renowned chef Edouardo Jordan and some of the greatest culinary leaders in the Pacific Northwest in support of local Black-owned restaurants and Seattle-based nonprofit Mentoring Urban Students & Teens (MUST). Tune in to virtual events, including live cooking demonstrations with take-out options, live panels with Black culinary leaders, and a special closing night party with a DJ set. Tickets are available for purchase with or without take-out meals.
  • February 24 at 6:30 p.m. PT: When History is Your Story. Join MOHAI and the Black Heritage Society of Washington for an interactive community discussion on February 24. Local storytellers Chardonnay Beaver, Ryan Donaldson, and Eddie Rye will be sharing the moments from local Black History that shaped them. Tickets are $5.
  • February 26 at 7:30 p.m. PT: Toi Derricotte at Seattle Arts & Lectures. Tune in to hear award-winning poet, educator, and Cave Canem co-founder Toi Derricotte reflect on how she tackles universal subject matter such as violence, racism, motherhood, and identity through her poetry. Virtual tickets are available through their website. 
  • Ongoing: August Wilson Reading Challenge. Join Seattle Rep in celebrating Black History Month by reading all ten plays in Wilson's Century Cycle this February. Plus, starting February 12 we'll be hosting weekly themed discussions for those looking to dive deeper into Wilson's work. The August Wilson Reading Challenge Book Club is free to attend, but registration is required. 

National

  • February 12-14, times vary: Douglass Day. Celebrate American Abolitionist Frederick Douglass on his chosen birthday, Valentine’s Day. This two-day virtual educational event will feature a live broadcast and a transcribe-a-thon on the papers of Mary Church Terrell. This event is free to attend with registration.
  • Ongoing: Black Futures: An Ode to Freedom Summer. Watch Movement For Black LivesBlack Futures: An Ode to Freedom Summer this February! This film serves as a kickoff of Black Futures Month which is a forward-looking celebration of Black people, art, culture, joy, and organizing in service of Movement for Black Lives’ bold vision for Black liberation. 
  • Ongoing: 28 Days of Black History. Though this virtual exhibition launched on February 1, it’s not too late to subscribe to receive a nightly email that highlights a moment in Black History. Each email features an introduction, discussion questions, and action items. Free to subscribe, but donations are greatly appreciated.   

Additional Resources  

 

Keith Randolph Smith and Harvy Blanks in Jitney (2020). Photo by Nate Watters