(WXYZ) — Black History Month kicks off on Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025, and events throughout metro Detroit are honoring the history, culture and legacy of African Americans.
Black History Month at the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History
For more than a half century, the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History remains one of the nations most prominent historical institutions through its commitment to preserving African American history and culture, including during Black History Month.
The museum is open on Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on Thursdays 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Accessible virtually throughout the year on Thursdays, The Wright's core exhibit 'And Still We Rise,' gives visitors an opportunity to learn more about African American history through an immersive experience.
Celebrate Black History and Black Futures at the Henry Ford, February 1-28, 2025
The Henry Ford will host Black History Month celebrations every week. They include:
- Reframing History: Uncovering Black Stories - Daily at 1 p.m., starts in Museum Plaza: New Tour for 2025 — Uncover Black history stories embedded in major artifacts in our collection. Learn how artifacts like George Washington's camp bed and the Wright flyer can help us discover people and events in Black history and inspire us to dig into more untold stories of the past.
- Special Tour Experience | Reframing History: Uncovering Black Stories - Saturday, Feb. 22 from 12 p.m.-2 p.m. Set your own pace as you venture to five highlighted artifacts and dive deeper into the stories from our newest tour. Learn something new as you meet presenters along the way, speaking about the Black stories represented in all five artifacts.
- Experiment with History | E-q-u-a-l-i-t-y - Daily from 10 a.m.-noon near With Liberty & Justice for All. Learn the story of young MacNolia Cox, one of the first African Americans to compete at the National Spelling Bee. Test your spelling skills and see if you can match MacNolia's literacy prowess.
- Story Stroll | "Dazzling Zelda: The Story of Fashion Designer Zelda Wynn Valdes" - Daily, starting near Your Place in Time. Explore the story of Black fashion icon Zelda Wynn Valdes in the nonfiction picture book biography, "Dazzling Zelda: The Story of Fashion Designer Zelda Wynn Valdes," by Aura Lewis in collaboration with Farai Simoyi.
- Rev. Robert Jones Sr. - Saturday, Feb. 1 at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., Museum Plaza. Musician and storyteller Rev. Robert Jones Sr. will explore and demonstrate the role that traditional music has played in the battle for dignity and social change, from the time of slavery to modern day.
- Denise Davis & the Motor City Sensations - Sunday, Feb. 2 at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., Museum Plaza. Detroit Black Music Awards 2018 "Entertainers of the Year" Denise Davis & the Motor City Sensations will perform a combination of exciting mellow vocals with a rhythmic undercurrent that bears testament throughout with elements of gospel, hip-hop, funk, jazz, pop, Motown, 80s Classics and R&B through Detroit hits and crowd favorites.
- Civil Rights Virtual Tour - Tuesday, Feb. 4 at noon. Join the National Constitution Center, in virtual partnership with The Henry Ford, as we celebrate the birthday of civil rights leader Rosa Parks. In this virtual program, tour the bus Parks was riding the day she refused to give up her seat to a white passenger, sparking the Montgomery Bus Boycott, a pivotal event in the Civil Rights Movement. You'll also learn more about Rosa Parks' life and work, get the opportunity to explore The Henry Ford's archives, and hear the stories of other people central to the fight for equality.
- Artist & Entrepreneur Phillip Simpson, The Smile Brand - Sunday, Feb. 9 from 11 a.m.-2 p.m., Museum Plaza. Meet and be inspired by the uplifting work of Phillip Simpson, artist and founder of the Smile Brand. Get creative with a coloring and button-making activity designed by Simpson. Explore a range of Simpson's art that embodies his belief in "changing the world one smile at a time."
- Tinkering for Tots | Celebrate Black History - Tuesday, Feb. 11 from 10 a.m.-noon in the Drive-In Studio near Driven to Win.Through storytelling, play and artifact exploration, we will learn how Martin Luther King Jr. challenged the rules to make the world a better place.
- The TeMaTe Institute for Black Dance & Culture - Saturday, Feb. 15 at 11 a.m., Museum Plaza. The TeMaTe Institute for Black Dance & Culture, established in Detroit's arts and culture community, is guided by vision, values, principles and practices rooted in social justice. TeMaTe uses dance as a tool for community engagement and will lead a rousing drum demonstration and conversation.
- Michigan Krump Movement - Saturday, Feb. 15 at 11:30 a.m. and 2 p.m., Museum Plaza. The Michigan Krump Movement known as #DirtyGloveBvck began in 2014 when leader Jerwaun "Renegade" Suddun brought it to Detroit. Renegade will illuminate the history of Krumping and demonstrate the genre in an exciting engagement.
- Marygrove Performance - Sunday, Feb. 16 at 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m., Museum Plaza. Marygrove's Repertory and Junior Companies will perform multi-genre pieces choreographed specifically for Black History Month.
- Cole Randolph, Cellist, and Harper Randolph, Violist - Sunday, Feb. 16 at 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m., Museum Plaza. Twin members of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Cole and Harper, will perform gripping works in a collection of repertoire, ranging in musical period and composers throughout time.
- Exhibit | With Liberty and Justice for All - Explore the proud and often painful evolution of American freedom, from the Revolutionary War through the struggle for civil rights. Visit the Rosa Parks Bus nearly 70 years after Parks' courageous act of defiance sparked the Montgomery Bus Boycott.
- Collection Spotlight |We Shall Overcome: The 60th Anniversary of the Voting Rights Act - Opening Feb. 22 near Your Place in Time. This temporary display explores the 60th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act. While viewing the content and stories, you are encouraged to think about how to keep the movement for equality moving forward. This display also introduces Dr. Sullivan and Mrs. Richie Jean Sherrod Jackson and their family from Selma, Alabama. Learn how everyday people like the Jackson family opened the doors to their home to help fuel a movement.
- Artifact | "March on Washington: The Official Album," 1963 - More than 250,000 civil rights advocates showed up at this peaceful march on August 28, 1963, to support unity, jobs and a new civil rights bill proposed by President John F. Kennedy. This LP record includes speeches by 10 civil rights leaders heard at the Lincoln Memorial that day.
- Artifact | Engraved Copy of the 1776 Declaration of Independence. Revisit this iconic artifact with a fresh question: How has the exclusion of Black individuals, and all non-white people, from the Declaration of Independence influenced our country's history? How can you see this object through the lens of Black history?
There are also other events and featured exhibits that you can learn more about on The Henry Ford website
Detroit Film Theater and the Detroit Institute of Arts
Celebrate Black history at the museum with a dynamic lineup of events for all ages and interests. Explore art, connect with the community, and gain a deeper understanding of how the past has shaped Black lives today.
All events are offered free of charge with museum admission.
Performances
7 Mile + Livernois After Dark with Nick Speed
Kick off Black History Month with us! Explore the Tiff Massey: 7 Mile + Livernois exhibition, then keep the energy going with live beats from producer, rapper, and DJ Nick Speed.
Hair Wars
Hair as art? Absolutely! At a drop-in style demonstration, Hair Wars stylists will highlight innovative hair creations, as well as videos and images from past shows. Stop by for a fun glimpse into this unique, Detroit-born entertainment.
Artist Events
The 32nd Annual Alain Locke Awards
The Friends of African and African American Art will proudly honor Titus Kaphar — a celebrated artist, groundbreaking filmmaker, and Michigan native — as this year’s Alain Locke International Award recipient. One of the most significant contemporary painters whose work is featured at both the DIA and the Museum of Modern Art, Kaphar creates images that are both multidisciplinary and rich in historical meaning.
Uncommon Threads: Black Representation in Early American Needlework
Discover works by both Black and white makers that explicitly or implicitly evidence the lives of people of color in early America through a lecture by Emilie Gevalt, Curator of Folk Art, and Curatorial Chair for Collections at the Museum of American Folk Art. This event is a program of Painted with Silk: The Art of Early American Embroidery, now on view through June 15, 2025.
Dancing in the DIA's Rivera Court
Steppers Ball
Are you curious about Steppin,’ an urban dance style that originated in Chicago in the mid-1900s? I Love Steppin,’ a vibrant community dedicated to celebrating and preserving this cherished tradition within Black communities, invites you to learn the moves! Enjoy a lesson on Steppin’ fundamentals, followed by dancing to music curated by DJ Ron Edwards. All ages and skill levels are welcome.
Drawing in the Galleries: 7 Mile + Livernois
Join us in the Contemporary galleries for this visitor-favorite event!
Guest Artist Workshop: Born to Remix with Jonathan Kimble
This workshop applies hip-hop’s method of production, the remix, into visual expression, creating stylized, vibrant portraits through unconventional mediums and techniques. This workshop will be led by Detroit native and College for Creative Studies graduate (BFA 2020) Jonathan Kimble.
New York International Children’s Film Festival: Celebrating Black Stories
This collection of short films highlights Black narratives that transcend national boundaries, culture, and language, with films in English, French, Zulu, and ASL. These films celebrate the joy, determination, resilience, and complexity of being young and Black, while underscoring the vibrancy of Black storytelling.
Detroit Public Library
The Detroit Public Library is offering a number of programs throughout the month. You can find out more on the events page on their website.
Jamon Jordan of Black Scroll Network History & Tours
Detroit Black History Series
This monthly virtual tour of important places, people & events from Detroit's Black History take us from the Underground Railroad to Motown.
Register for the event here.
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