Here's How You Can Celebrate Black History Month Uptown and All Around NYC This February
To celebrate Black History Month, check out these events in Upper Manhattan and across the city.
This February is Black History Month and there are plenty of ways to celebrate in Upper Manhattan and across New York City. From jazz concerts to art exhibitions to learning workshops, here are some of the most interesting events we’ve found around town.
Know of a Black History Month event or exhibition that we should include here? Send us an email.
Book Launch: "How to be a (Young) Antiracist" with Ibram X. Kendi & Nic Stone
Date & Time: January 30 at 6:30 pm
Price: Tickets start at $10
Location: United Palace, 4140 Broadway
Hosted by Word Up Community Bookshop/Librería Comunitaria and the United Palace of Cultural Arts, authors Ibram X. Kendi and Nic Stone will launch their new book, How to Be a (Young) Antiracist. The event will feature a conversation between Dr. Kendy and Nic Stone, followed by an audience Q&A.
Hip Hop for Inclusive Democracy
Date & Time: February 3, 10 am to 4 pm
Price: Free
Location: Harlem School of the Arts - Dorothy Maynor Hall, 645 Saint Nicholas Ave.
This one-day event will focus on how hip-hop can create a more inclusive democracy.
Black Lives in the Diaspora: Past / Present / Future
Date & Time: February 9, 6:30 - 9:30 pm
Price: Free
Location: Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, 515 Malcolm X Blvd.
The scholarly book series Black Lives in the Diaspora is a collaborative effort between Howard University, Columbia University, and Columbia University Press to energize publishing in the field of Black Studies. Join the series launch event – either virtual or in-person – to celebrate this exciting partnership and hear from prominent speakers of both institutions.
Central Park: Harlem’s Backyard (Virtual Tour)
Date & Time: February 9, 2:00 - 2:45 pm
Price: Free
Location: Virtual
In this special virtual tour, Central Park Conservancy will share rarely-seen archival images, historical and archeological research, and personal narratives that form the park’s history as Harlem’s backyard. Join the event to hear about stories of Harlemites – past and present – who have made Central Park their second home.
The Harlem Chamber Players: 15th Annual Black History Month Celebration
Date & Time: February 9, 2:00 - 2:45 pm
Price: Free
Location: Virtual
The Harlem Chamber Players are dedicated to bringing affordable and accessible live classical music to the Harlem community and beyond. Join the players for their 15th Annual Black History Month Celebration concert.
Amateur Night at the Apollo Theater
Date & Time: February 22, 7:30 pm
Price: Tickets start at $29
Location: The Apollo Theater, 253 West 125th St.
What better way to celebrate this month than to attend the season opener of the legendary Amateur Night at The Apollo? This series is notorious for its tough-love audience and has helped cultivate the careers of countless, legendary Black artists, from Ella Fitzgerald to Lauryn Hill.
Tyrone Birkett | Emancipation: The Luminous Darkness
Date & Time: February 18, 7:00 - 8:30 pm
Price: Tickets start at $25
Location: The Bernie Wohl Center at Goddard Riverside, 647 Columbus Ave.
As part of the SONIC SANCTUARY series, artist-in-residence Tyrone Birkett and his Emancipation Jazz Ensemble will hold a concert at the Community Arts Program. A Q&A will take place after for attendees.
Black Arts Movement: Examined at the Harlem Stage
Date & Time: January 27 through May 18
Price: Tickets start at $25
Location: Harlem Stage, 150 Convent Ave.
The Black Arts Movement created art that fought for liberation. Harlem Stage’s seven-part series examines the movement’s relationship to race, gender, sexuality, the arts, and its intersectionality with the Black Power Movement.
Crafting Freedom: The Life and Legacy of Free Black Potter Thomas W. Commeraw
Date & Time: January 27 through May 28
Price: Tickets start at $22
Location: New York Historical Society, 170 Central Park West
Crafting Freedom celebrates Thomas W. Commeraw, an African American potter who worked in the Lower East Side during the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Visit the exhibition to learn about his life as a craftsman, business owner, and citizen.
Black History Month at the NYPL
Date & Time: Various dates
Price: Free
Location: Various locations
There’s truly something for everyone in New York Public Library’s Black History Month event series. From guided tours of special collections to film screenings, there’s enough to keep your February calendar booked with fun and educational activities.
Black History Month in NYC Parks
Date & Time: Various dates
Price: Free
Location: Various locations
See original artwork by NYC Parks employees exploring their Black heritage at Arsenal Gallery in Central Park or attend a concert at the National Jazz Museum in Harlem House.
Museum of the City of New York
Date & Time: Various Dates
Price: Free
Location: Various locations
The Museum of the City of New York’s exciting Black History Month lineup includes a student workshop on civil rights activist Bayard Rustin, a screening of the film Passing, and an interactive dance workshop.