Joyful Black History Month! Here’s a list of some culturally rich and entertaining virtual and in-person events happening in Michigan this month in the name of Black history. And, don’t forget to support these Black-owned businesses in Washtenaw County!
Tuesday, February 8
Anti-Racism Teach-in / 6:00 PM–7:30 p.m. (virtual)
Register on Sessions: https://sessions.studentlife.umich.edu/track/event/session/53062
Racial justice begins with anti-racism. Anti-racism is the active process of identifying and eliminating racism by changing systems, organizational structures, policies, practices, and attitudes so that power is redistributed and shared equitably (University of Calgary). This peer-led teach-in will engage analytical frameworks for examining systemic cultural, social, economic, and political forces in the community along with individual reflection. Our hope is to raise critical consciousness, understand the opportunity for actions, and how our resources can be distributed. This Teach-In will be facilitated by Dillon Alexandro Cathro.
Coordinated by MESA
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Rock Hall Spotlights Collaboration, Poetry Mixtape / 10:00 a.m. (virtual, ticket required)
In collaboration with the Folgers Shakespeare Library, the O.B. Hardison Poetry series will create a poetic mixtape in response to the Rock Hall’s exhibition It’s Been Said All Along: Voices of Rage, Hope, and Empowerment. With an intro from Rock Hall’s Chief Curator, Nwaka Onwusa, Poets Reuben Jackson, Ashley M. Jones, Patricia Spears Jones, and Nate Marshall, will explore through their own poetry, the words of empowerment embedded in the historic musical legacy of such artists like Public Enemy, Nina Simone, Aretha Franklin, and James Brown.
Thursday, February 10
Tour: New Black Vanguard Part I / 1:00 p.m. (virtual)
The New Black Vanguard: Photography Between Art and Fashion
Curated by Antwaun Sargent
$50, Black Stone Bookstore ( Black-owned, in Ypsi 😉 visit if you can! )
Black Love Mass Meeting / 6:00–8:00 p.m.
In-person: Trotter Multicultural Center, Sankofa Lounge
Register on Sessions: https://sessions.studentlife.umich.edu/track/event/10680
The Black Love meeting will be a casual discussion on the workings of Black Love and what that means and looks like to us as Black folk.
Coordinated by the Black Student Union
Black History Along Detroit’s Riverfront, 6:00–7:00 p.m. (virtual)
The City Institute is offering an online tour about Detroit’s historical Black leaders and innovators in relationship to the Detroit Riverfront and its role in the Underground Railroad. The event is free with donations optional. Visit www.thecityinstitute.com.
Glimpses from “And Still We Rise,” Online Event Thursdays, Feb. 3, 10, 17 and 24, noon–1 p.m. and 4:00–5:00 p.m. (virtual)
Explore the Wright museum’s “And Still We Rise” exhibit in-depth with a virtual weekly series that breaks down the 22,000 square-foot exhibition into sections. The long-term exhibit offers a comprehensive look at the history of African-American resilience.
Weekly sessions include:
Feb. 10 – The Transatlantic Slave Trade, Feb. 17 – Resilience and Resistance: Africans in America and Feb. 24 – Emancipation and the Great Migration. For more information, visit www.thewright.org.
Friday, February 11
Drawing in the Galleries, *Con|temporary / 6:00–8:30 p.m. (Museum)
Dance Workshop: Detroit Hustle and Kizomba / 6:00–7:30 p.m. (virtual)
Hybrid: Michigan Union, Pendleton Room / Virtual
Register on Sessions for the in-person event: https://sessions.studentlife.umich.edu/track/event/session/53061
Register on Sessions for the virtual event: https://sessions.studentlife.umich.edu/track/event/session/53189
These workshops will have two parts. Part one will be a workshop of Detroit Ballroom (35 mins) and Bachata (35 mins) with 20 mins of free dancing. Part two will be a workshop of Kizomba (35 mins) and Detroit Hustle (35 mins) with 20 mins of free dancing at the end.
Coordinated by MESA and the BHM Planning Committee
Saturday, February 12
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Virtual Fam Jam / 10:00 a.m. (YouTube)
Presented by the John P. Murphy Foundation, the Rock Hall’s Virtual Fam Jam in February spotlights the sounds of Black History. Enjoy themed music education activities curated by the Rock Hall’s award-winning Education team, live performances from The Beck Center for the Arts, crafts and activities with The Children’s Museum of Cleveland, story time with The Cleveland Public Library, and an instrument show and tell with Keep Music Alive. Teachers and parents can create a free account on Rock Hall EDU, the Rock Hall’s digital education platform, to access supplemental activity information, including craft supply lists, instruction sheets, and accompanying activity worksheets.
Black History Month Educator Workshop / 10:00 a.m.–2:30 p.m.
Music, Detroit Youth Choir / 2:00 p.m. (Detroit Film Theater)
Conversations & Cocktails, Southfield Pavilion / 7:00–10:00 p.m.
Conversations & Cocktails acknowledges and celebrates the contributions of African Americans to society and the world. It will feature some of metro Detroit’s most notable spoken word poets and musicians performing R&B and soul music. General admission tickets are $10 and available for purchase online or at the Southfield Parks & Recreation Building. Tickets must be purchased in advance.
Visit www.cityofsouthfield.com/departments/parks-recreation.
Sunday, February 13
Free Masterclass: Shodekeh Talieiro, Beatboxer/ Breath Artist, 11:00 a.m. (Earl V. Moore Building, Britton Recital Hall)
Special event, 29th Annual Alain Locke Awards / 1:00–2:30 p.m. (Lecture Hall)
“Safely Talk about Race and Racism” / 2:00-5:00 p.m. / Ypsilanti District Library
This event includes a documentary on Ken Burns’ “East Lake Meadows: A Public Housing Story.” After the film, a discussion is being led by La’Ron Williams, a local storyteller and peace activist. Light refreshments will be served.
Percussion Ensemble with special guest Shodekeh Talifero – Beatboxer/ Breath Artist, 4:00 p.m. (Earl V. Moore Building, Britton Recital Hall)
AADL Screening of Blood Brothers: Malcolm X & Muhammad Ali, / 4:00-6:00 pm (virtual)
Tuesday, February 15
Wellness Workout with Mr. Grindtime / 6:00–7:00 p.m. (virtual)
Hybrid: Michigan Union, Anderson ABC / Virtual
Register on Sessions for the in-person event: https://sessions.studentlife.umich.edu/track/event/session/53061
Register on Sessions for the virtual event: https://sessions.studentlife.umich.edu/track/event/session/53189
Join us as John Smith also known as Mr. Grindtime, comes to campus with a workout and discussion to help improve your overall mental, physical, and emotional wellness. This event is a mixture of a discussion and a workout class.
Coordinated by MESA and the BHM Planning Committee
Thursday, February 17
Transcending Nightingale: Intentional Nursing Actions to Achieve Health Equity / 12:00–1:00 p.m. (virtual)
Register on Qualtrics: https://umich.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_8BrJj8QeOV4N5c2
Dr. Sheldon Frields has joked that he is a unicorn in the world of academic nursing because he still walks into spaces where he is the only male nurse of color. At Penn State, he is the only Black, Latinx male faculty member. In 2000, he was Penn Nursing’s first Black male to graduate with a doctorate in nursing. Dr. Fields was also the first Black male nurse faculty member at the University of Rochester. He currently serves as the Associate Dean for Equity and Inclusion at the Penn State College of Nursing and the First Vice President of the National Black Nurses Association.
Guest Speaker: Dr. Sheldon Fields, Ph.D. RN, CRNP, FNP-BC, AACRN, FAANP, FNAP, FAAN believes that diversity and inclusion are crucial to both the success of our society and the field of nursing.
Moderated by: Dr. Patricia Tillman-Meakins, UMSN Faculty.
Coordinated by University of Michigan School of Nursing
Glimpses from “And Still We Rise,” Online Event Thursdays 2/10, 17 and 24, noon–1:00 p.m. and 4:00–5:00 p.m. (virtual)
Explore the Wright museum’s “And Still We Rise” exhibit in-depth with a virtual weekly series that breaks down the 22,000 square-foot exhibition into sections. The long-term exhibit offers a comprehensive look at the history of African-American resilience.
Weekly sessions include:
Feb. 10 – The Transatlantic Slave Trade, Feb. 17 – Resilience and Resistance: Africans in America and Feb. 24 – Emancipation and the Great Migration. For more information, visit www.thewright.org.
Tour: New Black Vanguard Part II / 1:00 p.m. (virtual)
The New Black Vanguard: Photography Between Art and Fashion
Curated by Antwaun Sargent
Discussion with Dr. Feranmi Okanlami: Race, Place and Ability / 3:00–4:00 p.m.
Hybrid: Wolverine Room / Virtual
Register on Sessions for the in-person event: https://sessions.studentlife.umich.edu/track/event/session/53194
Register on Sessions for the virtual event: https://sessions.studentlife.umich.edu/track/event/session/53195
Dr. Feranmi Okanlami, Director of Student Accessibility and Accommodation Services, will lead a discussion that centers on the intersection of Race, Ability and the process of finding one’s Place or sense of belonging. Through sharing his own personal experiences of living with disabilities and advocating for more robust and inclusive services for university students living with disabilities, Dr. Okanlami will push participants to think critically about what a truly inclusive and accessible university culture looks like, and will invite them to move away just from theorizing about change, toward enacting the changes they would like to see.
Coordinated by MESA and the BHM Planning Committee
Film Screening: Gone to the Village / 6:00–7:00 p.m.
In-person: Michigan Union Courtyard
Register on Sessions: https://sessions.studentlife.umich.edu/track/event/session/53065
“Gone to the Village is a unique and powerful documentary, beautifully filmed, of the elaborate funerary rites for the Queen Mother of the Asante in Ghana. Leading Asante scholar Kwasi Ampene directs and narrates with the authority, gaze and sensitivity of a true insider, with stunning footage of the rich cultural traditions of the Asante people. Filmed on location in Kumase during the funeral, we witness traditions that have stubbornly and proudly resisted the onslaught of colonial rule and globalization. Through the film, we learn about the history of the Asante as well as the central role of women in this matriarchal society. The scenes of dance, song, drumming, proverbs, and dress code are of exceptional and exquisite beauty, unprecedented in the African continent.”
Coordinated by MESA and the BHM Planning Committee
“Redlining, Racism, and Segregation,” / 6:00–7:00 p.m (virtual)
The City Institute’s “Redlining, Racism, and Segregation” virtual tour provides an overview of some of Detroit’s most devastating policies and events for people of color throughout history and their continuing impact today. Tour discussion points include the Ossian Sweet House, Birwood Wall, Black Bottom and Paradise Valley, redlining and restrictive covenants, and the uprising of 1967. Tickets are donation-based. For more information, visit www.thecityinstitute.com.
Friday, February 18
Guest Lecture: Gone to the Village Q&A w/ Dr. Kwasi Ampene / 2:00–3:00 p.m.
Hybrid: Angell Hall Auditorium D / Virtual
Register on Sessions for the in-person event: https://sessions.studentlife.umich.edu/track/event/session/53066
Register on Sessions for the virtual event: https://sessions.studentlife.umich.edu/track/event/session/53193
Dr. Ampene will engage in a Q&A discussion with audience members, on the subject of his documentary Gone to the Village, and its relationship with this year’s theme for Black History Month: Black Joy.
Coordinated by MESA and the BHM Planning Committee
“The Black Godfather” Screening, Southfield Pavilion, 7:00 p.m.
The city of Southfield will show the 2019 documentary “The Black Godfather” for Black History Month Movie Night. The film, directed by Reginald Hudlin, follows the life of music executive, entrepreneur and film producer Clarence Avant. Admission is free, refreshments will be available for purchase. Note: The film is rated TV-MA for violent images, profanity and brief nudity. Visit www.cityofsouthfield.com/departments/parks-recreation.
Drawing in the Galleries / 6:00–8:30 p.m. (in museum) African American galleries
Music, Mollywop! / 7:00 p.m. (Detroit Film Theater)
Saturday, February 19
A Matter of Life and Language / 12:00 p.m. (Holley Room) (attendance limited), Poetry workshop for youth
A Matter of Life and Language / 1:30 p.m. (Lecture Hall) Poetry series for youth
Detroit Book City African-American Family Book Expo, Detroit Book City / 12:30–5:00 p.m.
This sixth annual expo features book discussions, kids’ activities, meet-and-greets with Black authors and more. Admission is free but registration is required. For more information, visit www.detroitbookcity.com.
Sunday, February 20
Black History Month Gala / 7:00–9:00 p.m.
In-person: Rogel Ballroom, Michigan Union
Register on Sessions: https://sessions.studentlife.umich.edu/track/event/session/53059
This event celebrates art, music, and Black culture on campus in a formal affair. Students will have the opportunity to showcase their art, perform spoken word, and enjoy music on the dance floor. The goal is to bring the Black community together and celebrate the culture with good food, good music, and a great time.
Coordinated by the National Pan-Hellenic Council
Wednesday, February 23
Black History Month Closing Ceremony / 3:00–5:00 p.m. (virtual)
Register on Sessions: https://sessions.studentlife.umich.edu/track/event/session/53067
As wrap up programming for this year’s Black History Month, we want to send a special thank you to everyone who participated in and attended the wide variety events organized by students, staff, faculty, and our great Michigan community members. Black History Month is more than just one month: it is a day-in, day-out celebration of Afro-descendant peoples from around the world. Similarly, Black Joy cannot, and should, not be encapsulated into just one month of programming. All the same, we hope you were able to engage with this year’s programming as fully as possible.
Our Closing Ceremony will be vibrant with energy and, of course, a celebration of Black Joy. We will have dance ensemble performances; vocal music numbers; and to our great pleasure and honor, Professor Robin Wilson will be closing us out with an immersive and radical keynote presentation. We look forward to being in community with you all.
Coordinated by MESA and the BHM Planning Committee
Lecture, Talking about Art with Shirley Woodson / 6:00 p.m. (Detroit Film Theatre)
Loving Day Dialogue with Mixed@Michigan / 8:00–9:00 p.m.
In-person: Trotter Multicultural Center, Student Organization Lounge
Register on Sessions: https://sessions.studentlife.umich.edu/track/event/session/53068
This coming June marks the 55th anniversary of the momentous court case of Loving v. Virginia in which interracial marriage was officially legalized by the U.S. supreme court. Here at Mixed@Michigan, we are a symbol of this ruling establishing the human right to love and we have found pride and acceptance in our mixed identities. Given that February is a month of both celebrating Black history and finding love, we will provide a space to discuss the experiences of our Black students at Mixed@Michigan and how they have found strength in their mixed identity in addition to discussing the nuanced issues that arise when navigating interracial relationships. We plan to reflect on the empowerment of mixed-race Black Americans in the decades following the Loving ruling and what it means to be proud of our identity. Lastly, we will flesh out problems with stereotypes, colorism, and exoticizing skin color when navigating relationships and how we can work towards further destigmatizing interracial relationships. We hope to have this conversation with a diverse group of people, regardless of ethnic or racial identification and food will be provided!
Coordinated by Mixed@Michigan
Thursday, February 24
| Film, Daughters of the Dust / 1:00 p.m. (virtual)
Lecture, Paradise Now with Tyler Mitchell / 5:00 p.m. (virtual)
Yale Film Archive
Glimpses from “And Still We Rise,” Online Event Thursdays, Feb. 3, 10, 17 and 24, noon–1:00 p.m. and 4:00–5:00 p.m. (virtual)
Explore the Wright museum’s “And Still We Rise” exhibit in-depth with a virtual weekly series that breaks down the 22,000 square-foot exhibition into sections. The long-term exhibit offers a comprehensive look at the history of African-American resilience.
Weekly sessions include:
Feb. 10 – The Transatlantic Slave Trade, Feb. 17 – Resilience and Resistance: Africans in America and Feb. 24 – Emancipation and the Great Migration. For more information, visit www.thewright.org.
Black History by Those That Lived / 6:00–7:30 p.m. (virtual tour)
Lifelong Detroiters Glen Hendricks and Michael Daniels will share their 70+ years of experiences and personal stories that are woven into the larger history of Detroit. The online tour will include stories on coming to Detroit during the Great Migration, growing up in Black Bottom and Paradise Valley, the impact of former Detroit Mayor Coleman Young’s election, longtime Black businesses and being a Detroit entrepreneur in the 1980s. Tickets are donation-based. For more information, visit www.thecityinstitute.com.
Community Choice Meeting / 6:00–8:00 p.m.
In-person: Trotter Multicultural Center, Sankofa Lounge
Register on Sessions: https://sessions.studentlife.umich.edu/track/event/10680
During this event, members of the community will decide what topic or theme to focus on during conversation. Topics can range and vary in genre, scope, field, etc., and the community will come to unanimous consent on which area to discuss.
Coordinated by the Black Student Union
AADL Screening of High on the Hog: Our Roots / 6:00-8:00 pm (virtual)
Saturday, February 26
Wimee’s Words – Shirley Woodson, Flight with Mirror / 1:00 p.m. (virtual)
Sunday, February 27
DIA: Black Art Library / 10:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. (Kresge Court) |
Ann Arbor District Library Presents: La’Ron Williams / 3pm – 4pm
Hear tales from Washtenaw County storytellers La’Ron Williams and Laura Pershin Raynor. The library is also hosting a Quote of the Day video series during Black History Month highlighting powerful quotes from influential figures including Nelson Mandela, Amanda Gorman and Bessie Coleman. Watch all of the videos (28) on AADL.TV.
Film Screenings
Feb. 4-10; One Night in Miami (2020)
On the night of Feb. 25, 1964, in Miami, Cassius Clay joins Jim Brown, Sam Cooke and Malcom X, and they discuss the responsibility of being successful black men during the civil rights movement.
Feb. 11-17; Say Amen, Somebody (1982)
While the documentary features a number of gospel musicians, it spends the most time looking into the considerable contributions of Thomas A. Dorsey, a pioneering songwriter and pianist, and his popular associate, singer “Mother” Willie Mae Ford Smith.
Feb. 18-24; Judas and the Black Messiah (2021)
Offered a plea deal by the FBI, William O’Neal infiltrates the Illinois chapter of the Black Panther Party to gather intelligence on Chairman Fred Hampton.
Feb. 25-28; Who We Are: A Chronicle of Racism in America (2021)
Interweaving lecture, personal anecdotes, interviews, and revelations, ACLU deputy legal director Jeffery Robinson draws a stark timeline of anti-Black racism in the United States, from slavery to modern America.
Michigan Theatre Screenings:
COURTESY OF EVERETT COLLECTION
Sunday, Feb. 13; In the Heat of Night (1967), 3:00 pm
Philadelphia police detective Virgil Tibbs (Sidney Poitier) is arrested on suspicion of murder by Bill Gillespie (Rod Steiger), the racist police chief of tiny Sparta, Mississippi. After Tibbs proves not only his own innocence but that of another man, he joins forces with Gillespie to track down the real killer. Their investigation takes them through every social level of the town, with Tibbs making enemies as well as unlikely friends as he hunts for the truth.
Sunday, Feb. 20; Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner (1967), 3:00 pm
This classic follows a Black doctor (played by Sidney Poitier) meeting his white to-be in-laws for the first time.
Moviestore/REX/Shutterstock
Friday, Feb. 25; Purple Rain (1984), 10:00 pm
The Prince classic, if you haven’t seen it, check it out!
Sunday, Feb. 27; Stir Crazy (1980), 3:00 pm
The first film from an African American filmmaker to gross over $100 million (R.I.P. Sidney Poitier), starring Richard Pryor.
AADL Screenings:
Sunday, Feb. 13; Blood Brothers: Malcolm X & Muhammad Ali, 4:00-6:00 pm (virtual)
The extraordinary story behind the friendship of two of the most iconic figures of the 20th century, Muhammad Ali and Malcolm X
Thursday, Feb. 24; High on the Hog: Our Roots, 6:00-8:00 pm (virtual)
Food writer Stephen Satterfield traces the origins of African-American cuisine, tracing its through lines from Africa to Texas.
DIA Screenings:
Feb 1 – 7 | Documentary Films of Madeline Anderson (virtual)
Madeline Anderson is an American filmmaker, television and documentary producer, film director, editor and screenwriter. She is best known for her films Integration Report One and I Am Somebody, the latter of which garnered national and international acclaim.
Integration Report 1 | (1960)
Integration Report 1 examines the struggle for black equality in Alabama, Brooklyn and Washington, D.C., incorporating footage by documentary legends Albert Maysles and Ricky Leacock, and spoken words by Maya Angelou and Martin Luther King, Jr. (20 min)
I Am Somebody | (1970)
In 1969, black female hospital workers in Charleston, South Carolina went on strike for union recognition and a wage increase, only to find themselves in a confrontation with the state government and the National Guard. Featuring interviews with Andrew Young, Charles Abernathy, and Coretta Scott King, and produced by New York’s Local 1199 New Hospital Union, I Am Somebody is a crucial film record of the struggle for labor rights. (30 min.)
Feb 8 – 14 | The Last Angel of History (1996) (virtual)
The origins and significance of afrofuturism, framed by the journey of a time-traveling data thief.
Feb 22 – 28 | Seven Songs for Malcolm X (1993) (virtual)
A British documentary film about the life of Malcolm X.
Thursday, Feb. 24; Daughters of the Dust (1991) / 1:00 p.m. (virtual)
At the dawn of the 20th century, a family in the Gullah community of coastal South Carolina — former West African slaves who adopted many of their ancestors’ Yoruba traditions — suffers a generational split.
U of M Theatre
Feb 17-20; ‘Antigone’, Lydia Mendelssohn Theatre
A play in which Antigone, daughter of Oedipus, attempts to secure proper burial for her brothers.
Other fun stuff!
Every Friday in February The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame will be posting new podcast episodes honoring the legacies of African American Inductees with unfiltered access to iconic Induction speeches. Subscribe on the iHeart Radio App, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your favorite podcasts.
Teach your students about Black business owners who have shaped rock history with the Rock Hall’s African American Music Industry Entrepreneurship collection. You’ll find a presentation about Jay-Z’s music and business career, an interview with Motown record producer Lamont Dozier, and essays about Black-owned labels like SAR and Stax.
Addresses
Ann Arbor District Library (343 S 5th Ave, Ann Arbor, MI 48104)
The Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History (315 East Warren Avenue, Detroit, Michigan 48201)
Detroit Institute of Art (5200 Woodward Ave, Detroit, MI 48202)
Detroit Film Theatre (located at the John R Entrance of the museum)
Michigan Theatre (603 E Liberty St, Ann Arbor, MI 48104)
The State Theatre (233 S. State St., Ann Arbor, MI 48104)
University of Michigan Campus:
Lydia Mendelssohn Theatre (911 N University Ave, Ann Arbor, MI 48109)
Michigan Union (530 S State St, Ann Arbor, MI 48109)
Trotter Multicultural Center (428 S State St, Ann Arbor, MI 48109)
Ypsilanti District Library (5577 Whittaker Rd, Ypsilanti, MI 48197)
Links:
Support Black-Owned Businesses in Washtenaw County – Current Magazine
Black History Month | Multi-Ethnic Student Affairs
Metro Detroit Black History Month exhibits, performances, lectures and more
Black History Month 2022 | Detroit Institute of Arts Museum
Black History Month at AADL | Ann Arbor District Library
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Celebrates Black History Month
*The University of Michigan Museum of Art (UMMA),
while fiercely dedicated to anti-racist action has sadly chosen not to celebrate this year.
