Black History Month 2024 Events Planned In Montgomery County

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, MD — Several events are planned in Montgomery County this February to observe Black History Month, which this year celebrates “African Americans and the Arts.”

Black History Month begins Thursday and continues through Leap Day on Feb. 29. Since 1976, every U.S. president has set aside February as a month to celebrate the achievements of African Americans and their role in U.S. history.

• Related: Black History Month 2024: 5 Things To Know

African American art is infused with multiple cultural influences, including African, Caribbean and the Black American lived experiences, according to the Association for the Study of African American Life and History, the founder of Black History Month.

These influences are seen in the visual and performing arts, literature, fashion, folklore, language, film, music, architecture, culinary and other forms of cultural expression.

Here are Black History Month events planned in Montgomery County:

Freedom Farmers: Agricultural Resistance and the Black Freedom Movement

Saturday, Feb. 3, 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
Virtual events hosted by Montgomery Parks at Brookside Gardens

• Dr. Monica White, author and Associate Professor of Environmental Justice, University of WisconsinJoin Dr. White as she expands the historical narrative of the Black freedom struggle to embrace the work, roles, and contributions of southern Black farmers. While many view agriculture as a site of oppression and exploitation of Black people, this lecture will reveal agriculture as a site of resistance. You’ll gain a historical foundation that adds meaning and context to the current food justice/sovereignty movements in America.

Art Studio for Kids

Saturday, Feb. 3, 11 a.m. to noon
White Oak Library

• Celebrate Black History Month with an exciting opportunity to create original art in the style of Alma Thomas.

Kids Create! A Black History Month Celebration

Saturday, Feb. 3, 2 p.m. to 3 p.m.
Aspen Hill Library

• Create your own masterpiece in the style of Alma Woodsey Thomas.

Discover Heroes of Black History

Monday, Feb. 5, 4 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Connie Morella Library

• Join us in commemorating Black History Month by learning about some exceptional African and African American historical figures from a wide range of fields of knowledge and expertise.

Separate But Unequal - The History of School Segregation in Montgomery County

Tuesday, Feb. 6, 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Damascus Library

• In observance of Black History Month, learn about the history of segregation in Montgomery County Public Schools.

Discovery Saturday: African American Story Quilts

Saturday, Feb. 10, 10:30 a.m. to 11:15 a.m.
Little Falls Library

• In celebration of Black History Month, we will read about Story Quilts and make some of our own.

Soul in Motion: African Drum and Dance - In-person

Saturday, Feb. 10, 2 p.m. to 3 p.m.
Kensington Park Library

• African Drum and Dance performance by Soul in Motion Company celebrates Black History Month.

History Happy Hour: Slavery in the President’s Neighborhood

Friday, Feb. 16, 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Sandy Spring Museum, 17901 Bentley Road, Sandy Spring, MD 20860

• Sandy Spring Museum's long-running History Happy Hour speakers series. Tickets include complimentary snacks and wine to enjoy throughout the program. Launched in 2020 at the White House Historical Association, the Slavery in the President’s Neighborhood research initiative seeks to identify and share the stories of the enslaved workers who built, lived in, and worked at the White House. Dr. Matthew Costello will provide an overview of the initiative’s findings, and highlight key figures and experiences, and ongoing research efforts.

Sing and Move with Culture Queen! - In-person

Wednesday, Feb. 14, 10:30 a.m. to 11:15 a.m.
Little Falls Library

• "Black History Live with Culture Queen" is a fun performance for your royal children.

African American Book Discussion Group - In-person

Thursday, Feb. 15, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Rockville Memorial Library

• The African American Book Discussion Group of Rockville Memorial Library discusses fiction, non-fiction or plays written by, or about people of African descent.

Differing Historical Perspectives on Slavery

Thursday, Feb. 15, 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Josiah Henson Museum and Park, 11410 Old Georgetown Road, North Bethesda, MD 20852.

• This lecture series features local historians, educators, and more who will share their knowledge of local and regional history. Arrive early and take a self-guided tour of Josiah Henson Museum and Park. Appropriate for ages 12 and older. Doors open at 5 pm.This program will take place at the Josiah Henson Museum and Park Visitor Center. Refreshments provided. Admission is $5 per person. Tickets available onsite.

Separate but UNequal: the History of School Segregation in Montgomery County - Virtual

Saturday, Feb. 17, 1 p.m. to 2 p.m.
Virtual Branch

• Ralph Buglass from Montgomery History's Speakers Bureau presents Separate but UNequal: the History of School Segregation in Montgomery County.

Anansi and the Magic Rock: A Trickster Tale

Wednesday, Feb. 21, 4 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Olney Library

• Celebrate Black History Month at Olney Library with an Imagine and Play Storytime.

Soulful Music by Electric Violinist Bliss Ananda- In Person

Wednesday, Feb. 21, 5 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Long Branch Library

• Hear the smooth sounds of Electric Violinist Bliss Ananda. This musical performance is in celebration of Black History Month.

Jazz and the Civil Rights Movement

Wednesday, Feb. 21, 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Potomac Library

• An evening of jazz and a discussion of its influence on the Civil Rights Movement.

A Hip-Hop 50th Anniversary Celebration with Wordsmith

Friday, Feb. 23, 8 p.m. to 10 p.m.
BlackRock Center for the Arts, 12901 Town Commons Drive, Germantown, MD 20874

• Join BlackRock for Celebrate 50 Years of Hip-Hop with WORDSMITH. Come for WORDSMITH and add on a ticket to the after-party with THE mixtape pioneer, DJ Oso Fresh. Or purchase the Complete 50th Anniversary Celebration package to book both tickets at once and save.

Black History Month Family Day

Saturday, Feb. 24 and Sunday, Feb. 25, noon to 4 p.m.
Josiah Henson Museum and Park, 11410 Old Georgetown Road, North Bethesda, MD 20852

• Reverend Josiah Henson worked tirelessly throughout his life to advocate for freedom and education. This weekend, come visit the Josiah Henson Museum and Park for educational, hands-on activities that demonstrate what a child’s life was like in Dawn, the settlement he created after taking his family to Canada via the Underground Railroad. The family-friendly event is appropriate for all ages. Free with paid admission. Admission, $4 for children and seniors, and $5 for adults. Tickets available onsite. Guest parking is 1.5 blocks away at the Shriver Aquatic Center in Wall Local Park, located at 5900 Executive Boulevard.

Bright Star Touring Theatre - African Folktales

Saturday, Feb. 24, 11 a.m. to noon
Marilyn J. Praisner Library

• Join us and listen to different African Folktales presented by the Bright Star Touring Theatre.

When the Stars Align: Celestial Navigation and the Underground Railroad

Saturday, Feb. 25, 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Josiah Henson Museum & Park, 11410 Old Georgetown Road, North Bethesda, MD 20852

• Celebrate Black History Month at Josiah Henson Museum & Park with an educational program exploring the crucial role of the night sky in guiding and empowering freedom seekers on their journeys north along the Underground Railroad. Observe the stars from another point of view with special guest speakers: historian Dr. Sylvea Hollis, astronomer Dr. Lou Strolger, and PhD candidate Sophie Hess.

Black History Live with Culture Queen

Sunday, Feb. 25, 11 a.m. to 11:45 a.m.
Germantown Library - Meeting Room

• Celebrate the Kings and Queens of African-American History with music, movement, and storytelling.

Songs of Freedom with Linda Harris and Main Street Blues -In Person

Sunday, Feb. 25, 2 p.m. to 3 p.m.
Wheaton Library

• A musical evolution to Freedom, from the 'Code Songs' of the Underground Railroad to Spirituals to Blues to Jazz and R'&'B.

African American Genealogy for Beginners - In-person

Sunday, Feb. 25, 2 p.m. to 3 p.m.
Rockville Memorial Library

• Learn how to get started with your family research, where to access free research tools and how to organize your research findings.

Griot Storyteller: Renee Emanuel - In-person

Sunday, Feb. 25, 2 p.m. to 3 p.m.
Quince Orchard Library

• Come celebrate Black History Month with interactive Griot storyteller Renee Emanuel.

Contemporary Conversations - Chlorine Skies and Chrome Valleys: The Work of Mahogany L. Browne

Tuesday, Feb. 27, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Marilyn J. Praisner Library

• Celebrate Black History Month with the Lincoln Center’s first-ever poet-in-residence, renowned writer Mahogany L. Browne.

Zora Neale Hurston Day! - In-Person

Thursday, Feb. 29, 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
Brigadier General Charles E. McGee Library

• Celebrate the life and legacy of Zora Neale Hurston at Brigadier General Charles E. McGee Library.

The first Black History Month observance was held nearly 100 years ago. Called Negro History Week at the time, it was established by Harvard-trained historian Carter G. Woodson, the son of illiterate former slaves, who believed that the important contributions of Black Americans had been largely overlooked in published accounts of U.S. history.

Revered as the “father of Black History Month,” Woodson established the Association for the Study of African American Life and History in 1915 to create a social scientific collection recording and publicizing the accomplishments of Black Americans.