Black History Month is an annual celebration of achievements by African Americans and a time for recognizing their central role in U.S. history. Also known as African American History Month, the event grew out of “Negro History Week,” the brainchild of noted historian Carter G. Woodson and other prominent African Americans. Since 1976, every U.S. president has officially designated the month of February as Black History Month. Other countries around the world, including Canada and the United Kingdom, also devote a month to celebrating Black history.
NASHVILLE PUBLIC LIBRARY
Nashville Public Library
The Civil Rights Room in the Nashville Public Library is a space for education and exploration of the Civil Rights Collection. The materials exhibited capture the drama of a time when thousands of African-American citizens in Nashville sparked a nonviolent challenge to racial segregation in the city and across the South.
Nashville Sites
Follow in the steps of those who took a stand by taking a seat. The Civil Rights Sit-Ins tour was written and narrated by Fisk University professor Linda Wynn. The Downtown Civil Rights Sit-Ins tour begins at Chuch Street and Sixth Avenue North and ends at Rosa L. Parks Boulevard and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. Visit https://nashvillesites.org/
The National Museum of African American Music
The National Museum of African American Music (NMAAM) officially opened to the public in January 2021. Discover the central role African Americans have played in shaping and creating all genres of American music. From classical to country to jazz and hip hop, NMAAM has integrated history and interactive technology to share the untold story of more than 50 music genres and sub-genres.Tours initially follow a weekend schedule and will be held on Saturdays and Sundays 11am-6pm.
Tennessee State Museum
Learn more about Black History at the Tennessee State Museum. The permanent exhibitions feature Black History from the early days of the state’s beginnings through the Civil War and Reconstruction and the Civil Rights Movements in Tennessee. The current temporary exhibition, Ratified! Tennessee Women and the Right to Vote includes the stories of many African American women who helped American women gain the right to vote. The State Museum is featuring several free online events this month.
United Street Tours
United Street Tours offers a series of 5-star rated, historical Nashville walking tours that are led and curated by locals. The Nashville Black History Walking Tour celebrates the past through storytelling about Nashville’s enslaved population by spotlighting people such as Robert “Black Bob” Renfro. While the Nashville Black History Walking Tour gives you a look into the past, on the Nashville Civil Rights Walking Tour you’ll experience the civil rights story and gain an inspiring new perspective of Nashville. Discover the murals, music, and local community of the Music City with the Nashville Black Neighborhoods Walking Tour. Unearth the fragments and piece them together with extraordinary stories that leave you more educated and inspired to become bridge builders in your community.
Oz Arts Nashville
An ongoing project by photographer Marcus Maddox, Figures of Color looks closely at how black skin is represented in works of art, and the relationship between this representation and elements of light and darkness.
BNA 5th Annual Black History Month Music Series
In celebration of Black History Month, Nashville International Airport’s Arts at the Airport program is poised to delight travelers and guests with a spotlight on African American music.
The initial schedule for BNA’s Black History Month Music Series is listed below. Dates of additional performances by African American musicians will be listed at flynashville.com.
To date, the following performances are scheduled from noon – 2 p.m. at the pre-security area in the South Terminal near Green Beans Coffee.
February 10: Skyler Harris, singer/songwriter/session vocalist and former contestant on NBC’s “The Voice”
February 17: Fisk Jazz Ensemble
February 24: The 474 Band featuring PMRnB
All performances are free and open to the public.
The Wedge Building
Nashville Black Market returns for a two-day Black History Month Celebration on February 5-6 at The Wedge Building in south Nashville. Enjoy over 60+ Black-Owned Businesses ranging from food trucks, drinks, raffles, games, photo-booths, live Dj, and more. This is a kid-friendly and free event for the public.
Scarritt Bennett Center
Prayers for Black History Month will be held on Tuesdays in the Chapel at Scarritt Bennett Center. A weekly 35-minute worship service hosted by the Soul Work program is offered each Tuesday at 12:30pm in the historic Wightman Chapel.
Nashville Reparatory Theatre
Nashville Repertory Theatre presents School Girls; or, The African Mean Girls Play from February 10-20. Paulina, the longest reigning Queen Bee of Aburi High School, has it all. With a team of teenage sycophants and the latest styles from the glamorous American boutique “Wal-Mart,” she’s a shoe-in for the Miss Ghana 1986 pageant. The game changes when new girl Ericka moves to Ghana from exotic Ohio, USA, on the same day the pageant recruiter arrives. Who will be chosen to compete for the crown?
Nashville Municipal Auditorium
The Nashville Municipal Auditorium welcomes the No Cap Comedy Tour with DC Young Fly, Deray Davis, Chico Bean, Karlous Miller, Lil Duval, Michael Blackson, and Blaq Ron.
Bridgestone Arena
The legendary group New Edition is coming to Bridgestone Arena to headline “The Culture Tour” alongside Charlie Wilson and Jodeci.
Andrew Jackson’s Hermitage
Held at The Hermitage Church, the Black History Month Memorial Service will feature music and special remarks, followed by a procession to the slavery memorial “Follow the Drinking Gourd.” There, 150 flowers will be laid by attendees, marked with the names of all those known to have been enslaved at The Hermitage.
Tennessee Performing Arts Center
The Tennessee Performing Arts Center presents African American Plays and Playwrights from February 28-March 7. interactive sessions will highlight different topics from modern musicals to famous choreography, creating characters, playwrights, and more for adults looking to explore their creative and artistic side through the lens of popular musicals and plays.
