Honor New York’s rich Black culture and history through these 11 performances and events across the city and online this month.
Experience A New Take On American History With Bertha Vanayshun’s Drag History Hour: Harriet Tubman
February 6 at 8 pm
C’mon Everybody, 25 Franklin Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11238
Hosted by drag queen Bertha Vunayshun and special guest Julie J, this show promises a historical retrospective of the life of Harriet Tubman through drag. Think Oh Mary! meets Drunk History.
Remember Brooklyn’s Black Trailblazers Via Trolley
February 8 from 10 am to 12 pm
Main Entrance of Green-Wood Cemetery, 500 25th St., Brooklyn, NY 11232
Want to learn more about the vibrant Black artists, activists, and community leaders who called Brooklyn home? Try Green-Wood Cemetery’s Black Trailblazer’s trolley tour, which takes participants on a historical journey to the memorials of Jean-Michel Basquiat, Grace Nail Johnson, Charles L. Reason, and more.
Enjoy Langston Hughes And Love Potion Brews At Crotona Park
February 9 from 1 pm to 2:30 pm
Crotona Park, Crotona Park East and Charlotte Street, Bronx, NY 10457
Celebrate Valentine’s Day and Black History Month all at once in Crotona Park, where you can learn how to brew color-changing love potion while listening to the jazz poetry of iconic Harlem Renaissance poet Langston Hughes.
Celebrate With Music At The Met
February 11 from 2 pm to 3 pm
Metropolitan Museum of Art, Gallery 681
The Met’s collection is full of ways to celebrate Black history—including its Afrofuturist Period Room. This month, the museum welcomes six-time Grammy nominee Chief Xian aTunde Adjuah for a multidisciplinary musical and spoken-word performance that enhances the existing collection of visual art.
Attend The SOMA Justice Screening & Special Guest Discussion Of One of Them Days
February 12 from 7 pm to 9 pm
South Orange Performing Arts Center, One SOPAC Way, South Orange, NJ 07079
If you’re in the South Orange area, stop by the SOPAC Performing Arts Center for a screening of Keke Palmer-led comedy One of Them Days, featuring a post-screening special guest discussion.
Explore Identity Through Art At The Rhythms And Movements Of African American Culture Festival
February 12 through 16
Abrons Art Center Playhouse Theater, 466 Grand St, New York, NY 10002
With 14 performances and 100 artists on the lineup, the second annual Rhythms and Movements of African American Culture Festival is the premiere destination for soaking up New York’s Black arts scene, from original theatre to spoken word and visual art. The theme of this year’s festival is “Revolution Requires Resistance,” and it promises to be a vibrant multicultural celebration.
Learn About The Black New Yorkers Who Changed The 19th Century
February 13 from 6:30 pm to 7:30 pm
The Robert H. Smith Auditorium at The New York Historical, 170 Central Park West, New York, NY 10024
If you’re interested in this pivotal period in the city’s history (or just couldn’t get enough of The Gilded Age), join the New York Historical in welcoming historians Sarah L.H. Gronningsater and Christopher Brown, who will discuss the pivotal role of Black New Yorkers in reimagining New York society before, during, and after the Civil War.
Support Black-Owned Small Businesses At The Buy Black Market At Pier 57
February 15 from 1 pm to 6 pm
Pier 57, 57 Hudson River Greenway, New York, NY 10011
If you’re in the market for new art, jewelry, crafts, or more, support as many Black artists and creatives as you can and stop by Pier 57 for Blacklist’s Buy Black Market.
Explore Black Sci-Fi On A Nature Hike
February 16 from 4:30 pm to 6:30 pm
Van Cortlandt Nature Center, 246th St. & Broadway, Bronx, NY 10471
If you’re looking for an active way to celebrate this month, check out what the city parks have to offer. In Van Cortlandt Park, you can listen to the works of iconic Black sci-fi author Octavia Butler while enjoying a sunset hike, then gather around the fire to share your reflections.
See The Largest Art Exhibit Of The African Diaspora At The Harlem Fine Arts Show
February 21-23
The Glasshouse, 660 12th Ave, New York, NY 10019
With over 100 featured artists, this traveling art show is a love letter to the African diaspora bringing together Black voices from across the country, making it the perfect way to celebrate New York’s Black community.
Find Your New Favorite Comedian At The UCBLK Variety Show, Live-Streamed Or In-Person
February 28 from 10:30 pm to 11:30 pm
242 East 14th Street, New York, NY 10003
To close Black History Month, experience New York’s brightest up-and-coming Black comedians at the Upright Citizens Brigade’s UCBLK variety show, which spotlights Black performers. Comedians Dominique Kaplowitz, Justin Catchens, and Shem Pennant will host. If you can’t make it to the in-person show, don’t worry! UCB will also live stream the entire event for ticketholders.