This February, experience Portsmouth’s rich Black History, and discover the people, places, stories and events that helped shape our city, our region and our nation. Find a full list of events, lectures and family fun below, and come celebrate Black History Month in Portsmouth!
Explore All Upcoming Black History Month Events → Learn more about Black History Now events →
This special exhibit explores how African American history has been remembered, preserved and shared over the past century – and why that work matters now more than ever. Visitors will discover the origins of Black History Month alongside a broader look at how communities honor the past through meaningful places, traditions and cultural events, from […]
Join us for our Black History Now celebration at the Children's Museum of Virginia's Second Saturday!
Exhibits, Presentations, Slide Show, and door prizes!
Through call-and-response singing, powerful drumming, and uplifting stories, One teaches young audiences about the importance of healthy relationships, kindness, and unity. The show encourages students to listen, communicate, and celebrate the joy of friendship while exploring how music can bring people together.
This year’s Black History Sidewalk Parade is taking place at the Neighborhood Facility Rec Center, 900 Elm Ave., Portsmouth, VA, 23704 There will be Black history exhibitions, singing, dancing, storytellers and enactments honoring those who paved the way.
Historian Charles Johnson explores the history and mission of the African American Historical Society of Portsmouth, highlighting its vital role in preserving and celebrating the city’s Black heritage. Mister Johnson is the President of the African American Historical Society of Portsmouth
Join Porte Towne Magic for a rousing performance of African American music followed by a talk about how African music influenced music in America by Rita Addico Cohen of Tidewater African Cultural Alliance.
Through music and stories in Anansi & Me, Arts for Learning’s Valerie Davis engages kids in pre-K to kindergarten in an interactive program that shares the wisdom of animal "trickster tales" from Ghana
A Place Out of Time: The Bordentown School The little-known story of the last all-black, publicly funded, coeducational boarding school north of the Mason-Dixon Line. In a segregated society, the Bordentown School was an educational utopia and cultural oasis for black citizens in the northeast and beyond for more than 70 years. Founded in 1886, […]
Explore the Civil Rights Movement and its ongoing impact on political participation with Dr. Cassandra Newby-Alexander and Dr. Charles H. Ford. This lecture examines the fight for voting rights and what it means today. Dr. Newby-Alexander is a Professor of History and Director of the Joseph Jenkins Roberts Center for African Diaspora Studies at Norfolk […]
Through music and stories in Anansi & Me, Arts for Learning’s Valerie Davis engages kids in pre-K to kindergarten in an interactive program that shares the wisdom of animal "trickster tales" from Ghana
Author Darrell J. Howard shares the rich and inspiring history of Black baseball in Hampton Roads, where the sport became a powerful force for community, culture and achievement.
Join Rita Addico Cohen, Founder and Executive Director of the Tidewater African Cultural Alliance (TACA), for an inspiring exploration of rhythm as a universal language that links the African diaspora across continents and generations. From traditional African drumming and dance to gospel, jazz, reggae, and Afrobeats, Mrs. Addico Cohen traces how rhythm carries history, identity, […]
Dr. Blair LM Kelley explores the origins and evolution of Juneteenth and Emancipation Day celebrations, tracing how these traditions became powerful moments of reflection and freedom. Dr. Kelley is President and Director of the National Humanities Center.
Step into an alternate history with Steel Seas & Sky Machines: The Dieselpunk Art of Tony Snipes, where Abraham Lincoln survives and leads a radically reimagined Reconstruction era. Through sketches, […]
Artist Tony Snipes discusses how he uses alternate history, sci-fi and dieselpunk to tell deeper truths about place, identity and history – using Portsmouth as his creative foundation.
This special exhibit explores how African American history has been remembered, preserved and shared over the past century – and why that work matters now more than ever. Visitors will […]
Enjoy a live performance by Virginia Symphony Orchestra Fellows as a string quartet presents a one-hour concert as part of Black History Now programming.
Enjoy two live wind quintet performances by Virginia Symphony Orchestra Fellows during the Umoja Festival as part of Black History Now programming.
Artist Tony Snipes reveals the real history behind the art. Learn about the lesser-known World War II African American units and individuals that inspired him, such as the 555th Parachute […]