Virtual Events to Celebrate Black History Month in 2021
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. The Black History Month 2021 theme, “Black Family: Representation, Identity and Diversity” explores the African diaspora and the spread of Black families across the United States.
Below are some links to articles, facts, resources and virtual events to help celebrate and learn about African Americans’ contributions to the American story.
(No endorsement of any of these entities is implied or provided. This information is provided for educational purposes only.)
Black History Month Virtual Events
Smithsonian National Museum of African American History & Culture
Kick off Black History Month with Ibram X. Kendi and Keisha N. Blain and a host of other events throughout February. Join Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History & Culture (NMAAHC) for book talks, kid programs, artist meetups and a STEM Wikipedia Edit-a-Thon. Find information for all of the virtual events at NMAAHC this month here.
About the National Museum of African American History & Culture
Since opening Sept. 24, 2016, the NMAAHC has welcomed more than 6 million visitors. Occupying a prominent location next to the Washington Monument on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., the nearly 400,000 square-foot museum is the nation’s largest and most comprehensive cultural destination devoted exclusively to exploring, documenting and showcasing the African American story and its impact on American and world history. For more information about the museum, follow @NMAAHC on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram or call Smithsonian information at (202) 633-1000.
Oiada
For Black History Month, Oiada is offering two videoconference programs celebrating Africa, “LIVE” Tour of the Cape Coast Slave Dungeon and the Eye Opener session. Oiada is committed to provide remote educational programs to keep students and parents academically engaged and entertained while they are home. Please see below to schedule your reservation for one or both of these free events.
African American Museum of Iowa
The African American Museum of Iowa is the only statewide museum devoted to preserving African American history and culture. Their mission includes exhibiting and teaching the African American heritage of Iowa, as well as educating more than 30,000 people annually through museum tours, traveling exhibits, research services, youth and adult education programs and community and fundraising events. Visit the museum to see a collection and exhibits that trace Iowa’s African American history from its origins to the present.
Chicago Children’s Choir
See the Chicago Children’s Choir (CCC) perform a Black History Month Virtual Concert: Preserving and Persevering, which recognizes African sound and spirit, one of the most underappreciated contributions to American music. CCC’s 2021 Black History Month concert explores how the power of Black music has been the cultural key in both preserving African traditions in America and in helping millions persevere in the face of racial injustice. Join us for a dynamic virtual educational program and performance exploring music’s role for Black Americans in maintaining a sense of community in the United States.
All are invited to tune in to the free livestream on our Facebook and YouTube channels at 7 p.m. on Thursday, February 25. The 2021 Black History Month Virtual Concert is generously supported by the Jackson Legacy Foundation and Jamie & Brian Vandenberg.
Association for the Study of African American Life & History
The Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH) invites the public to attend the 2021 Virtual Black History Month Festival. Throughout the month of February 2021, ASALH will host a festival, virtual programming in observance and celebration of the strengths, struggles and resistance — and the sheer perseverance of the Black family. The Festival will be a series of stellar educational events that demonstrate how Black people helped shape the American landscape and were shaped by it, posited through the lens of food, religion, social justice, education, economics and music arts and their impact on the endurance of Black families. Find more information here.
Greater Des Moines (DSM) welcomes diverse talent to the region. As one of the fastest growing business communities, inclusion and attracting diverse talent in the workplace is a key strategy of the Greater Des Moines Partnership. Learn more here.
The Greater Des Moines Partnership calendar of events is a one-stop resource for activities taking place throughout the region. Find networking information for Greater Des Moines (DSM) businesses or events specific to Downtown DSM.
Timothy Perkins
Timothy Perkins is of Cherokee and Natchez tribal descent. Perkins has served in logistics, equal opportunity employment and education services. He serves as commissioner on the Governor's Iowa Commission on Native American Affairs and the Iowa Mental Health and Disability Services Commission, as well as on the Greater Des Moines Partnership's Diversity and Inclusion Committee, among others, and has more than 30 years of service within the military.