Celebrate Black History Month with OKC events all Feb long

Last Updated on February 8, 2024, 11:07 PM | Published: February 8, 2024

OKLAHOMA CITY — It’s the second month of 2024, and that doesn’t just mean Valentine’s Days, Super Bowls, and sneaky extra days stuck into the calendar (this year, at least.)

We know that February means Black History Month, and all across Oklahoma City, people are getting into the spirit with events, exhibits, showcases, and learning opportunities to celebrate the rich (often deeply challenging) Black cultural history of our city and state.

From art to literature to music to politics and activism, the history of Oklahoma is Black History – both past and present – and this year, there’s no shortage of great ways to get involved and engaged around town.

Picturing Possibilities: Second Saturday XL – Oklahoma Contemporary – Saturday, February 10th

Each month, the Oklahoma Contemporary Arts Center pulls out all the stops for their Second Saturday series, hosting activities, group art projects, and learning experiences for the whole family, usually focused around the themes or statements of their current exhibitions.

For February’s second Saturday, in honor of Black History Month, Contemporary is presenting a full day of “Picturing Possibilities,” inspired by their ongoing “Descendants of the Black 1000,” a photography-and-audio exhibition recalling the flight of Black Oklahomans to Canada in the early, segregated days of statehood.

In honor of their stories – and of the remarkable culture that they helped to create – the day’s activities will include cultural dance, poetry, self-portrait painting, a guided gallery tour and discussion of the exhibit, and an interactive “group movement” by the mind-blowing, eye-opening SPARK! Creative Lab.

For more information, visit okcontemp.org/secondsaturday.

The Art of Romance: The Grand Gentlemen Fundraiser – Slate at Founders Tower – Saturday, February 17th

The Grand Gentlemen are a non-profit dedicated to mentoring, uplifting, and styling Black youth for success through school programs, community outreach, fashion, and above all, pride in the community.

Their Art of Romance annual fundraiser brings together all the joys of Valentine’s Day with a deep celebration of the city’s Black culture, incorporating live music, poetry, an art show, food, drinks, and more.

Proceeds from the event go toward helping to fund the group’s outreach efforts, in particular their annual student scholarship awards.

For tickets and more information, visit grandgentlemen.com.

Black History Month Through Film – Belle Isle Library – Thursday, February 22nd

OKC’s Metropolitan Library System has been loading their February calendar with BHM events all month long, including this special presentation at the Belle Isle branch that’s set to explore the remarkable collection of OETA-produced documentaries delving into the state’s Black history and cultural leaders.

They’ll be taking looks at the Civil Rights Movement in Oklahoma and some of its pioneering figures like Roscoe Dungee, Ada Lois Sipuel Fisher, and Clara Luper, as well as the history of Langston University, the state’s only historically Black college.

This is a perfect option if you have children that want to learn about our state’s racial history and the figures and institutions that have fought to define it.

For more information, visit metrolibrary.org.

We, the Eastside – Foundation for Liberating Minds – Creative Commons Community Center – 1120 NE 22nd St. – Saturday, February 24th

There’s still no better or more important way to engage with the city’s Black cultural history than by getting involved in the community itself and joining the push for thoughtful, collaborative community development.

That’s the primer for We, the Eastside, a Saturday morning neighborhood event hosted by community organization, education, and activism group, The Foundation for Liberating Minds.

In these town hall-style events, community leaders, residents, and supporters from across OKC’s Eastside come together to discuss “economic growth, communal well-being, and sustainable development,” to help ensure that the neighborhood’s revitalization is driven by the needs and interests of the community itself.

If you’ve been looking for a way to get more directly involved in supporting the community firsthand, this is it.

For more information, including a look at the Foundation’s 2023 Impact Report and past We, the Eastside events, visit foundationforliberatingminds.org.

Black History Month Take-Home Activities – Metropolitan Library System – All Month Long

Throughout the entire month of February, the Metropolitan Library System is offering take-home quizzes, art projects, and activities focused on the monumental lives and minds of some of Oklahoma’s greatest Black cultural figures.

Some of the kits include coloring pages featuring important leaders of the Black community both past and present. Some include puzzles. Some are interactive study guides covering important topics, figures, and histories. There’s even a kit to make your own spinning paper lamp in the style of groundbreaking artist Kara Walker.

The Ralph Ellison, Wright, Warr Acres, and Del City branches are all getting in on the fun, so swing by your local library branch to see what kinds of take-home activities they’re offering.

For more information, including a complete list of Black History Month events at Metropolitan Library branch locations, visit metrolibrary.org.  

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