
This February, we're proud to host a variety of events in honor of Black History Month, offering you a chance to engage with the rich and diverse threads of African American history and culture.
Unite, Uplift and Celebrate: A Black History Month Celebration
Government Center, Friday, Feb. 21.
Join your neighbors for an evening celebrating Black History Month. This year’s theme is “Building on a Legacy.” Enjoy local performances, interactive activities, enlightening discussion and light refreshments. Festivities kick off at 5 p.m.
Black History Month and Transit Equity Day Commemoration
Meadowlark Botanical Gardens, Wednesday, Feb. 5.
This event will feature the unveiling of an interpretative sign about four women from Howard University who challenged Virginia’s Jim Crow laws.
Black History Month Happenings at the Library
*Please note that dates/times of the following events are subject to change. Check the event listing for the latest information.
- African Storytelling Re-imagined with Author Ada Ari – Multiple Branches – Multiple Dates. Hear the African folktale of Anansi the Spider, learn a popular Ghanaian dance, discover cultural facts about the Ashanti Kingdom and more in this fun program.
- The Evolution of Jazz with Alison Crockett – Multiple Branches – Multiple Dates. Join this award-winning vocalist as she takes the audience through a sonic journey of the language of jazz music from its spiritual beginnings to the present.
- African Drumming Workshop with Kofi Dennis – Chantilly Regional Library – Sunday, Feb. 9. Make steady-beat and rhythmic patterns with African djembe drums and shekeres in this program full of movement, singing and chanting!
- Carter G. Woodson Lecture – Multiple Branches and Virtual – Thursday, Feb. 20. Learn about Carter G. Woodson, called 'The Father of Black History Month' by some, in this presentation from Dr. Lopez Matthews Jr., State Archivist and Public Records Administrator for the District of Columbia.
- Gather With Glory: An Afternoon with Author Glory Edim – Tysons-Pimmit Regional Library – Sunday, Feb. 23. Join the award-winning author of "Gather Me: A Memoir in Praise of the Books that Saved Me" and founder of the reading network Well-Read Black Girl for a presentation about her work followed by a book signing.
You can also celebrate and honor this rich culture by selecting a new read from our specially curated Black History Month booklists for adults and kids.
Black History Month at Fairfax County Parks
The Park Authority is committed to sharing stories, artifacts and archives to recognize the contributions, struggle and history of African-Americans in Fairfax County and our parks.
Embark on a journey of cultural richness and historical significance this Black History Month with our engaging programs. Join us in honoring and exploring the vibrant tapestry of Black heritage though interactive events for all ages.
- Enslaved Lives and the Legacy of Slavery – Historic Huntley, Feb. 3 and Feb. 27. Join a historian for a tour of Huntley that examines the relationship of the Mason family to slavery and recovers insights into the lives of the Humphrey family and other enslaved people whose labor maintained Mason wealth and social status.
- Remembering Metilda: An Enslaved Child at the Mill – Colvin Run Mill, Feb. 22. Come learn about Metilda, an enslaved 14-year old girl who came to live at Colvin Run Mill. Discuss her life at the mill and the house. Examine what history tells us about the lives of enslaved children, their work, and their families.
- Paths of Freedom Seekers – Ellanor C. Lawrence Park, Feb. 23. Listen to stories of African Americans who were forced to live and work on this farm. Reflect on individuals’ stories of resistance and survival. Learn how enslaved communities and freedom seekers have forged a path of resiliency throughout American history.
Events at McLean Community Center
- The Black Opry Revue – Saturday, Feb. 8. Country music has been made by and loved by
Black people since its conception. Country, blues, folk and Americana music overlap or are woven together by a proper revue of Black country artists. In true Opry style, this concert will feature a variety of Black country music artists from around the country.
- Performing Arts Movie: “How It Feels to be Free” – Thursday, Feb. 13. Based on the book by Ruth Feldstein, this PBS documentary tells the inspiring stories of six iconic African American female entertainers – Lena Horne, Abbey Lincoln, Nina Simone, Diahann Carroll, Cicely Tyson and Pam Grier.