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. 20. Join your neighbors for an evening celebrating Black History Month. Enjoy local performances, interactive activities, enlightening discussion and light refreshments. Festivities kick off at 5 p.m.
Black History Month Happenings at FCPL
In celebration of both Black History Month and America’s 250th Anniversary, Fairfax County Public Library is honoring the history, contributions and civic impact of Black Americans with a variety of author presentations, children’s programs, musical performances, book discussions and more.
Author S.A. Cosby at The Alden at McLean Community Center — Saturday, Feb. 21. Cosby is the author of the critically acclaimed southern crime novels “King of Ashes,” “All the Sinners Bleed,” “Razorblade Tears” and “Blacktop Wasteland.” A book sale and signing will follow the event.
“The Evolution of Jazz” by Award-winning Performer Alison Crockett — Sherwood Regional and Centreville Regional Libraries, Saturday, Feb. 21. Join Alison as she takes the audience through a sonic journey of the language of jazz music from its spiritual beginnings to the present.
Readers of all ages can also learn about and honor the lives of influential Black Americans by checking out a book from these lists, put together by the Library’s Collection Marketing team:
More Library Black History Month Events
Black History Month at County Parks
Embark on a journey of cultural richness and historical significance this Black History Month with our engaging programs across Fairfax County Parks. Join us in honoring and exploring the vibrant tapestry of Black heritage through interactive events for all ages.
Black History Month at the Meeting House — Frying Pan Farm Park, Feb. 7 or 21. The Frying Pan Baptist Meeting House will be open select Saturdays in February from noon to 2 p.m. Interpretive signage will be posted throughout the site for guests to read about the Black history of the Meeting House and stories of the people from the community. Stay for just a few minutes or a couple hours. Registration is free but required to attend.
Remembrance: Enslaved Lives at Sully — Sully History Site, Feb. 8 or 21. Learn about the lives and legacy of the people enslaved at Sully Historic Site from the 1700s to the Civil War. This tour includes a walk into the original outbuildings, main house and representative housing for the enslaved. Sully is on the National Register of Historic Places and is part of the National Park Service Underground Railroad Network to Freedom. The tour is held weather permitting. This program links to the VA250 and the Fairfax250 commemoration.
Enslaved Lives and the Legacy of Slavery — Historic Huntley, Thursday, Feb. 19. 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.
Grit & Grain: African American Millers — Colvin Run Mill, Saturday, Feb. 28. African Americans' labor, experience and knowledge were crucial to 19th-century grist milling. Explore a historic mill as you discuss the contributions of African American millers in Fairfax County. This program links to the VA250 and Fairfax 250 commemoration.
Learn more about Black History Month at the Parks
McLean Community Center Event
HERO: The Boy from Troy, A New Musical About Young John Lewis — Friday, March 6. This family-friendly production follows a modern-day student who discovers the inspiring true story of John Lewis’s journey from preaching to his family’s chickens to becoming a Civil Rights hero who championed “good trouble.” With music, history and heart, this 45-minute musical introduces young audiences to the power of courage and community.
Events at Reston Community Center
“Ain’t No Back to a Merry-Go-Round” Movie Screening and Talk-Back with Ilana Trachtman — Wednesday, Feb. 18. In the summer of 1960, five Howard University students defied segregation by riding the whites-only carousel at Glen Echo Amusement Park — an act of quiet courage that ignited a powerful and unexpected alliance with the local white community. Their protest drew national attention, galvanized union support and helped shape a new generation of activists, including ten 1961 Freedom Riders, among them Stokely Carmichael, and a landmark Supreme Court case. The movie brings this long-overlooked chapter of the Civil Rights Movement to life through never-before-seen footage and powerful narration. Stay after the screening for a discussion with director Ilana Trachtman.
Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Ensemble — Saturday, Feb. 28. Internationally renowned, the Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Ensemble brings more than 50 years of African American tradition and modern dance legacy to the stage. Blending the iconic with the innovative, the company delivers performances marked by power, passion and extraordinary beauty. Through movement that uplifts the spirit and resonates deeply, the ensemble offers an experience that is both artistically stunning and emotionally transformative.
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