Black History Month kicks off on February 1, and there are a number of events taking place in the Pittsburgh region to celebrate the month.
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Brazelton Touchpoints Center will host a free, four-part virtual conversation series titled Parenting While Black that will focus on Raising Black Children in the Digital Age: Culture, Technology, and Liberation. Through a lens that centers on Black children’s experiences and futures, the series will look at how parents, educators, and communities navigate the challenges and opportunities of our increasingly digital world while affirming Black children’s humanity, agency, and cultural heritage. The conversations, which run an hour each, will be held on the following Mondays – February 2, 9, and 23, and March 2 at 3 p.m.
The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh is hosting numerous events to celebrate the month, including a genealogy workshop hosted by Finding Deep Roots on Saturday, February 7 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Also on February 7, the library will host a preparation workshop inspired by Octavia Butler’s “Parable of the Sower” at 3 p.m. that will involve preparing a comprehensive emergency kit.
The Culture and Community Department at Carnegie Museums will present its first Black History Month celebration on February 7 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. During the event, Sankofa Village will perform dance and drumming and offer a hands-on members-only session, while longtime docent Millicent Smith will lead a special tour on Black artists and their Pittsburgh connections. Charlene Foggie-Barnett, the Charles “Teenie” Harris community archivist at the museum, will hold a talk that will involve history and storytelling, and the winners of the 3rd Envisioning a Just Pittsburgh art exhibition. Local organizations will set up tables and activities during the event.
Stop the Violence will hold its 4th Annual High School Student Black History Summit at the Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Hall, located at 4141 5th Avenue, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Wednesday, February 16. The event will continue an essay competition, awards, Pittsburgh’s Black founding fathers and entrepreneurs, Madam C.J. Walker’s story, and information about Tulsa’s Black Wall Street. It will include a free lunch and entertainment.
In Butler County, Slippery Rock University will hold a series of events starting at 12:30 p.m. on Thursday, February 19 in the Smith Student Center Theater. It will include a keynote address by inclusive leadership expert Brandon Wiley titled “Culturally Conscious Freedom: Reflections on Identity, Power, and Progress.”
Other Resources
Numerous organizations that serve southwestern Pennsylvania are also providing resources for caregivers or educators regarding Black History Month.
The Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh has put together Black History Month booklists that include new and recent titles exploring African Americans’ impact on U.S. history, powerful Black women, and African-American culinary traditions. The library has also compiled a list of African-American booklists for children and teenagers. These lists present stories that illustrate African-American history, biography, and culture, and feature racially-diverse leading characters.
The Brightwheel blog has put together a list of Black History Month activities for preschoolers that include crafts, books, and songs to celebrate the month in a child care program. The blog discusses how to explain the importance of Black History Month to young children and provides tips for age-appropriate conversations.
PBS Kids for Parents’ Black History Month resources include articles on how Black art can spark conversations with children, teaching children about Black history, and children’s books that celebrate Black culture.
PA Promise for Children has released a list of nine books for children that could be used to celebrate Black History Month. And the City of Pittsburgh’s Black History Month page includes information on events taking place in February to honor the month.
