We are celebrating the contributions of leaders and artists in the African American community during National African American History Month. On February 1st, Kevin Powell will be speaking at the Central Library in Copley Square as part of the Lowell Lecture Series. He will explore America during the civil rights movement, with an emphasis on the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Through examinations of the landscape of that era and what has changed since, he highlights the work that remains to be done in the twenty-first century around race, gender, class, sexual identity, spiritual and religious beliefs, different abilities and disabilities, and more.

On the same evening, we will be hosting a pop-up art show, featuring some of Boston's up-and-coming black male artists. Co-sponsor Matt Parker and Boston's Black Male Artist Collective will be displaying their work as well as discussing the impact of arts and culture on the community. Parker is a creative writer, community organizer, and poet/spoken word artist; he is a member of the mayor's SPARK Boston Council . He will be accompanied by TruSoul Art, Mozaic Pieces, and Trevis "Trevcity" Brooks. Join us 5-8:30pm to view the show and at 7:30pm for an artist talk. Look out, too, for more art shows in the future.

Throughout the month, the Boston Public Library will be presenting a variety of programs exploring African American history. These include:

  • On February 1, historian Desiree Taylor shares the origins of African American History Month and explores the holiday’s current cultural relevance.
  • The Art Explorers series at the Children's Library will feature art projects inspired by the art of African American artists for children ages 3-8.
  • There will also be a series discussing Black Olympians from around the world who have blazed a trail in the Winter Olympics.

Visit the library's event calendar for details.