Last Updated on May 29, 2025, 11:46 am ET
Join ARL and our member libraries in celebrating Black history in February.
Below is a roundup of events, blog posts, exhibits, and other resources that showcase opportunities to learn, experience, and enjoy Black contributions to society.
Events | Blog Posts | Exhibits | Other Resources
Events
Wednesday, January 29
Penn State University
The Joyfull “PURPLE” Edition
6:00 p.m. EST, Heritage Hall, HUB-Robeson Center
Saturday, February 1
Rice University
“Black Lives Matter in Latin America”
2:00 p.m. EST, Fondren Library
Monday, February 3
Tulane University
Getting Started with Ancestry for Black History Research
5:00–6:00 p.m. EST., Howard-Tilton 430
North Carolina State University
Read Smart: Black Defender—The Awakening with author Dr. David Washington
6:30–7:30 p.m. EST, Oberlin Regional Library, 1930 Clark Ave., Raleigh, NC
Tuesday, February 4
Penn State University
- “Black Activism in the 1800s: A Virtual Tour of Resources through Penn State’s Center for Black Digital Research”
Noon–1:00 p.m. EST, online - “What Does PURPLE Sound Like?” A Multimedia art installation by Sydnie L. Mosley Dances
7:00 p.m. EST, Eisenhower Auditorium
University of Utah
Black History Month Library Pop-Up
Noon–2:00 p.m. CST., 295 S. 1500 E., Salt Lake City, UT
North Carolina State University
Documentary Film Screening: Talking Black in America – Social Justice
7:00–8:30 p.m. EST, Hill Library, Auditorium
Virginia Commonwealth University
Black History Lecture: Building a Home for Change: The Obama Presidential Center”
7:00 p.m. EST., James Branch Cabell Library
Wednesday, February 5
University of Guelph
Putting Name to Face: Celebrating Black Excellence in Teaching & Learning in Guelph-Wellington-Waterloo
Noon–2:00 p.m. EST, Library Room 246B
Penn State University
- “What Does PURPLE Sound Like?” A Multimedia art installation by Sydnie L. Mosley Dances
7:00 p.m. EST, Eisenhower Auditorium - 2025 African American Music Festival: “Spirituals and The Blues”
7:30 p.m. EST, Pasquerilla Spiritual Center, Worship Hall
Thursday, February 6
Penn State University
2025 African American Music Festival: “Spirituals and The Blues”
7:30 p.m. EST, Pasquerilla Spiritual Center, Worship Hall
Friday, February 7
North Carolina State University
Roots and Threads: A Conversation with Stephen Satterfiled
11:30 a.m.–12:45 p.m. EST, Hunt Library, Auditorium
Syracuse University
Afropreneurship Celebration and Business Competition
11:30 a.m.–2:30 p.m. EST., Bird Library, Peter Graham Scholarly Commons, Room 114
Penn State University
- Common Hour featuring Student Performances
2:30 p.m. EST, Music Building 1, Recital Hall, - Guest Artist Recital – The Cyrus Chestnut Jazz Trio and D.K. Harrell Blues Band
7:30 p.m. EST, Downtown State College, The State Theatre
Friday, February 8
Penn State University
Penn State Choirs with Guest Conductors Michele fowling and Omar Dickerson
1:00 p.m. EST, Pasquerilla Spiritual Center, Worship Hall
Tuesday, February 11
McMaster University
Diasporic Dreams: Afrofuturism as Anti-Oppression
1:00 p.m.-3:30 p.m. EST., Sherman Centre, Mills Memorial Library
University of California, San Diego
Black/Afrikan: Labor History and Union Leadership
Noon–1:30 p.m. PST., Geisel Library, Seuss Room
University of Minnesota
Celebrate Black History Month with the Givens Collection
5:30–7:30 p.m. EST., Elmer L. Anderson Library, Room 120
Wednesday, February 12
North Carolina State University
Symposium on Afrofuturism and Diasporic Research
9:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m. EST., Hunt Library, Duke Energy Hall
Penn State University
“Fire Through Dry Grass”: Film Screening
7:00 p.m. EST, online via Zoom
Friday, February 14
Howard University, Library of Congress, Penn State University, and Princeton University
Douglass Day
All day, online and in person
Syracuse University
Douglass Day 2025
11:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. EST., Bird Library, Peter Graham Scholarly Commons, Room 114
University of Michigan
Douglass Day 2025
11:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m., EST., Hatcher Gallery Event Space and virtual
Emory University
Celebrate Douglass Day 2025 with Emory Libraries!
Noon–3:00 p.m. EST., Rose Library
Michigan State University
Douglass Day Transcribe-a-thon
Noon–3:00 p.m. EST., Digital Scholarship Lab
Monday, February 17
Tulane University
Intentional Listening: Mardi Gras Indians
1:00–2:00 p.m. EST., Howard-Tilton 430
Wednesday, February 19
Purdue University
“Residential Caste: How West Lafayette Can Transcend Segregation and Opportunity on Hoarding”
10:30–11:30 a.m. EST., STEW 202
Syracuse University
Black History Month Pop-Up Exhibition
4:00–6:00 p.m. EST., Bird Library, Lemke Seminar Room, 6th Floor
Tulane University
Black Life and Love in 18th Century Louisiana
4:30–5:30 p.m. EST., Howard-Tilton 430
Howard University
Humans in Shackles: An Atlantic History of Slavery
5:00–6:30 p.m. EST., Library Multipurpose Room 6007/008
Friday, February 21
Tulane University
Navio Negreiro Poetry Reading and Latin American Library Collections Display
11:00 a.m.–12:30 p.m. EST., Howard-Tilton 430
Tuesday, February 25
Tulane University
Guardian of Progress: Bernette Joshua Johnson
5:00–6:00 p.m. EST., Howard-Tilton 430
Wednesday, February 26
Tulane University
Finding the Forgotten: Discover Pre-20th Century Black New Orleans Through Digitized Primary Source Documents
Noon–1:00 p.m. EST., Howard-Tilton 430
Blog Posts, Exhibits, and Other Resources
University of Arizona
Black History Month 2025
Case Western Reserve University
Celebrate Black History Month with Kelvin Smith Library
Emory University
Emory Libraries, Carlos Museum honor King Week and Black History Month
McMaster University
Celebrating Black History Month at the Libraries
Michigan State University
Black History Month: Creating a better world through books
Simon Fraser University
Celebrate Black History Month with Books and Films by and about Black Canadians
Syracuse University
Black History Month 2025
Queen’s University
Resources Celebrating Black Histories & Futures Month
Rice University
Rice to celebrate Black History Month with more than 30 events
University of Alberta
Black History Month 2025—A Celebration of Cultures Across the Black Diaspora
University of California, Berkeley
Black History Month 2025
University of California, Irvine
Celebrating Black History Month
University of California, San Diego
Black/Afrikan: Labor History and Union Leadership
University of Guelph
Black History Month— “Resist, Reclaim, Restore!”
University of Illinois
Celebrate Black History Month with the University of Illinois Libraries
University of Michigan
Malinda Russell’s Domestic Cook Book
University of Missouri
University of North Carolina
Celebrate Black History Month with the University Libraries
University of Virginia
Books and Resources for Black History Month 2025
Wayne State University
February’s Subject of the Month is Black History Month: Black Business and Enterprise
