Here’s my list of Houston Black History Month events for the entire month of February. We have some wonderful art showing throughout the city, lectures and panels, plays, and parties happening all month long!

Stay tuned for information about an early Black Panther screening and panel (including me!) on February 10 in my newsletter! Also Monday, February 5 is the last day to register to vote in the March 5 primary election.

Sandra Bland and Over There Some Place Exhibition

February 3, 2018 – April 14, 2018
The Houston Museum of African American Culture is pleased to present to you Over There Some Place, an exhibition composed of works by emerging artists in Houston, Texas curated by Dominic R. Clay. The work on view will discuss the idea of deference within the African Diaspora from a southern perspective. Each artist will provide contextual ideas of identity through their own practicing mediums.

HMAAC begins its 2018 Black History Month with the exhibition, “Sandra Bland.” The exhibit opens February 3, 2018 and runs through February 28, 2018. At the heart of the exhibit, curated by HMAAC CEO John Guess, Jr., is an interactive engagement allowing visitors to experience the emotions of Sandra Bland on the fateful day of her arrest, July 13, 2015 resulting from a traffic stop in Waller County.
https://www.facebook.com/events/1136237816511211/

In(di)visible

February 3, 2018 – April 22, 2018
An exhibition examining immigration, the residual effects of war, and the implications of assimilation, integration, and invisibility for Asian Americans. From the intergenerational trauma of war and the impossibility of articulating what is lost between generations to the legacy of federal policies such as the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, and Executive Order 9066 in 1942. These artists use their experiences to bring visibility and add nuance to the cultural understanding of Asians in America.
https://www.facebook.com/events/1774518169278630/

Obsidian Theater – For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide

January 29, 2018 – February 17, 2018
This groundbreaking “choreopoem” is a spellbinding collection of vivid prose and free verse narratives about and performed by Black women. Capturing the brutal, tender and dramatic lives of contemporary Black women, For Colored Girls… offers a transformative, riveting evening of provocative dance, music and poetry.
http://www.obsidiantheater.org/forcoloredgirls-358033.html

Super Soulful Sundays: Religion & Social Movements

February 4, 2018
Head to St. John’s Downtown church for a discussion on allies versus friends in the struggle for racial justice. There’s an all-star list of participants including organizers and activists with Black Lives Matter HTX. St. John’s Downtown and Immerse: Urban Studies Project are partnering with Project Curate to begin a provocative series of conversations on religion, faith and contemporary life.
https://www.facebook.com/events/407578222996211/

And, And, And – Stammering: An Interview

February 4, 2018
Hồng- n Trương and Hương Ngô’s performance of AND AND AND will take place on Sunday. Featuring: The Black Lunch Table (BLT) an oral-history archiving project whose primary aim is the production of discursive sites, wherein cultural producers engage in dialogue on a variety of critical issues. BLT mobilizes a democratic rewriting of contemporary cultural history by animating discourse around and among the people living it.
https://www.facebook.com/events/1555598887829268/

Film Screening & Discussion of Two Nations of Black America

February 5, 2018
This documentary examines why, in an era of unprecedented success for African Americans, when so many have made it to the middle class, so many more continue to live in poverty. What accounts for the development of what appears to be two nations of Black America: the haves and the have nots?
https://www.uhd.edu/student-life/csdei/Pages/csdei-african-american-heritage-month.aspx

Third Ward Community Cloth Cooperative Monthly Meeting

February 6, 2018
The Cloth is an “organization of organizations” focusing on resources for children and families in the greater Third Ward area. The mission is to identify, mobilize, unify, stabilize, create and coordinate resources to nurture and enhance the bodies, minds and spirits of children, youth and families in the greater Third Ward area. Organizations join together “to weave a grassroots fabric to spread across the greater Third Ward community” to ensure adequate coverage for children and families.
http://www.communitycloth.org/

Houston Area Alliance of Black School Educators Outstanding Teacher Awards & Recognition Ceremony

February 7, 2018
The purpose of HAABSE’s TARC Ceremony is to say thank you to teachers for the outstanding job they do in working with children, and to provide for the community an opportunity to participate in this recognition. We also award a $1,000 college scholarship to a high school senior in pursuit of a degree in education.
haabse.org

Discussion With Award-Winning Author Alondra Nelson

February 8, 2018
Dr. Alondra Nelson is president of the Social Science Research Council, Dean of Social Sciences (Columbia University), author of Body and Soul: The Black Panther Party and the Fight Against Medical Discrimination and The Social Life of DNA: Race, Reparations, and Reconciliations after the Genome. School of Public Affairs, room 114.
http://calendar.tsu.edu/cal/event/showEventMore.rdo

Dutchman by Amiri Baraka, directed by Thomas Meloncon

February 8, 2018 – February 18, 2018
Dutchman, written by award-winning playwright, poet, jazz critic, and activist Amiri Baraka (Leroi Jones), is a two-character confrontation on a New York subway between a middle class sharply dressed black intellectual (Clay) and a sensuous, flirtatious, a bit older, white woman. TSU Theatre.
www.brownpapertickets.com

Floyd Newsum: A Survey – 1970 to 2018 Exhibition

February 8, 2018 – March 29, 2018
The O’Kane Gallery’s survey exhibition celebrates the art and service of Professor Floyd Newsum who has taught painting at the University of Houston-Downtown since 1976. Newsum has inspired students and the UHD community through his teaching and professional contributions. Newsum’s artistic career spans 41 years and includes more than 92 solo and group exhibitions. Most recently, Newsum’s paintings, After the Storm CNN and Ghost Series Sirigu, Janie’s Apron, were acquired by the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, D.C.
http://donna-blackshear-reynolds.blogspot.com/2018/01/floyd-newsome-artist.html

Transfigured: an Art Exhibit with the Liturgical Calendar

February 9, 2018
Featuring the nine abstract Parament Paintings of Lanecia Rouse Tinsley, Holy Family HTX Artist-in-Residence partner and nine works of art by the Holy Family HTX Artist Collective.
https://www.facebook.com/events/173676093244968/

PAUSE with Kam Franklin + Lisa E. Harris

February 9, 2018
This innovative duo fuses song and spoken word in this interactive performance with our winter art installation “Hello Trees! A Walking Serenade,” by Daily tous les jours. Kam Franklin is the lead singer of The Suffers, a Houston based band making a big splash throughout the US and Europe. Lisa E. Harris is also a Houston-based artist and singer in the jazz and opera worlds. Come see an exciting expression of communication as voices become visible and light becomes audible.
https://www.facebook.com/events/1544330379020541/

Texas Southern University Opening Reception

February 9, 2018
Opening Exhibition – Rites of Passage: An Ode to Humanity & Culture. A fusion of vintage African art and vibrant contemporary works, this exhibition weaves the paradigms of history into present day sentiment, paying homage to the archetypes of family and society. Twenty-six artists are featured in this sophisticated presentation of human lifestyle and survival.
https://www.facebook.com/umusetsu/

DILLAgence: J. Dilla Tribute

February 9, 2018
It’s the return of DILLAgence, the Houston J. Dilla Tribute party The Phantom Dj AnArchY ( Soul Control) in the mix. Visuals by QUANTUM LEAP RADIO at Warehouse Live’s Green Room.
https://www.ticketfly.com/purchase/event/1605937

Rachael Z. DeLue on Kara Walker

February 9, 2018
Rachael Z. DeLue, professor at Princeton University, will examine the work of Kara Walker. DeLue has written extensively on a variety of topics including American Modernism, African American Art, and critical race theory.
https://www.facebook.com/events/845754972272184/

Creative Tasting

February 10, 2018
Creative Tasting combines wine tasting with creative crafting in a simple, yet fun way! Ogun Art + Wine is the perfect venue to get in tune with your inner creative while enjoying fine wines from various regions around the world. Creative Tasting’s are $35 per person, which covers a 4-wine tasting, DIY supplies, and a unique wine bottle craft. Gather up your group of friends and sign up today!
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/creative-tasting-at-ogun-art-wine-tickets-42486498260

AHEAD OF OUR TIME

February 10, 2018
Ahead of Our Time will showcase folx who are pushing the boundaries of their respective mediums. Daring ourselves to think on a higher level by influence of colors and sound. There will be vendors, live performances, art installations, and visual projections.
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ahead-of-our-time-tickets-42374988732

Houston Area NOW – Black Feminism & Intersectional Movement Building

February 11, 2018
Rachel Afi Quinn will be our guest speaker. Rachel is an assistant professor of Women’s, Gender & Sexuality Studies and Comparative Cultural Studies at University of Houston. She received her Ph.D. from the Program in American Culture at the University of Michigan in 2012. Wine, snacks, and socializing at 2:30; meeting starts at 3.
https://www.facebook.com/events/2010704235879497/

Valentine’s Day Love Lounge

February 11, 2018
The Love No Limit Show is collaborating with Crumbville’s Sunday Sweet Lounge for a lil community love soirée, meet and mingle, pre-V Day kick back. Come say hello to the @lovenolimitshow @allrealradio crew. Listen to curated vibes by DJ Reel Chill. Have a sip and a bite. And grab some sweets for your sweet from Ella aka E-Dub!
https://www.facebook.com/events/836932923179990/

Nikki Giovanni

February 15, 2018
Hear from poet, author and activist Nikki Giovanni. Copies of her new and critically-acclaimed book, A GOOD CRY, will be available for purchase. All HPL programs are free of charge and open to the public! This RSVP provides an estimate attendance and does not guarantee a seat. Seating is open and first come, first serve.
https://events.r20.constantcontact.com/register/eventReg?oeidk=a07eey8jz6uaf73c66e&oseq=&c=&ch=

BLACK PANTHER DAY!!

February 16, 2018
You already know. Tickets aren’t sold out!
https://www.fandango.com/black-panther-202991/movie-overview

Urban Hang Suite: Hammocks ‘N Chill

February 17, 2018
This event is dedicated to friends, tribes, and lovers. Over 20 indoor Hammocks to “hang” in, 3 Zen Rooms flowing with 3 types of energies – Peace, Love, and Light. We want people to vibrate on the highest frequency; while vibing to the melodic sounds of Dj Sly Foxx. (Special performance by musician/producer Reshard Baham.) An Asian influenced menu by a local Houston chef, and vendors who have been chosen to match the vibes.
https://www.facebook.com/events/174754109792074/

The Shakedown with Ritual Culture

February 17, 2018
The Shakedown returns on 1/20, featuring special guest, DJ Anarchy of Soul Control! Anarchy will be joined by Shakedown + Ritual Culture residents SoulOne & KEVA, bringing the best in new + classic house, disco, funk, and soul!!!
https://www.facebook.com/events/282446322285439/

I Am Not Your Negro Film Documentary at Houston Public Library

February 17, 2018 (Various Dates)
HPL is showing I Am Not Your Negro as part of a month-long film documentary series celebrating African American History Month. I Am Not Your Negro film combines James Baldwin manuscript with footage of depictions of African-Americans throughout American history, to illuminate the pervasiveness of American racism and the efforts to curtail it, from the civil rights movement to #BlackLivesMatter.
http://houstonlibrary.org/learn-explore/library-events/gregory-school-community-events-6

HTX Afrofuturism Book Club – February 17

February 17, 2018
We’re continuing our Afrofuturism book club here in Houston where we’ll (mostly) tackle short stories. This month we’re discussing the short story The City Born Great by Hugo award-winning author N.K. Jemisin. You can read it for free online here.
https://www.facebook.com/events/750304325156759/

META: Dominic Clay Solo Exhibition

February 17, 2018
“Meta” references my experiences as a Black millennial in America narrated by my identity in a visual dialogue with the viewer. My work is crafted from both traditional and modern dialogues. I find inspiration in the parallels of the past, present, and future.
https://www.facebook.com/events/563262124021891/

Emancipator Ensemble: Baralku Tour (Houston TX), Flamingosis

February 18, 2018
Inspired by the astral “island” some aboriginal societies believe to be our spiritual home after death, Baralku synthesizes downtempo hip-hop beats, world music elements, and field recordings, as well as jazz, folk, and classical influences into a transcendent hybrid of lush, nuanced, and ethereal compositions.
https://www.facebook.com/events/1834428280202922/

Film Screening – Tell Them We Are Rising: Story of HBCU’s

February 19, 2018
The rich history of America’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) began before the end of slavery, flourished in the 20th century, and profoundly influenced the course of the nation for over 150 years — yet remains largely unknown. With the latest documentary from Stanley Nelson (Black Panthers, Freedom Riders) and Marco Williams, the powerful story of the rise, influence, and evolution of HBCUs comes to life.
https://www.facebook.com/events/140033889987555/

A Special Film Screening: “Death By Delivery”

February 20, 2018
Join an array of expert panelists and stakeholders for a Houston’s premier screening of the riveting documentary, “Death By Delivery”. The film documents award-winning journalist Nelafar Hedayat’s awakening journey across the country to investigate why African American women are dying during childbirth, or shortly afterward delivery, at four times the rate of all other women in the United States. Black women in America are literally dying to become moms.
https://www.facebook.com/events/527481560964391/

Dwayne Betts Reading: Bastards of the Reagan Era

February 20, 2018
Betts’ “Shahid Reads His Own Palm” won the Beatrice Hawley Award. His memoir, “A Question of Freedom: A Memoir of Learning, Survival, and Coming of Age in Prison,” received the 2010 NAACP Image Award for nonfiction. He is a Yale Law student.
http://www.brazosbookstore.com/event/dwayne-betts

Frederick Douglass Lecture Series at TSU

February 20, 2018
Presented by the Thomas F. Freeman Honors College. The guest lecturer will be Dr. Virgil Wood, a noted Civil Rights activist and historian. School of Public Affairs, room 114.
http://calendar.tsu.edu/cal/event/showEventMore.rdo

Save Our Kids!

February 20, 2018
Houstonians for Great Public Schools and The Emancipation Park Conservancy are co-hosting this exciting event, which will feature A.J. Crabill, the TEA Deputy Commissioner for Governance, as the keynote speaker. Additionally, there will be a moderated discussion.
https://www.facebook.com/events/2077705879128559/

Texas Alliance of Black School Educators 33rd Annual State Conference

February 22, 2018 – February 25, 2018
The Texas Alliance of Black School Educators (TABSE) will host our 33rd Annual State Conference on February 22 – 25, 2018. It will be in Houston, Texas. I’m helping organize it and there are free events including the EdCamp TABSE on Saturday so share with educators!
Tabse.net

Free Cece Documentary Screening

February 22, 2018
The LGBTQ Resource Center and GLOBAL are partnering to show an award-winning documentary showcasing an international campaign led by Laverne Cox to free CeCe McDonald from incarceration in a men’s prison for defending her life. University of Houston Midtown Room.
http://www.uh.edu/cdi/events_programs/black-history-month/

This Is Our Home, It Is Not For Sale

February 22, 2018
Join us at The Living Room at HPL to view film, This Is Our Home, It Is Not For Sale. Director Jon Schwartz will be on-site to discuss and answer questions as he reflects on his classic 1987 documentary on the 60-year history of an archetypal American neighborhood in Houston called Riverside; and its experience of the classic syndrome of integration, real estate blockbusting, white flight, and re-gentrification.
http://houstonlibrary.org/learn-explore/library-events/living-room-hpl-6

Houston Black MBA Leadership Empowerment Scholarship Banquet

February 22, 2018
Our annual scholarship banquet brings together our members, corporate and community partners, and corporate employers to recognize various leaders in our community and to highlight the LOT high school mentoring program. The Houston Chapter has awarded in excess of $300,000 in scholarships to graduate and undergraduate business students.
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/18th-annual-leadership-empowerment-scholarship-banquet-celebrating-legacy-in-leadership-tickets-42145833322

Buffalo Soldier National Museum Annual Gala

February 23, 2018
Through the prism of time, there is consensus for the contributions made by the African American soldier. They fought in every military campaign from the revolutionary war to the current engagement in the Persian Gulf. Each year we host a Gala to celebrate our birthday and honor military heroes. This year we are honoring Our Sergeants Major.
https://www.facebook.com/events/163320931093537/

Lalah Hathaway and Calvin Richardson

February 23, 2018
Singers Lalah Hathaway and Calvin Richardson are returning to the Houston. They’ll be taking the Arena Theatre’s rotating stage where they say there is no bad seat!
https://www.facebook.com/events/132723470775849/

Race-Based Trauma: The Missing Piece of the Trauma Conversation

February 26, 2018
What is race-based trauma? Can we effectively engage families if we are not prepared to deal with the whole person? This workshop will lead participants in a discussion about race-based trauma, the impact on family engagement, and the importance of acknowledging this often ignored type of trauma.
https://one.bidpal.net/racebasedtrauma

A Candid Conversation about the LGBTQ Experience in the Black Community Feat. Darnell Moore

February 26, 2018
The goal of this event is to create a space for a community-wide conversation about homophobia and transphobia in the Black community that is led by Black LGBTQ people. The event will feature a screening of “c r e a t i n g s p a c e” by the htx people project, followed by a conversation with Darnell Moore and panelists from the film. University of Houston at the Student Center South Theatre.
http://www.uh.edu/cdi/events_programs/black-history-month/

The Historical Significance of Black Migration, the Search for Work, and the Impact of Corporate Governance

February 28, 2018
The UH Law Center will host a lecture and lunch reception featuring Cheryl Wade, Dean Harold F. McNiece Professor of Law at St. Johns University. A public Lecture will be held in the evening with Asst. Professor of Law James Nelson and A.A. White Professor of Law Ronald Turner as featured commentators. RSVP required.
http://www.uh.edu/cdi/events_programs/black-history-month/

Houston 2036: Connecting Communities for Critical Conversations

February 28, 2018
Where Do We Go From Here? Looking toward Houston’s 2036 bicentennial in 2018 through a three-part series on equality, equity, and ethics. Hear from a diverse panel of guest speakers and community members followed by audience Q & A that addresses unanswered calls for social, economic, and civic advancement.
Houston2036.org

Atlanta Season 2 Watch Party

March 1, 2018
Join JC (your favorite bartender) & Joy (of Joyous Vibes) as they host the Atlanta Season 2 viewing party. Pre/Post show vibes will be curated by video DJ Sly Foxx spinning all of the best underground hip-hop/neo-soul & trap music. Nothing goes with music like free mixed drinks & beer which will be provided.
https://atlantaseason2watchparty.eventbrite.com

Katherine Tsanoff Brown Lecture Series: Kellie Jones, Columbia University

March 1, 2018
South of Pico: African American Artists in Los Angeles in the 1960s and 1970s. Kellie Jones is Associate Professor in Art History and Archaeology and the Institute for Research in African American Studies (IRAAS) at Columbia University. Her research interests include African American and African Diaspora artists, Latinx and Latin American Artists, and issues in contemporary art and museum theory.
https://www.facebook.com/events/159751528002682/

Walter Mosley Reading and Signing

March 2, 2018
Crime fiction author Walter Mosley reads from and signs his new novel, Down the River Unto the Sea, scheduled for release on February 20. You may recognize him as the bestselling author of Devil in a Blue Dress which became a film starring Denzel Washington. Murder by the Book is one of the nation’s oldest mystery specialty bookstores.
https://www.facebook.com/events/159751528002682/

George Clinton and Parliament Funkadelic

March 2, 2018
Recording both as Parliament and Funkadelic, George Clinton revolutionized R&B during the ’70s, twisting soul music into funk by adding influences from several late-’60s acid heroes: Jimi Hendrix, Frank Zappa, and Sly Stone. The Parliament/Funkadelic machine ruled black music during the ’70s, capturing over 40 R&B hit singles (including three number ones) and recording three platinum albums.
http://www.houseofblues.com/houston/EventDetail?tmeventid=3A00535CA6091B8D

March for Black Women HOU

March 3, 2018
We will celebrate the African Diaspora of womanhood in all the ways it exists. Experience the music and poetry of sisters from dynamic perspectives. Engage in the advancement of Black Lives. Connect. This event is Black woman-centered. We welcome all allies in support of black women. Be mindful that this is for us.
https://www.facebook.com/events/314975859009519/