10 Ways to Celebrate Black History Month

February is Black History Month. It’s a great time to acknowledge and celebrate the contributions and achievements that Black people have accomplished throughout history.

If you’re looking for ways to celebrate Black History Month this year, here are 10 ideas.

Host a Movie Night

Invite friends or family over for a night of watching movies about Black history. Great options include “Hidden Figures,” “Selma,” “12 Years a Slave” and “King in the Wilderness.” You’re bound to learn something new about the ongoing impact of Black people in the United States.

Read Some Books

There are many fascinating and informative books written by Black authors that are great ways to commemorate Black History Month. Barack Obama’s “The Audacity of Hope,” “The Marrow of Tradition” by Charles W. Chesnutt, “Go Tell It On the Mountain” by James Baldwin, and “Roots” by Alex Haley are all must-reads. Not a big reader? Get them on audiobook and listen to them on the way to work or before bed.

“Visit” a Museum Virtually

Museums are immersive ways to gain deeper knowledge. There are many virtual museum tours that can help you learn more about Black history from the comfort and safety of home. The National Underground Railroad Freedom Center in Cincinnati, Ohio offers online exhibits, and you can take a virtual tour at The National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis, Tennessee, at the Motown Museum in Detroit and at the DuSable Museum of African American History in Chicago. Check around your city and see if there are any you can visit in person on a day trip.

Listen to a Podcast

Podcasts are convenient, interesting ways to learn more about many subjects, including Black history. Tune into The New York Times’ “1619,” “Historically Black” or “Black History Year” to gain more knowledge and insight into the struggles and triumphs of Black people throughout history. “As It Should Be,” “Life, I Swear” and “Friends Like Us” are great listens, too.

Read Black Poetry

If you enjoy poetry, there are many talented Black artists for you to discover. Knoxville-born Nikki Giovanni is one, and her “Nikki-Rosa” and “Dreams” should be high on your list. The incomparable Maya Angelou is another must-read. Her poems “Still I Rise,” “On the Pulse of Morning” and “Phenomenal Woman” are powerful prose. And the youngest inaugural poet ever, 22-year-old Amanda Gorman, shared a gem at President Biden’s Inauguration called “The Hill We Climb.”

Enjoy Black-Inspired Art

Art is an expressive way to share happiness, pain, fear, despair, and love. These Black artists turned to art as a way of making sense of the world. Painter Jean-Michel Basquiat offers works that are interesting and moving. He got his start in the 1970s by painting graffiti on New York City trains and buildings. Augusta Savage made her mark as a sculptor, creating her most famous work, “The Harp” for the 1939 World’s Fair in New York. One of the first famous Black artists was Henry Ossawa Tanner, who drew from his deep religious upbringing to paint “The Savior.”

Make a Donation

Consider giving back financially, too. There are plenty of helpful charities that could use your dollars for good. Black History Month is a perfect time to make a donation to the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, the Thurgood Marshall College Fund, Black Girls CODE, and The Black Youth Project. Local causes include Scarboro Community Education Endowment Fund, which provides scholarships to high school seniors, and The Men of Tomorrow Foundation, which provides educational enrichment outside of the classroom for local minorities. You can feel confident that your money will be used for a worthy cause.

Shop at Black-Owned Businesses

Celebrating Black History Month can be as easy as going shopping. Find and explore some Black-owned businesses, whether retail or service-oriented. You may just discover a new favorite store!

Dine at Black-Owned Restaurants

Take the family out for lunch or dinner at a Black-owned restaurant. Enjoy the food and ambiance, then help to boost support by sharing a review on Tripadvisor or Yelp. Not sure where to find a place to dine? Download Eboneats and search for a restaurant near you.

Enjoy Some Blues Music

It’s not hard to enjoy sultry Blues music. With its soulful words and heart-touching music, Blues songs tell a story about Black history you just won’t be able to find anywhere else. Make a playlist of Blues music to enjoy with friends. Not sure where to begin? B.B. King and Bessie Smith are good starting points.

Make a plan to do one or several of these ideas to commemorate Black History Month in February — and to continue celebrating Black culture throughout the year.