13 Black History Events & Activities For Kids That Celebrate & Educate in February & Beyond

February 16, 2021

13%20Black%20History%20Events%20%26%20Activities%20For%20Kids%20That%20Celebrate%20%26%20Educate%20in%20February%20%26%20Beyond

These 13 Black History Month events & activities are the perfect way to engage, learn and grow as a family....and we've got events that even the youngest of your fam can participate in!

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1. FunikiJam Celebrates Black Musicians

Weekly on Wednesday , Friday
Friday, February 19 - Wednesday, February 24

FunikiJam Music

ON ZOOM

Dance. Sing. Play. Repeat. This special edition show from FunikiJam features Zydeco music, a spicy blend of Afro Caribbean Rhythms, Creole Culture and French language, original FunikiJam songs, stories, and rhymes about New Orleans Culture, and adaptations of African American folk songs like This Train is Bound for Glory. Pre-registration is required and the class is recommended for ages 2-7.

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2. Celebrate Black Lives: The BIG Idea!

Friday, February 19

Camp Stores

ON WEBSITE

Inventor Thomas' time machine is broken! And he needs your kid's help! This adventure will encourage CAMPers to think big and problem solve so they can bring Counselor Nora back to present day! Along the way, kids 4-10 and their families, will celebrate Black changemakers. This fun and free event requires pre-registration.

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3. Author Event: "Little Leaders"

Saturday, February 20

Sam's Club

ON ZOOM

Wonder, inspiration, and truth...just a bit of what you can expect from the historical stories of trailblazing Black, Indigenous, and People of Color by Vashti Harrison. Kids and adults will enjoy learning about these exceptional men and women through her beautifully illustrated and engaging book series. Mark your calendar and find a cozy blanket, this is a Zoom event you can't miss!

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4. Drumming Up Love

Saturday, February 20 - Sunday, February 21

National Liberty Museum

ON WEBSITE

Join Positive Movement for a music-making program about love, unity, and diversity. The Group's founder and director Tony Royster, aka Mr. Y Not, will show kids how to make their own drumsticks, then he'll demonstrate a few simple beats you can try out at home using everyday household items as drums! He'll be joined by the Positive Movement drumline for a memorable musical performance and the Positive Movement pledge. This program can be streamed for free on February 20th and 21st.

5.

5. National Underground Railroad Freedom Center

Virtual Tour & Activities, Ongoing

ON WEBSITE

The National Underground Railroad Freedom Center is focused on the history of the Underground Railroad and pays tribute to all the efforts to abolish enslavement and secure freedom for all people. Their website has a wealth of information that's free to access including virtual exhibits, at-home activity books, coloring sheets, lesson plans, and videos for kids of all ages.

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6. Beyond Wakanda: Black Superheroes

Sunday, February 21

National Liberty Museum

ON ZOOM

Calling all superheroes! In this family-friendly workshop, kids will celebrate inclusion and representation in comics with a star-studded line-up of Black comic book heroes. Learn how they transformed the comic book world. Find out what makes them super, and what your special powers are. Then kids will use templates to make their own superhero! This activity is 'pay as you wish" and pre-registration is required.

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7. Black History Family Game Night

Weekly on Sunday
Sunday, February 21 - Sunday, February 28

Melaneyes Media

ON ZOOM

Get the family together on Sunday nights in February for Black History Game Night! You'll play games focused on Black History facts, knowledge, and trivia. It's a great way to come together online as a community, learn and have fun! These Sunday evenings are intended for the whole family! So, bring the children and let them learn and enjoy the activities too.

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8. Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture

Online Activities & Events, Ongoing

ON WEBSITE

The Smithsonian National Museum of African American History's dedicated team of early childhood educators has designed design fun, age-appropriate experiences and resources for children from birth to 8 years old. Download their free &Joyful ABC Activity Booklets&, a series of interactive books designed for infants through early learners. You can also join them each Friday for a joyful webinar-style Zoom class led by Museum educators designed for 4 to 8-year-olds. Programs and resources for students in grades 3-12 are also available on their website and are designed to encourage multiple perspective-taking and building critical thinking skills.

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9. Black History Basics with Nareissa Smith

Wednesday, February 24

Varsity Tutors

ON ZOOM

During this free, all-ages class, kids will examine the Civil Rights movement, including but certainly not limited to the contributions of Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King, Jr. with Nareissa Smith, a former law professor and a journalist who writes about racial and gender justice issues. This session will cover the beginnings of the movement, the powerful role that students played in it, the reasons that progress stalled in the 1970s, and the lessons that can be learned and employed as the fight for equality continues.

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10. Preserving and Persevering Concert

Thursday, February 25

Chicago Children's Choir

ON FACEBOOK & YOUTUBE

Chicago Children's Choir is proud to bring their annual Black History Month concert to the digital stage! Black History Month Virtual Concert: Preserving and Persevering explores how the power of Black music has been the cultural key in both preserving African traditions in America and in helping millions persevere in the face of racial injustice. The dynamic virtual educational program features powerful performances by CCC singers and GRAMMY Award-winning guest artists Lisa Fischer, Ranky Tanky, Chance the Rapper, Peter CottonTale and Cynthia Erivo following a behind-the-scenes pre-show of the educational experience leading up to the virtual event.

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11. Celebrate Black Lives: Art is MAGIC!

Friday, February 26

Camp Stores

ON WEBSITE

Oh no! Counselor Nora has shrunk to the size of a peanut! She's hiding in some of the world's most famous Black artwork. This artsy adventure will encourage kids to get creative as they celebrate Black icons in the arts. This is a free event for ages 4-10 and pre-registration is required.

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12. African-American Festival

Saturday, February 27

Aquarium of the Pacific

ON WEBSITE

This free virtual event will feature African and African-American music, dance, storytelling, and historical displays. Festival performances will include Mardi Gras second-line dancing, hip hop and break dancing, tap and modern dance, soul-pop fusion music, and West African drumming, dancing, and storytelling. The Aquarium will also present the Heritage Award to Felton Williams, Ph.D. for his outstanding service to the African-American community.

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13. Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History

Youth Speak Virtual Stage: Fridays 1PM

ON WEBSITE

This virtual program offers kids ages 8-18 the opportunity to express their thoughts, ideas, and feelings on history, justice, equality, and Afrofuturism! Each week, kids can submit videos of themselves expressing one of the themes through a range of artistic forms including song, poetry, monologue, or other forms of visual expression. The videos each week will be posted on Fridays. Your kids can submit a video by visiting their website.

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