This February, Queens Public Library (QPL) is inviting the public to celebrate Black History Month with an exciting lineup of over 70 events and activities.
From author talks and concerts to theater performances and art exhibits, QPL is spotlighting the many facets of Black heritage and culture with a wide range of events designed to educate, inspire and honor the contributions of African Americans.
In line with the national theme for Black History Month – African Americans and Labor – many of this year’s programs will focus on the intersection of work and Black identity. The theme highlights the profound ways work, in its many forms, from free and unfree to skilled and unskilled, vocational and voluntary, has shaped the collective experiences of Black people across history.
One of the major highlights of the month is the “Labor of Love” art exhibit at the Central Library, located at 89-11 Merrick Blvd. in Jamaica, from Saturday, Feb. 1, through Friday, Feb. 28.
This exhibition features original works of art that reflect labor’s powerful role in shaping African Americans’ experiences, from the labor of enslaved Africans to modern-day entrepreneurship. The exhibit will culminate in a special Artist Talk on Thursday, Feb. 27, where attendees will hear from several of the artists featured in the exhibit.
For those seeking a deeper understanding of Black history and labor, QPL will host a two-part virtual presentation with educator Mary Dono, who will explore African American efforts to improve labor conditions and secure equal opportunities. The first session will be held on Tuesday, Feb. 4, from 2-3:30 p.m., and the second will be on Tuesday, Feb. 25 at the same time. Participants can join here.
On the literary front, QPL’s Literary Thursdays series will host a virtual conversation on Feb. 27 from 6-7 p.m. with historian and author Prithi Kanakamedala, who will discuss her book, “Brooklynites.” The book is a cultural and social history of four families in Brooklyn’s 19th-century free Black community that sheds light on their activism and the broader history of social justice movements. The program will be held on Microsoft Teams.
Other events throughout the month include an evening with James Beard Award-winning chef and author Alexander Smalls on Wednesday, Feb. 5, from 6-7 p.m. at the Central Library. He will discuss his new cookbook, “The Contemporary African Kitchen,” and share stories of how his Southern upbringing and travels through Africa have influenced his culinary career.
Over the past three decades, Chef Smalls, the co-owner of the acclaimed restaurants The Cecil and Minton’s, has traveled the world studying the cooking techniques and foodways of the African diaspora. QPL Hip Hop Coordinator Ralph McDaniels will host the conversation.
Young readers will also be part of the celebration. Eight-year-old author Cassidy Bridges, who penned “Thank You, It’s an Afro,” will share her journey of becoming a writer on Saturday, Feb. 22, from 1-2 p.m. at the Central Library and on Wednesday, Feb. 26, 4-5 p.m. at the Langston Hughes Library, located at 100-01 Northern Blvd. in Corona.
Cassidy will read from her book about self-love and showcase her “afro-mations,” as she calls her expressions of self-esteem and self-worth. Each talk will be followed by a hands-on craft activity.
The arts will also be on full display throughout the month, with the Harlem-based Shades of Truth Theatre presenting two shows.
The first one, “Mothers of the Movement,” will be held on Thursday, Feb. 13, from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at the Flushing Library, located at 41-17 Main St., and will portray three iconic Black women, Fannie Lou Hammer, Ella Baker and Mamie Till Mobley, as they reflect on their legacy and contribution to the struggle. One by one, they will reveal their pain, resolve and unspoken respect and affinity for each other.
The second performance, “Madam C. J. Walker,” on Thursday, Feb. 27, from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at the Central Library, is a live theatrical and multi-media expose into the life of an extraordinary, entrepreneurial, innovative and savvy Black woman, Sara Breedlove, also known as Madame C.J. Walker, as told by friends and associates who knew her best and by the Madame herself.
Music will also take center stage with performances such as a tribute to African American ancestors by Atiba Kwabena Wilson and Songhai Djeli on Feb. 2 and a special Black History Month music celebration by trumpeter Alphonso Horne on Feb. 25.
In celebration of author and civil rights activist James Baldwin’s 2024 centennial, the public can join the Richie Nick Band for a special performance of songs honoring his enduring legacy on Thursday, Feb. 6, from 4-5 p.m. at the Flushing Library. Those not able to attend in person can watch it via Zoom here.
Other events will explore the influence of African Americans on American fashion, including a discussion with industry experts on Feb. 18 from 6-7 p.m. at the Central Library and the 2nd Annual Black History Month Fashion Show on Feb. 20 from 4-7 p.m., also at the Central Library. The show will showcase young designers and feature music by DJ Stokes.
In honor of Black History Month, the QPL’s Queens Memory team curated an exhibition titled “The People Behind the Names: Black History in Queens” at Culture Lab LIC, located at 5-25 46th Ave.
The show spotlights individuals featured in the Library’s Queens Name Explorer project whose names carry historical significance, from outspoken ministers to pioneering musicians to female leaders in public service. The exhibit will remain on view through Sunday, March 2.
Throughout the month, various QPL locations will host crafts, movie screenings and story times for all ages. A curated list of books by African American authors, spanning genres from history to fiction, will also be available for those looking to dive deeper into Black literature.
To further engage the community, QPL offers ‘The African Americans and Labor Journal,” a free resource featuring daily prompts and key milestones in Black labor history.
Visit the Queens Public Library website for a complete schedule of events and to learn more about how to participate.
