African American artists — poets, writers, visual artists, and dancers — have historically served as change agents through their crafts.
Drawn from their ancestors' ancient rites of passage and the shared hopes of liberty, Black artists continue to fuse the rhythmic cadence of creative expressions with the pulsating beats of progress.
National Museum of African American of History and Culture celebrates Black History Month 2024 by highlighting the "art of resistance" and the artists who used their crafts to uplift the race, speak truth to power and inspire a nation.
Whether digital, literary, visual or performing arts, Black trailblazers and innovators revolutionized their fields, often transforming them by pioneering new techniques and styles. Through art, important issues and figures in African American history are exalted, and underrepresented stories are preserved. For the entire month of February, we invite everyone to join us in celebrating art and its relationship with justice. Art plays a role in communicating emotions, building community and inspiring action.
- Week 1, Feb. 1-4: Literature and Poetry
- Week 2, Feb. 5-11: Performing Arts
- Week 3, Feb. 12-18: Visual Arts
- Week 4, Feb. 19-25: Music
- Week 5, Feb. 26-29: Digital Arts
WHAT IS BLACK HISTORY MONTH?
Each February, the United States celebrates African- American History Month, also known as Black History Month. This annual observance recognizes the important achievements by African Americans in U.S. history.
In 1926, just 61 years after the abolition of slavery, the Association for Study of Negro Life and History decided to sponsor a national week dedicated to Black history in February, coinciding with the birthdays of Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass.
By the late 1960s the success of the civil rights movement and a growing awareness of black identity led many U.S. colleges to start teaching African-American history, which until then had been largely ignored. Soon, universities and cities began honoring this important aspect of the American Story by celebrating African-American History Month. In 1976 President Gerald Ford officially recognized Black History Month calling upon the public to “seize the opportunity to honor the too-often neglected accomplishments of black Americans in every area of endeavor throughout our history.”
Special FREE Films at AMERICAN CORNER TRIESTE (P. Sant'Antonio Nuovo, 6, Trieste)
Tues, Feb. 20, 10 am - I Am Not Your Negro - An extraordinary and multifaceted reflection on Black racial identity in America, and a work dedicated to keeping James Baldwin's ideas alive in the world.
Tues, Feb. 27, 10 am - What's Love Got to Do With It? - The story of Tina Turner.