February is Black History Month! Ways to Learn and Celebrate
On January 17, the Sammamish City Council proclaimed February 2023 as Black History Month in Sammamish. Black History Week was initiated in 1926 to highlight the contributions and accomplishments made by the Black community that had been omitted from history. In 1976, as part of the nation’s bicentennial, Black History Week was expanded and established as Black History Month. The national theme for Black History Month in 2023 is Black Resistance, exploring how "African Americans have resisted historic and ongoing oppression, in all forms, especially the racial terrorism of lynching, racial pogroms and police killings," since the nation's earliest days. The full proclamation is available online.
Here are some helpful resources and events for celebrating Black History Month:
A Seattle History Worth Preserving: Buffalo Soldiers
FEBRUARY 1–28 | SEATTLE CENTER ARMORY
Back when Discovery Park was still known as Fort Lawton, hundreds of Black soldiers were stationed there as part of the U.S. Army’s 25th infantry. This ongoing exhibit at Seattle Center looks at the history of the revered Buffalo Soldiers and their contributions to the region. On February 5, a jazz performance showcases their musical legacy.
Call to Conscience Black History Museum
FEBRUARY 1–28 | COLUMBIA CITY THEATER
Rainier Avenue Radio continues their celebration of Black excellence with a pop-up museum and a full month of programming. Expect to find everything from a Seattle Steelheads display to exhibits from the Seattle Black Panther Party and the Jimi Hendrix family.
From the Ground Up: Black Architects and Designers
FEBRUARY 4–APRIL 30 | MOHAI
MOHAI plays host to a nationally touring exhibition of instrumental Black architects and designers who created the world we inhabit—from the pyramids of Egypt to local skylines. A portion of the exhibit features Black designers who specifically impacted Seattle’s structures, both historical and contemporary.
FEBRUARY 4, 11, 18, 25 | BLACK COFFEE NORTHWEST
Support Black-owned businesses while picking up your daily cuppa. This Shoreline coffee shop hosts a marketplace pop-up every Saturday from 9 am–3 pm. Vendors may rotate, so come back every week for a different selection of products.
Building with Purpose: Black Architects and Community Agency
FEBRUARY 11 | MOHAI
Architects and artists lead a conversation about our evolving communities, focusing on equitable development and gentrification in the Puget Sound area.
Paying Tribute to Seattle’s Black Landmarks and Their Namesakes
FEBRUARY 15 | MOHAI
Do you know the local Black figures whose names are found on Seattle street signs, sites, and buildings? Historian Mary Henry uses her new book, Tributes: Black People Whose Names Grace Seattle Sites, to lead a historical who’s who.
Black History Month Keynote Program
FEBRUARY 16 | NORTHWEST AFRICAN AMERICAN MUSEUM
The recently reopened Northwest African American Museum hosts Dr. Damion Thomas, the curator of sports for the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture. Prepare to be “inspired, informed, and ignited for action.”