Black History Month in Michigan: Where to go
| 2 min read
In recognition of Black History Month, we’ve rounded up a list of events across Michigan where you and your family can learn more about our state’s history and celebrate its rich African-American heritage.
The Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn has a packed schedule all month, including “Journey and Legacy,” a celebration of African-American history through drama and song, “African-American Innovator Tours,” where you will learn about the accomplishments of some well-known historical figures in Michigan, and “Minds on Freedom,” which is a film showing at the Drive-in Theater in the museum. And for a true piece of history, The Henry Ford Museum has the actual bus Rosa Parks was riding in when she refused to give up her seat, shown to the right.
The Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History in Detroit is the world’s largest institution dedicated to the African American experience and provides a number of learning opportunities, exhibitions and programs throughout the year. It houses more than 30,000 artifacts and archival materials, including collections dedicated to The Underground Railroad and Harriet Tubman. If you visit, don’t forget to check out one of the museum’s most popular exhibits, “And Still We Rise: Our Journey Through African American History and Culture.” This 22,000-square-foot exhibit contains more than 20 galleries, allowing visitors to feel as if they are traveling across time and place.
The Library of Michiganhosts a speaker series this February, including a look at the Underground Railroad in Michigan on Feb. 19 and a performance on Feb. 26 by the R. J. Spangler Trio and Jazz Master Larry Smith. All events take place at the library and are free, but you must register online or call 517-373-1300.
Photo credit: Shan213
