BLACK HISTORY MONTH 2024

Celebrate Black History Month with us by learning, supporting and engaging within the Omaha community!

"Black History Month" text on top of green, yellow and red paper stacked into a design.

LEARN ABOUT BLACK HISTORY:

Great Plains Black History Museum

https://gpblackhistorymuseum.org/

-Open for tours Thurs, Fri, Sat from 1-5pm (by appointment)

Malcolm X Memorial Foundation & Museum

https://www.malcolmxfoundation.org/

-Open for tours on Fri, Sat or by appointment Sun-Thurs

PBS Black History Month Documentaries

https://www.pbs.org/articles/what-to-watch-black-history-month

-Playing on PBS or streaming all month long

Black History Month Story Walk

February 1; 8am-5pm

Gene Leahy Mall

“Commemorate Black History Month with an educational story walk during the month of February at The RiverFront. Situated around the Downtown Green event lawn in Gene Leahy Mall, informational signage will celebrate several important figures throughout our history. Visitors will have the opportunity to learn more more about some of the great leaders and innovators in African American culture with the story walk.“

https://theriverfrontomaha.com/events/?eventid=6899

Black History Month (Virtual) Book Club

February 3, 10, 17, 24; 11-11:30am CT

Zoom courtesy of Vanessa Ivy Rose

“This Black History Month, Turkey’s granddaughter, Vanessa Ivy Rose is taking you behind the scenes of her book “Hall of Fame DNA: The Legacy of Norman Turkey Stearnes” in order to educate and inspire with intention. Each Saturday of Black History Month, Vanessa explores sections of her book beyond the written text, giving you an opportunity to learn more about one of baseball’s hidden figures. There also will be a Q&A session and a chance to win some baseball prizes valued between $25-$50!“

https://www.hofdna.com/bookclub

Black History Luncheon

February 3; 12-3pm

The Essential Gathering Place

“Join us for an inspiring afternoon filled with engaging discussions, cultural performances, and a delectable menu reflecting the diversity of African American cuisine. Together, let’s reflect on the past, celebrate the present, and envision a future of unity and equality.”

https://www.facebook.com/events/888738246265617

Black History Month Celebration

February 7; 5pm

Papillion Landing

https://allevents.in/papillion/black-history-celebration/200025934077051

Black History Month Screening: “The Bell Affair”

February 8; 6-8:30pm

Metropolitan Community College South Omaha Campus, CAM Building

“This feature film project focuses on the particular experiences of one enslaved family who sued for their freedom in Washington, D.C., at a pivotal moment in the national struggle over slavery. It tells the story of Daniel and Mary Bell from Prince George’s County. Daniel launched a lawsuit to make his family free just as a labor strike, a lynch mob, and a race riot erupted in the nation’s capital in the late summer of 1835. The threat of violence prompted U.S. District Attorney Francis Scott Key to prosecute dozens of white strikers, indict an enslaved man accused of attempted murder, and charge an abolitionist editor with sedition for inciting a slave revolt. Key had previously represented dozens of Maryland enslaved families suing for freedom. The Bell Affair depicts his turn against black freedom. Key’s brother-in-law Roger B. Taney, another Maryland lawyer, figures prominently in the film because he is being nominated to the Supreme Court.”

Black History Month “Hungry Club” w/ Black Men United

February 7, 14, 21, 28; 12-1pm

Big Mama’s Kitchen & Catering

Hear engaging talks over lunch from: Ms. Beth Ostdiek, Founder/Executive Director of Saving Grace Perishable Food Rescue; JoAnna Leflore-Ejike, Executive Director of the Malcolm X Memorial Foundation; Dr. Dell Gines Ph.D, Vice President of Partnerships, Advisory Services and Thought Leadership for the International Economic Development Council in Washington D.C; Precious McKesson, President of North Omaha Neighborhood Alliance and National President of Neighborhoods, USA

https://www.facebook.com/events/1029964874767453/1029964884767452/?event_time_id=1029964884767452&ref=newsfeed

Black History Month Virtual Screening: “River City Drumbeat”

February 12; 2-4pm

Zoom

“The documentary chronicles generations of African American mentors in Louisville, Kentucky’s West End neighborhood and their work to empower children and teens through creative expression. For three decades, Edward “Nardie” White has been teaching ancestral Pan-African culture and drumming traditions in the River City Drum Corps in order to instill a foundation of purposeful resilience within his neighborhood youth. Against the backdrop of the American South, Mr. White’s drumline and its multi-generational network of support has been a lifeline for many young African Americans. Now in his sixties, he must step down to allow the drum corps to evolve with a new generation. In his final year as director he trains his successor Albert Shumake, a young artist whose troubled life was transformed by the drumline and Mr. White’s mentorship when he was a teen. During this transitional year, Mr. White and Albert reflect on the tragedies and triumphs in their lives and the legacy of the drum corps. Featuring powerful drumline performances and the stories of its parents, youth and mentors, RIVER CITY DRUMBEAT is a testament to the lasting impact of art, love and community.”

https://mccneb-edu.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJMrcuyqpz8sEteL5ixwbnvj-CB_7FFtmvKV#/registration

Negro League Baseball: Kansas City Monarchs & America’s National Pastime

February 13; 6:30-8pm

Metropolitan Community College, Fort Omaha Campus, Building 10, Room 110 OR virtually via Zoom

“The Kansas City Monarchs barnstormed across Kansas and the region to lay more than 400 games between 1920 and 1957 against local towns. This talk sheds new light on this sports history and the history of baseball. Mr. Dixon will also share information about his new book, American Baseball Chronicles, Great Teams: The 1910 Chicago Leland Giants Volume II.”

https://mccneb-edu.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJcoduiqrT4sHNQpm1tz29BwRNgDmA9_VWIp#/registration

Discussion of People’s Resistance Against Book Bans Throughout History

February 19; 12:30-1:45pm

Metropolitan Community College, Fort Omaha Campus, Building 10, Room 110″ OR virtually via Zoom

“For centuries, Black people and their allies have been striving for a just and equitable education where they can learn the truth about their role in the development of America. This engaging and interactive discussion will highlight how and why the same obstacles that were being overcome in 1724 will continue to be overcome today.“

https://mccneb-edu.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJAtdO2uqTwqHdFJItSftApbBDW-o9eQ0SlO#/registration

Black History Month: Film Viewing & Discussion of “Vazante”

February 21; 5:30-8:30pm

University of Nebraska-Omaha’s Barbara Weitz Community Engagement Center

“Join the department of Black Studies and the Office of Latino/Latina American Studies (OLLAS) for a screening that promises not only a cinematic experience, but also a thought-provoking conversation on power imbalances. Vazante, is a film about a Portuguese slave trader, his family, and his enslaved Africans in Brazil during the early 1800s.”

https://events.unomaha.edu/event/film_viewing_discussion_vazante

Legacy Quest: A Black History Month Scavenger Hunt

February 24; 1-5pm

Great Plains Black History Museum

“Join the Great Plains Black History Museum, and Mister K!, Nebraska’s first ever Black Host of a Children’s Show. As our guests go on a scavenger hunt learning about the rich history of African Americans. Admission is free, there will be raffles for prizes.”

https://www.facebook.com/events/24845109941769185/?ref=newsfeed

Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow: The Balance of Natural Hair and “Professionalism” for Black Healthcare Professionals in the Workplace

February 27; 12-1:30pm

University of Nebraska Medical Center’s Michael F. Sorrell Center for Health Science Education

“Dr. Jasmine R. Marcelin is an Associate Professor of Medicine and Associate Medical Director of Antimicrobial Stewardship at University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC). She is also the inaugural Vice Chair for Equity & Inclusive Excellence in the UNMC Department of Internal Medicine and Associate Program Director of the Internal Medicine residency. Dr. Marcelin is a nationally and internationally recognized speaker and scholar focusing on identifying structural racism and disparities in healthcare and solutions to mitigate them, building a diverse and inclusive healthcare workforce, and the intersection of health equity and infectious diseases. She just completed her term as a director on the IDSA board of directors. Lunch will be provided to the first 30 in-person attendees.“

https://events.unmc.edu/event/bhm_hair_today_gone_tomorrow_the_balance_of_natural_hair_and_professionalism_for_black_healthcare_professionals_in_the_workplace