Community Corner
Black History Month 2024 Events Planned In Worcester
This year, Black History Month will celebrate the theme "African Americans and the Arts."
WORCESTER, MA — Several events are planned in Worcester this February to observe Black History Month, which this year celebrates “African Americans and the Arts.”
Black History Month begins Thursday and continues through Leap Day on Feb. 29. Since 1976, every U.S. president has set aside February as a month to celebrate the achievements of African Americans and their role in U.S. history.
African American art is infused with multiple cultural influences, including African, Caribbean and the Black American lived experiences, according to the Association for the Study of African American Life and History, the founder of Black History Month.
These influences are seen in the visual and performing arts, literature, fashion, folklore, language, film, music, architecture, culinary and other forms of cultural expression.
In Worcester, the city lists the following events:
- Worcester Public Library will be doing a Black History Collaboration Quilt all month. Dates include Feb 1, 2, 12-16, 20-22 and 26-29 - Learn More!
- February 17 at 2 p.m. - Film showing: Biking While Black - Register Online
- February 24 at 2 p.m. - "The Greatest Cyclist of All Time" - Register Online
- February 2 at 2 p.m. - Friday Flick Free Movie - Worcester Senior Center Lunchroom. The true story of Mamie Till-Mobley's relentless pursuit of justice for her 14-year-old son, Emmett Till, who was brutally lynched in 1955 while visiting his cousins in Mississippi.
- February 8 at 11:30 a.m. - African Cultural Meal - Ground Nut Stew, Jollof Rice and Cinnamon Apples, $3.00 per person, catered by QCC HRM. Please call 508-799-1232 to sign up for this meal.
- February 8 at 11:30 a.m. (Snow Date 2/15) - Enjoy Music by Charles Ketter and Dan Hunt
Charles Ketter and Dan Hunt play music with a deep love and affection for African American involvement with plectrum guitar. From field songs to hard bop!
A complete list is available at the city's website.
The first Black History Month observance was held nearly 100 years ago. Called Negro History Week at the time, it was established by Harvard-trained historian Carter G. Woodson, the son of illiterate former slaves, who believed that the important contributions of Black Americans had been largely overlooked in published accounts of U.S. history.
Revered as the “father of Black History Month,” Woodson established the Association for the Study of African American Life and History in 1915 to create a social scientific collection recording and publicizing the accomplishments of Black Americans.
