The best Black History Month events in NYC

Through March 7, ACA Galleries will display its newest exhibition, Continuum: Over 100 Years of Black Art, celebrating paintings, drawing and sculptures by African American artists from the 19th century to the present. Works by Romare Bearden (including a rare 1981 Jazz collage), Benny Andrews, Edward Bannister,Winston Branch, Elizabeth Catlett, Robert Colescott, Robert S. Duncanson, Sam Gilliam, Clementine Hunter and more will be on view. “By featuring works that span nearly a century, this presentation offers a glimpse into artistic excellence, resilience, and innovation,” ACA Galleries representatives said. “The show invites viewers to consider the enduring impact of these artists within the broader history of American art.”

Join the Unsung Collective—a Harlem-based music collective devoted to celebrating stories of the Black experience—as well as players from the New York Philharmonic, opera singer Brandon Coleman, and performance artist and choreographer Tislarm Bouie for a special night celebrating Black History Month. “An Unsung Symphony” will take place at the historic Abyssinian Baptist Church in Harlem on Saturday, February 21 at 7pm. Via the works of Tchaikovsky and Carlos Simon, performed with accompanying visuals, the concert will illustrate leading health disparities for men of color.

On February 23, the James Beard Foundation is hosting a one-night-only dinner at its Platform show kitchen celebrating Black culinary heritage and storytelling with two James Beard Award-recognized chefs: Omar Tate and Cybille St.Aude-Tate of Philadelphia’s Honeysuckle. Following a cocktail reception with passed hors d'oeuvre upon arrival, the evening will segue into a multi-course menu highlighting fermentation and ancestral techniques, as well as ingredients sourced from Black farmers, regional producers, and the team’s own farm in Pipersville, Pennsylvania. The meal will also include a Q&A with the featured chefs.

Taking its name and power from Billie Holiday's haunting, iconic protest song, Strange Fruit comes to Joe's Pub on Thursday, February 26 as a vital reminder that history must not repeat itself. Holiday's lyrics exposed the terror of lynching and racial violence against Black bodies in America—here, each live performance "becomes an act of protest, reframing the song as a modern expression of power, remembrance, and resistance in response to today’s political climate," say organizers. 

Across nine days (February 20-28), the 3rd Annual Rhythms & Movements Festival will commemorate Black History Month with a triumphant lineup of theater, dance, music, spoken word and visual art that immersively explore African American identity and activism. Held across three venues (BRIC Ballroom, Billie Holiday Theatre and The Theater at City Tech), the slate includes an evening concert with percussionist Kweku Sumbry and vibraphonist Joel Ross; a high-energy dance party highlighting community and cultural expression; original stage productions including the youth-focused play The Mad Scientist and the dance showcase The Revival: Djembe in the New Millennium, among others. 

Comedian Brandon Collins brings his one-of-a-kind, booze-fueled deep dive into Black history back to the Bell House for "Drunk Black History: 100 Years of Black History Month." On Friday, February 13, the special-edition show will find Collins as well as improv group UCBLK, Akilah Hughes, Meka Mo and Nikole Hannah-Jones, among others, as they recount the stories of overlooked figures and moments in Black history, all while hilariously tipsy. Along with the funny commentary and educational exploration of Black historical figures, this special Black History Month edition will also include audience giveaways.

The Free Black Women’s Library is a free library in Brooklyn's Bed-Stuy neighborhood, which also serves as a social art project, a reading room, a co-working space and a community gathering center. The library "celebrates the brilliance, diversity and imagination of Black women and Black non-binary authors." All 5,000 books in the library's collection are written by Black women and non-binary authors. 

New York City's Black community contributes to making New York one of the best food cities in the world, and there are plenty of amazing Black-owned restaurants and bars to choose from. Whether it's Melba's, Sylvia's, Hav & Mar, BKLYN Blend, Peaches or Charles Pan Fried Chicken, there's no shortage of Black-owned restaurants to eat at, so make sure to check out a list of our favorites.