A time to celebrate

Black History Month is observed each February and gives the nation an occasion to celebrate the contributions black Americans have made to the culture.

The extent of those contributions has often not been properly appreciated, a fact noted by President Gerald Ford, who officially recognized Black History Month in 1976. 

Ford urged Americans to “seize the opportunity to honor the too-often neglected accomplishments of black Americans in every area of endeavor throughout our history.”

And the significance of Black History Month -- not only for African-Americans, but for all Americans – is becoming increasingly clear, according to Andrea Taylor, executive director of the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute.

“As we move forward as a nation in the cultural, social, economic and political realm, we see that it is important to acknowledge our diversity and embrace the history that represents the making of America and creating the kind of society that all of us, regardless of race, color, creed and origin, need to be aware of and to celebrate,” she said.

It’s also significant locally that this Black History Month will mark the first full year since President Barack Obama created The Birmingham Civil Rights National Monument, according to Taylor.

The new monument, under the National Park Service, gives special status to a portion of the Civil Rights District downtown containing such iconic locations as Kelly Ingram Park and 16th Street Baptist Church.

“We are very excited in this moment of Black History Month to think about how we can actually make that monument a reality and a national treasure,” Taylor said.

Below are some of the events honoring black Americans and Alabamians in Birmingham this month. Are there other Black History Month events that we missed? Let us know at jchambers@starnespublishing.com, and we’ll add them to our list at ironcity.ink.

Feb. 1

► Washington & Du Bois: Two Opinions, One Goal. Vulcan Park and Museum, 1701 Valley View Drive. Written by playwright Lee Shackleford, this dramatic presentation compares the different philosophies of two early civil rights activists, Booker T. Washington and W.E.B. Du Bois. This will be the play’s premiere. 6 p.m. Tickets $10 ($8 for members). 933-1409. visitvulcan.com

Feb. 2-18

► “The Color Purple.”  RMTC Cabaret Theatre, 301 19th St. N. From Alice Walker’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel and Stephen Spielberg’s Oscar-nominated film comes a stage musical with a fresh, joyous score of jazz, ragtime, gospel and blues. This family chronicle is presented by Red Mountain Theatre Company. Thursday-Saturday, 7:30 p.m.; Saturday-Sunday, 2 p.m. Tickets start at $19. 324-2424. redmountaintheatre.org

Feb. 3

► Camille Armstrong Memorial Scholarship Stepshow.  Alys Stephens Performing Arts Center, 1200 10th Ave. S. The UAB Black Student Awareness Committee presents this annual event, where people cheer on their favorite National Pan-Hellenic Council organizations or step teams. The show raises money for a scholarship fund that benefits African-American undergraduates at UAB majoring in political science, with career aspirations in law. 7 p.m. $25 general admission; $20 UAB students; $17 Greek members.

Feb. 3

► Sing to Freedom: Music & Stories of The Underground Railroad. Alys Stephens Performing Arts Center, 1200 10th Ave. S. Singer and songwriter Reggie Harris, with his wife Kim, has developed this multimedia exploration of slavery and the quest for freedom, presented in story, song and narratives. 2 p.m. Tickets $10-$15.  975-2787. alysstephens.org

Feb. 6, 15, 20

► Lecture series. Norton Theatre, Birmingham-Southern College, 900 Arkadelphia Road. 

­­— Feb. 6: Amir Windom, Grammy Award-winning record executive who has worked with stars such as T.I., Bruno Mars and Kanye West.

­­— Feb. 15: Maacah Davis, the Birmingham entrepreneur who launched the fashion magazine Belladonna.

­­— Feb. 20: Andre Perez, a Chicago educator, filmmaker and community organizer who founded the Transgender Oral History Project. 11 a.m. Free.

Feb. 6

► Discover Black History Month. Birmingham Public Library, 2100 Park Place.  Archivist Jim Baggett will discuss rare items found in the BPL Archives Department. 3:30-4:30 p.m. Free. 226-3600. bplonline.org

Feb. 6

► Former Slave-Slaveholder Relationships in Postwar 1865. Birmingham Public Library, 2100 Park Place. Paul Boncella of the Southern History Department draws on historical documents to discuss how slave-slaveholder bonds both changed and stayed the same at the end of the Civil War. 6 p.m. Free. 226-3600. bplonline.org

Feb. 9

► Who Are We? A Progressive People, a Rich Legacy. Birmingham Museum of Art Auditorium, 2000 Rev. Abraham Woods Jr Blvd. The Ballard House Project will present another of its “Community Conversations.” This afternoon of panel discussions will focus on Birmingham’s past, including the issue of race and how it impacts the city’s present. Topics to be discussed include food, business and health disparities, and hosts will share clips from the Ballard House oral history project. 12:30-5 p.m. Free. 731-2000. ballardhouseproject.org

Feb. 10-11

► “Rosa Parks and the Montgomery Bus Boycott.” Birmingham Children’s Theatre, BJCC Theatre, 2100 Richard Arrington Jr. Blvd. N. This play is about Parks’ heroic resistance to Jim Crow laws in 1955 Alabama. Ages 8 and up. 2:30 p.m. Adults $20 and $28; seniors (age 60 and up) and students (ages 13-22) $18; children $10. 458-8181. bct123.org

Feb. 13

► Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. BJCC Concert Hall. This legendary company, formed by Alvin Ailey in the late 1950s, revolutionized American dance and made an honored place for African-American performers and choreographers. At the BJCC, they will present Ailey’s masterpiece, “Revelations,” as well as other works. The event, presented by The Alys Stephens Center, will be held at the BJCC due to the production’s size. 7 p.m. Tickets $28-$76. 975-2787. alysstephens.org

Feb. 15-16

► Southwestern Athletic Conference Indoor Track & Field Championship. Birmingham CrossPlex, 2331 Bessemer Road. One way to observe Black History Month is to celebrate the contributions African-Americans have made to athletics. The SWAC is made up of historically black colleges and universities such as Alabama State and Alabama A&M. 9 a.m. For tickets, call 279-8900 or go to swac.org

Feb. 25

► Beyond the Basics of Genealogy – The Beyond Kin Project: Making the Slave Connection. Birmingham Public Library, 2100 Park Place. Project co-founders Donna Cox Baker and Frazine K. Taylor will show attendees how to handle the complexities of plantation genealogy. 2:30-4 p.m. Free. Registration requested. 226-3600. Bplonline.org

Feb. 26

► Bree Newsome. UAB Hill Student Center Ballroom, 1400 University Blvd. Newsome, a filmmaker, musician, speaker and activist from North Carolina, will speak as part of the UAB Lecture Series. 7 p.m. Admission free. For details, call UAB Student Affairs at 934-8020.

Through March 16

► Martin Luther King tapestries. Birmingham Civil Rights Institute, 520 16th St. N. Three new Peter Sis-designed tapestries on display in the Odessa Woolfolk Gallery honor King and the civil rights movement and were unveiled at BCRI during its 25th anniversary celebration. Through Feb. 29, BCRI will also display the work of Huffman High School art students who use pencil and pastel oils to portray prominent individuals of the American civil rights movement in an exhibit in the Theatre Gallery called Icons of the Struggle. BCRI admission: Adults $15.00; seniors $5; college students with ID $6; children grades 4-12 $5; children third grade and below admitted free. 328-9696. bcri.org

Through Jan. 6, 2019

► Third Space. Birmingham Museum of Art, 2000 Reverend Abraham Woods Jr Blvd. Third Space — the first large exhibition of contemporary art from the BMA collection — features more than 100 works, including video, painting, sculpture and photography. It contains lots of work from African-American artists, including such Alabama-born luminaries as Lonnie Holley, Thornton Dial and Mose Tolliver. Free. 254-2565. artsbma.org

February

► Birmingham Public Library

Visit bplonline.org for more information on events and branch contact information.

Ensley Branch

► Feb. 1: Black History Month Trivia. 3:30 p.m. Free.

► Feb. 14: Beautiful Math: An Oral History of Math in African-American Culture. A presentation by educators Winfield and Elinor Burks. 3:30 p.m. free.

► Feb. 21: Movie and Popcorn. The feature film, “Hidden Figures,” tells the story of the female African-American mathematicians who were vital to the U.S. space program. 3 p.m. Free.

► Feb. 28: Black History Bingo. 3:30 p.m. Free.

Five Points WestRegional Branch

► Feb. 17: "Pink and Say." This movie tells the story of two Union soldiers — one black, one white — who become friends during the Civil War. 2 p.m. Free.

Smithfield Branch

► Feb. 5: When the Blast Occurred: Remembering the 16th Street Baptist Church Bombing. Using FBI files and forensic evidence, this presentation recalls the experiences of people who survived the civil rights-era bombings at 16th Street Baptist Church and Bethel Baptist Church. 4 p.m. Free. 

► Feb. 12:  Famous Faces Poster. Teens will take part in crafting a poster featuring inspirational African-Americans. 4 p.m. Free.

The Smithfield Library will show movies in February that celebrate African-American actors:

► Feb. 2: "The Pursuit of Happyness," starring Will Smith. 3:30 p.m. Free.

► Feb. 10: "Fences," starring Denzel Washington and Olivia Davis. 10:30 a.m. Free.

► Feb. 16: "Kidnap," featuring Halle Berry. 3:30 p.m. Free.

► Feb. 17: "Good Deeds," starring Tyler Perry, Thandie Newton and Gabrielle Union.

► Feb. 23: "Love & Basketball," with Sanaa Lathan and Omar Epps. 3:30 p.m. Free.

Southside Branch

► Feb. 10: Race. This feature film is based on Alabama-born Jesse Owen’s track and field victories in the 1936 Olympics held in Nazi Germany. 10:30 a.m. Free but registration is required and limited to 25 attendees.