The Stax Museum of American Soul Music is celebrating Black History Month by offering free online events all throughout February.
The Stax Museum’s Free Black History Month Virtual Tour features “Magnetic South: All Signs Point to Soulsville USA,” an exhibit that follows the history of Stax Records through the stories of four specific figures. These figures include Mavis Staples, the owner of Stax Al Bell, Bettye Crutcher and drummer of Booker T & the MGs Al Jackson Jr.
Featuring interviews from musicians based in Memphis such as Tonya Dyson, Keia Johnson and Terence Clark, each Stax Records alum’s legacies are honored. The program also gives insight into what led them to Stax Records and how Memphis influenced their work.
In addition to “Magnetic South: All Signs Point to Soulsville USA,” the Stax Museum’s Black History Month celebrations include “Soul of America: An Evolution of Black American Music.” This virtual event features a show by the Stax Music Academy that traces the history of Black American music through performances. Songs by B.B. King, Duke Ellington, the Rufus Sisters and Beyonce will be performed in areas throughout the South that are important in the history of Black American Music.
Here are five other free virtual events honoring Black History Month.
The Past, Present and Future of Black History: The Northwest African American Museum, otherwise known as NAAM, has collaborated with Lonnie Bunch, the first Black and the first historian to assume the role of the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution.
Bunch, who also served as the founding director of the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture, will be speaking on Black history and its formation in the past, present and future. The founder of BlackPast.org and former professor at the University of Washington, Dr. Quintard Taylor, will also join the conversation as a moderator.
The event will be held on Feb. 17 at 8 p.m. EST.
P&P Live! THE FUTURE OF BLACK:
A Poetry Panel: Presented by bookstore Politics and Prose, this event showcases writers who blend together poetry with Black superheroes. Drawing inspiration from characters such as the Black Panther and Luke Cage, the poets incorporate Afrofuturism, an aesthetic based on the African diaspora, science fiction and history.
Writers Anastacia-Renee, Casey Rocheteau, Ashley M. Jones, Cortney Lamar Charleston, Sheree Renée Thomas will be participating with Gary Jackson and Len Lawson moderating.
The discussion will be held on Feb. 18 at 6 p.m. EST.
20 Banned Black Films You Need to See. 15 Years of African Odysseys:
Watch 20 banned Black Films and learn about their histories in this free virtual event.
Hosted by the organization Black History Walks, the African Odysseys film program will provide information on why the movies were banned, how the government agencies stifled independent movies, where to watch African and Caribbean movies and more.
The film screening will be held on Feb. 13 at 12 p.m. EST.
Black History is Poster History:
Poster House, a museum dedicated specifically to posters, is holding a virtual event on Black history. In conversation with Dr. Jonathan Square, an assistant professor at Parsons School of Design specializing in Black Visual Culture, the museum will discuss how Black artists have represented and expressed themselves in art design by examining these works of art.
The event will be held on Feb. 22 at 6:30 p.m. EST.
Reframing Black Art through Black History: Kids Drawing Class
Brown Girls Unite is offering a free virtual art session for children. The event walks children through a drawing session inspired by Black history. It also features a brief lesson on Black artists and Black history through different pieces of art.
Brown Girls Unite will host the event every Sunday in February at 2 p.m. EST.
