Explore Dallas’ Celebrations for Black History Month: Events, Tours, and Cultural Highlights

While there is no blueprint for celebrating Black History Month, Dallas offers a rich array of cultural experiences that celebrate the contributions and history of African Americans. Below is a curated list of events, performances, tours, and educational opportunities you can attend throughout February.

Things to Do

1. Last chance to see The Color Purple, the Tony Award‑winning musical, at the Music Hall at Fair Park through Feb. 4. The show adapts Alice Walker’s novel about a young woman in rural Georgia in the early 1900s.
2. See Yellowman at the South Dallas Cultural Center between Feb. 1‑11. The two‑person play confronts colorism and the damaging effects of self‑hatred.
3. Enjoy a free Black History Month film screening on Feb. 3 at the Dallas Public Library‑J. Erik Jonsson Central Library, highlighting a pivotal moment in the Civil Rights Movement.
4. Celebrate black culture at the Pan‑African Connection Bookstore’s Sankofa Circle Launch Party on Feb. 3. The event features live drumming, children’s activities, spoken word, African art, a panel discussion, and more.
5. Explore Dallas’ heritage with the DFW African American Tours every Saturday through February, beginning Feb. 3. The three‑hour tour visits over 20 historic sites, tracing the African American experience from the post‑Civil War era to the rise of Deep Ellum and the Southern Dallas migration.
6. Attend a free community cooking class at the Juanita Craft Recreation Center every Tuesday from Feb. 6‑Mar. 13. Learn about the history and healthful roots of traditional African cuisine, acquire basic skills, and prepare meals hands‑on.
7. Discover the first African American Supreme Court Justice in the Bishop Arts Theatre Center’s production of Thurgood by George Stevens Jr., running Feb. 7‑25.
8. Enjoy a night of poetry at Poetry Smash #4: A Poet’s Caress on Feb. 8 at the Clarence Muse Café Theater, hosted by the Black Academy of Arts and Letters in downtown Dallas.
9. Visit the George W. Bush Library and Museum for the 3rd Annual Art Past and Present: From a Black Artist’s Perspective exhibit, on display Feb. 9‑22.
10. Experience the South Dallas Cultural Center Music Lounge on Feb. 10, a new series of intimate gatherings showcasing music genres born from African American culture.
11. Take the family to the Commemorative Air Force on Feb. 10 for the free RISE ABOVE traveling exhibit, teaching youth about the Tuskegee Airmen and offering hands‑on history.
12. View the free Affirmations gallery exhibit at the South Dallas Cultural Center from Feb. 10‑Mar. 24. The show features work by female artists of color, exploring identity, faith, religion, and the soul.
13. Attend “African American Heroism and America’s Racial Past” at the Dallas Institute of Humanities and Culture on Feb. 12, presented by ER doctor and National Geographic photographer Dr. Jeff Gusky. Gusky shares the stories of heroes Freddie Stowers and Burton Holmes, who were denied the Medal of Honor in WWI.
14. Visit the African American Museum at Fair Park on Feb. 15 for a lecture by Dr. John Gruesser, Ph.D., on Sutton E. Griggs and “The Hindered Hand.” The talk is part of a scholarly edition of Griggs’ biography.
15. Join a panel on leadership at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Center on Feb. 16, featuring Dallas’ most distinguished businessmen and exploring how their heritage shaped careers.
16. See the Dallas Black Dance Theatre’s Cultural Awareness series at the Wyly Theatre Feb. 16‑18. The performance blends dance, poetry, and a live Second Line brass band to honor Hurricane Katrina’s 12‑year anniversary.
17. Enjoy a classic black film at the Texas Theatre’s Black Cinematheque Filmmaker Series throughout February. Screenings include Boyz n the Hood (Feb. 10), Super Fly (Feb. 17), Malcolm X (Feb. 24), etc., with admission only $1.
18. Attend a free concert by the South Dallas Cultural Center’s Concert Choir on Feb. 17, highlighting traditions of black culture.
19. Celebrate with a Dallas queen at Erykah Badu Presents: Bless You Bruja! Another Badu Birthday at the Bomb Factory on Feb. 23. Badu’s annual birthday jam features live performance, surprises, and special guests.