We have more than 100 special programs planned for Black History Month! Enjoy arts and crafts, author talks, concerts, film screenings, panel discussions, special exhibits, and so much more.
Here is a selection of our Black History Month programs. Visit the QPL Calendar to see the full list!
QPL BLACK HISTORY MONTH FILMFEST: CURATED BY QPL HIP HOP COORDINATOR RALPH MCDANIELS
Join us for this celebration of Black actors, Black directors, and Black films, curated by QPL Hip Hop Coordinator Ralph McDaniels! You can watch films like Shaft (1971), Lady Sings the Blues (1972), The Wiz (1978), Daughters of the Dust (1991), Juice (1991), and Black Panther (2018) at QPL locations across Queens!
Click Here for films, dates, times, and locations.
Starts Thursday, February 1
This program was made available through the generous support of Amazon.
CLASSIC BLACK FILMS FROM THE 1920s-1950s (IN-PERSON)
From silent films to musicals, African Americans have pioneered thought-provoking and entertaining cinema.
We’ll be diving deep into the archives to show you:
The films of Oscar Micheaux
Imitation of Life (the 1934 and 1959 versions)
Stormy Weather (1943), starring Lena Horne, Bill “Bojangles” Robinson, Cab Calloway, and the Nicholas Brothers
Cabin in the Sky (1943), starring Ethel Waters, Lena Horne, Louis Armstrong, and Duke Ellington
Click Here for dates, times, and locations.
Starts Thursday, February 1
FREDERICK DOUGLASS: ADVOCATE FOR EQUALITY EXHIBIT (IN-PERSON)
Queens Public Library is honored to host this traveling exhibition, which explores the full trajectory of Douglass’s epic life from 1818 to 1895: from his escape from slavery, to his work as an abolitionist, to his ongoing fight for equality during the Jim Crow era. This exhibition is made possible by The Charles H. Revson Foundation.
Thursday, February 1-Thursday, February 29
Central Library (during regular hours of service)
89-11 Merrick Boulevard
HIP HOP ART AND CULTURE EXHIBIT (IN-PERSON)
Celebrate Black History Month with 29 Days of Hip Hop art and culture at Central Library! This month-long exhibit for the whole family includes live music and art, memorabilia, fashion, and panel discussions.
Hosted by QPL Hip Hop Coordinator Ralph McDaniels.
Exhibit Opening: Thursday, February 8, 6pm, with Live Music by The Elite Band
Thursday, February 1-Thursday, February 29
Central Library (during regular hours of service)
89-11 Merrick Boulevard
BLACK HISTORY STEM CLUB (IN-PERSON)
This month, we celebrate the rich contributions of Black trailblazers in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. Each week, we will show how Black history and STEM go hand-in-hand with these hands-on activities and team projects. No experience needed—just bring your curiosity and enthusiasm! Learn More and Register Here.
Saturdays, February 17, 24
2:30pm
Queensbridge
10-43 41 Avenue
W.E.B. DU BOIS AND HIS DATA VISUALIZATIONS (VIRTUAL)
Join us for this presentation about W.E.B. Du Bois and his data visualizations, presented by data scientist Allen Hillery.
Join us on Zoom: https://queenslib.org/47aiRhi
Join us by Phone: +1 929-436-2866
Meeting ID: 898 9851 9764
Passcode: 310423
Tuesday, February 20
11am
CHARMAINE WILKERSON: BLACK CAKE AUTHOR TALK & BOOK SIGNING (IN-PERSON)
Join us for an in-depth author talk with Charmaine Wilkerson as she discusses the creative process behind her debut novel Black Cake, a story that follows the lives of a Caribbean family forever changed by the secrets made by its matriarch. Black Cake is a New York Times bestseller, a #ReadWithJenna book club pick, and the inspiration for the Hulu series of the same name. Books will be available for sale and signing.
Tuesday, February 20
1pm
South Jamaica
108-41 Guy R. Brewer Boulevard
BUTTONS, BOWS & BEADS: CREATE-A-FASHION-FIGURE WORKSHOP (IN-PERSON)
Join Cassandra Bromfield and spark your creativity, imagination, and inner fashion maven to create and decorate a one-of-a-kind paper fashion figure! Cassandra is a fashion designer, beading artist, filmmaker, and all-around Renaissance woman. Her garments have been exhibited in museums and featured in The New York Times.
Tuesday, February 20
3:30pm
Fresh Meadows
193-20 Horace Harding Expressway
BLACK HISTORY MONTH JAZZ: JAM…ZPACE ZTATION - A CREATIVE WRITING WORKSHOP (VIRTUAL)
In this Black History Month virtual workshop, we will discuss the history of the DJ from radio to turntabling, and the history of sound and music, like hip hop and jazz, in the neighborhoods of Southeast Queens. During the workshop, we will listen to music from different local artists and participants will create their own DJ responses to the historical information, music, and prompts. This program will be held on Zoom and will be led by Sherese Francis.
Register at: https://queenslib.org/3GRFFaZ
Tuesday, February 20
7pm
THEATRICAL PERFORMANCES: 39 STEPS TOWARD FREEDOM & THE MEETING (IN-PERSON)
This February, visit Langston Hughes Library for two free theatrical performances in celebration of Black History Month.
39 Steps Toward Freedom (written and directed by Michael Green)
After being humiliated, Martin Luther King, Jr. reflects on the 39 years that led him to this crucial moment as he prepares to return to Memphis, Tennessee.
The February 13 performance of 39 Steps Toward Freedom was been cancelled due to the anticipated winter storm, and it will be rescheduled. Please check our calendar for updates.
Langston Hughes
100-01 Northern Boulevard
The Meeting (written by Jeff Stetson)
A fictional account of a secret meeting between Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcolm X, two of America’s best known civil and human rights activists.
Wednesday, February 21, 11am
Thursday, February 22, 12pm & 5pm
Langston Hughes
100-01 Northern Boulevard
BLACK MILLINERS, THEIR DESIGNS, AND HANDS-ON FORMAL HEADWEAR WORKSHOP (IN-PERSON)
Visit QPL and learn from Kathy Anderson, who will share the history and work of early Black milliners and how they reinterpreted the styles of the day! View some of Kathy’s designs in this mini-exhibition of hats made with unusual materials over the past 20 years. Her hats have been featured in Today’s Black Women Magazine and as part of exhibits at Arts Westchester, FIT, and Hue Magazine, among others. Following the talk, take part in a hands-on workshop led by Kathy, where participants will make their own formal headwear called a “fascinator.” Materials will be provided for up to 15 adult participants; please call or come to the library to register.
Thursday, February 22 (This program is funded by the Office of NYC Council Member Nantasha Williams)
4pm
St. Albans
191-05 Linden Boulevard
Thursday, February 29
4pm
Cambria Heights
218-13 Linden Boulevard
LITERARY THURSDAYS: HIP HOP FASHION SHOW AND PANEL DISCUSSION (IN-PERSON & VIRTUAL)
During this special in-person episode of Literary Thursdays, our guests will explore the influence of hip hop culture on the fashion industry. Our panel includes Professor Elena Romero, co-author of Fresh Fly Fabulous: 50 Years of Hip Hop Style; Jackie Love, founder of the J-Love School of Fashion Etiquette; and Sowmya Krishnamurthy, author of Fashion Killa: How Hip-Hop Revolutionized High Fashion. After the panel discussion, enjoy a fashion show curated by Jackie Love, with music by DJ Stokes!
You can also watch on Instagram Live: https://www.instagram.com/qplnyc
This program was funded in part by Amazon.
Thursday, February 22
6pm
Central Library
89-11 Merrick Boulevard
FASHIONING THE SELF WITH JONATHAN MICHAEL SQUARE (VIRTUAL)
Jonathan Michael Square is the Assistant Professor in Black Visual Culture at the Parsons School of Design. His work has been published extensively in academic journals and the popular press, including Guernica, Vestoj, Small Axe, Hyperallergic, British Art Studies, and the International Journal of Fashion Studies, among others. A proponent of the power of social media as a platform for radical pedagogy, he founded and runs the digital humanities project Fashioning the Self in Slavery and Freedom.
Join us on Zoom: https://queenslib.org/4aEQsTu
Join us by Phone: +1 929-436-2866
Meeting ID: 810 2900 2020
Passcode: 185103
Friday, February 23
11am
ART OF THE AFRICAN DIASPORA: ONE CURATOR’S JOURNEY (IN-PERSON)
The history of a people can be found in their art. Who we are individually and collectively, what brings us joy, how we triumph over adversity, and the legacy we leave for future generations can be told through the art we create. Join Dr. Kimberli Gant, Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art at the Brooklyn Museum, as she discusses her career as a curator, what she overcame to pursue her dream, and the artists from the African Diaspora that have made a profound impact.
Thursday, February 29
6pm
Langston Hughes
100-01 Northern Boulevard
LITERARY THURSDAYS: JUSTIN C. KEY, AUTHOR OF THE WORLD WASN’T READY FOR YOU (VIRTUAL)
Black Mirror meets Get Out in this gripping story collection—reminiscent of the work of Octavia E. Butler—which deftly blends science fiction, horror, and fantasy to examine issues of race, class, and prejudice. The World Wasn’t Ready for You is an electrifying, oftentimes heartbreaking debut from an extraordinary new voice, who will discuss his creative process and more with us.
Join us on Microsoft Teams: https://queenslib.org/3RJfFne
Thursday, February 29
6pm
