This week marks the beginning of Black History Month. Black History Month is an opportunity to reflect on past and continuing racism, discrimination, and mistreatment of Black Americans as well as to celebrate the often-overlooked impact Black Americans have had in shaping our country’s society and culture. While it’s critical to acknowledge the mistreatment of Black people over the last 400 years and acknowledge that our civil systems still allow injustice, we also need to take stock of the progress that has been made and build upon that to continue to raise our awareness and develop racial equity within our country and within our organization.
In honor of Black History Month, we have compiled events and resources that we hope you’ll like.
Education:
- The National Center for Civil and Human Rights Interactive Tour (free)
- Portland Art Museum presents “Color Line: Black Excellence on the World Stage” ($25/$22 student)
- US Civil Rights Trail Interactive Map (free)
Performances:
- The Cascade Festival of African Films – presented by PCC, PSU, and other community partners, streaming a curated collection of 30 films (Feb 4-Mar 5, FREE, virtual)
- PDX Jazz Festival – back for its 19th year! (Feb 17-26, various venues; check website for tickets and info on some free concerts)
- NW Black Comedy Festival – more than 60 Black comics from all over the world (Feb. 17-20, tickets on website, Alberta Abbey, NE Portland)