Black History Month begins Feb. 1. There are several opportunities to participate in the observance of Black history and culture in Denver throughout the month (and all year).
Here are some ways that you can celebrate Black History Month, from live jazz performances in Five Points to an event series focused on exploring Colorado's Black diaspora to an interactive map for a self-guided tour on Black art around the city and much more.
Jazz Roots in Five Points
Date: Saturdays, Feb. 17 and 24, 1-6 p.m.
Location: Multiple
The second annual Jazz Roots event series will feature a lineup of musicians, poets and dancers highlighting the rich history of jazz through live performance.
Notable performers include Queen City Jazz Band, Gabe Mervine Jazz Trio and Taryn Newborn. There will also be jazz poetry sessions at Spangalang Brewery and a Black art exhibit at Blair-Caldwell African American Research Library.
For a full run-down of the Jazz Roots Experience, click here.
Punch 9 for Harold Washington Documentary Screening and Panel Discussion
Date: Friday, Feb. 16, movie starts at 5:30 p.m.
Location: Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Theatre, 119 Park Ave. West
Join the Colorado Black Round Table for a documentary screening on the election of Harold Washington, Chicago's first Black mayor. The screening will be following by a panel discussion with Black leaders and advocate.
The event is free, refreshments will be served and RSVP is required to [email protected].
Amoako Boafo: Soul of Black Folks at Denver Art Museum
Date: Open through Feb. 19
Location: Hamilton Building, 100 W. 14th Ave. Pkwy., Level 1
Visit the debut solo exhibition tour of Ghanaian artist Amoako Boafo whose work focuses on the viewers' gaze through his portraits representing Black life. Featuring more than 30 works created between 2016 and 2022, the pieces center Black subjectivity, Black joy and the Black gaze.
Click here for more information on the exhibition, open through February 19.
Black History Live
Date: Feb. 9, 10, 12
Location: Multiple
Presented by Colorado Humanities, the Black History Live tour is an annual performance recognizing the significant contributions of African Americans throughout history. This year's statewide tour will highlight the legacies of Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King Jr.
Performed by nationally acclaimed scholar and actor Becky Stone, as well as scholar and actor Marvin Jefferson, the show is a first-person dramatization of each historical figure, including a 40-minute monologue followed by a 20-minute Q&A with the characters and scholars.
Click here for information on each Denver show, as well as more information on the actors of the show.
Black History Month at Dazzle
Date: Month-long
Location: Dazzle Denver, 1080 14th St.
Be sure to check out Dazzle's event calendar for various events throughout the month of February celebrating Black musicians and their contributions to Denver's music scene over the years.
Shows to look out for include Jazz trumpeter and friend of both Louis Armstrong and Miles Davis, Eddie Henderson, "Spirituals According to Jazz" with Wil Alston, and "King of Beats: A Tribute to J Dilla" led by an emergent four-piece band, ManyColors.
Click here to visit Dazzle's event calendar for more shows throughout the month helping celebrate Black History Month in Denver.
Blaxplanation Event Series at History Colorado
Date: Multiple
Location: Multiple (including virtual)
Intended to explore the stories of Colorado's Black diaspora outside of the context of slavery, History Colorado has hosted a series of events highlighting the contributions and achievements of the Black community in society.
Some events include a virtual screening of "The Making of buffalo soldiers: reVision," an exhibition on the complicated legacy of the all-Black Army regiments following the Civil War, as well as a lecture on how environmental racism and an inequitable access to natural resources for marginalized communities has played out in Colorado.
Visit the Blaxplanation Event Series page for more information on events scheduled through the month of July.
Black History Month Public Art Tour
Date: Anytime
Location: Multiple
Denver Arts & Venues has compiled a list of works by Black artists, as well as other works celebrating Black history, for people to check out around town.
Presented in the form of an interactive map, visitors can plan a self-guided tour of murals, sculptures, abstract paintings and mosaics, many created by local artists.
Click here to start planning your self-guided tour.
Celebrate Black History with the Denver Public Library
Date: Anytime
Location: Multiple
Folks over at DPL have compiled a curated list of books, programs, services and recommendations for diving deep into the historical innovations and contributions of African Americans in our society.
Peruse through a list of kids books, teen picks, adults reads, music and movies that celebrate Black history.
