The Black Church has long been a cornerstone of Black culture, shaping movements, inspiring iconic music and art, and carrying forward enduring traditions. OMCA is honored to welcome guests to join the creators of the Black Joy Parade for a thoughtful exploration of how the Black Church has served as both a space of resistance and celebration, and why the presence of the Black Joy Choir remains central to the parade’s spirit. The afternoon opens with a soul-stirring performance by the acclaimed Black Joy Choir, followed by a premiere screening of the documentary short Total Praise: The Blueprint Behind the Black Joy Parade.
Black History Month Jazz Brunch
Join us for our annual Black History Month Jazz Brunch in the garden at Swan’s Market, a celebration of Black History month, food, music and culture. Delicious food and drink available – shrimp and grits, fresh and grilled oysters, chicken and waffles, mimosas, cocktails and more. Music by the illustrious Jazz Mafia collective. Free to attend. All folks are welcome and it’s family friendly.
Black Comedy Competition & Festival 2026
Since 1987 the Bay Area Black Comedy Competition & Festival has helped define and refine the homegrown art form which has become America’s most popular brand of stand up comedy. One of only a few major launching pads for many of the nation’s biggest stars, the BABCCF remains on the cutting edge of urban comedy, perpetually in search of comedy’s next breakout star.
Ashley Jemison: 2026 New Works Fest
2026 Jazz Aid Fund awardee Ashley Jemison is a saxophonist and composer bringing a fresh voice to contemporary smooth jazz, blending the warmth of R&B, the soulfulness of gospel and the polish of modern pop into vibrant, emotive storytelling. Her courageous battle with breast cancer strengthened her purpose as an artist, infusing her music with healing, hope, and resilience. She’ll give the world premiere of her San Jose Jazz-commissioned “Movin’ Up” in her New Works Fest set.
9th annual Black Joy Parade presented by Black Infant Health
Black culture doesn’t just participate in culture—it defines it. Our creativity, our innovation, our style, our language, our rhythm, our ideas have always moved first, setting the tone long before the rest of the world catches up.
Black History Month Concert
Free show for the community celebrating Black History Month, featuring an amazing lineup of artists representing jazz, blues, gospel, country, R&B, hip-hop, & beyond.
Black History and Futures Celebration – Bridging Generations
Join us for an in-person gathering celebrating the rich stories and bright futures of Black communities. Come connect, share, and inspire across generations in a vibrant, welcoming space. Let’s honor history and imagine what’s next together!
16th Annual Bayview Black History Month & Lunar New Year Celebration
The 16th Annual Bayview Black History Month and Lunar New Year Celebration brings together community members to honor the rich traditions, history, and contributions of African American and Asian American Pacific Islander communities in Bayview. Hosted by Community Youth Center of San Francisco (CYC) in partnership with Bayview YMCA and Chinatown Community Development Center, this annual gathering is a celebration of culture, connection, and community pride.
B2B: Back to Black | A Black History Month Celebration
Secret Muse HQ presents B2B (Back 2 Black) a Pan-African celebration of DJ culture which is rooted in Black culture. This community centric night honors carefree movement, genuine connection + elevated sound through a fully Black, female DJ lineup spinning genres from Black House, Ghetto Tech, Jazzy and Pan-African grooves, Avant-Garde Rap, Afrobeats to R&B/Soul. We gather to dance like no one’s watching to rhythms of Black folk local + international. There is no space for social climbing, just real community.
Red, Gold & Green: Reggae Legends Live
Join us at the Ruth Williams Opera House for a powerful night of reggae, roots, and conscious sound as ReggaeTownMusic.com brings together an extraordinary lineup of artists rooted in culture, community, and creative expression. This event celebrates the global legacy of Black and Brown music while reaffirming The Ruth’s mission to create platforms where community-centered art can thrive. This part of The Ruth’s curated programming for Black History Month this February.
The stage will feature dynamic performances by:
• Prezident Brown — veteran roots reggae voice with a message of uplift and empowerment
• Anthony Garvey — soulful singer and cultural storyteller
• I – Taweh — dynamic artist blending rhythms and roots energy
• Brady Shemar — rising voice in reggae and conscious music
• Donny Rasta — commanding presence on the mic with soulful vibes
• Sir Lion & DJ Hyphee — selectors and spinners embedding culture and community in every beat
BLURRING THE COLOR LINE by Crystal Kwok
Blurring the Color Line breaks racial barriers by going beyond the narratives of black & white. Much has been written about segregation upon Black people in the South, but nothing that discusses the social placement of Asian Americans during this time. This film invites critical conversations around today’s racial tensions by addressing a connective past.
Seyah X Living on Purpose presents: Tip-off for Change
Fresh from dominating in the Unrivaled League, Tiffany returns to the Bay Area to officially launch Living on Purpose
Living On Purpose is the Bay Area hub of Changing Faces Inc., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that has been serving children, families, and individuals in crisis since 1998 by improving the lives of thousands of at-risk and BIPOC youth across Southern California.
Frontier & Field: Black Cowboys from Gold Rush to Superbowl LX
Black History Month event exploring the historical, cultural & therapeutic significance of Black equestrians in American history & today.
Frontier & Field is a Black History Month program presented during Super Bowl Week. It centers on a multidisciplinary panel exploring the historical, cultural, and therapeutic significance of Black equestrians in American history and contemporary life.
Black History Superbowl
Come enjoy the Fillmore Black History Superbowl Sixty Experience Music, Dance ,Food and Games.
Want Black History at Work? We Can Help With That.
A virtual session exploring how Black history and culture can be shared at work through, professional programming.
Organizations across the country are navigating how to offer meaningful cultural and historical learning experiences at work. Even as language and approaches evolve, the need for understanding, context, and connection has not gone away.
Black in Berlin
This exhibition marks the U.S. premiere of Black in Berlin, a portrait-based project by Ethiopian-born, Berlin-based photographer Yero Adugna Eticha, presented by the Goethe-Institut San Francisco.
The project emerged in the aftermath of Berlin’s silent 2020 Black Lives Matter demonstration, which drew 15,000 participants following the murders of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor. Yet the project’s origins trace back more than fifteen years, when Eticha envisioned using the camera to make his Black friends—and by extension, Berlin’s broader Black communities—visible on their own terms.
Black History Communion Sunday
Our meaningful communion ritual isn’t just about symbolism; it’s about service. After regular services, enjoy a unique communion service that honors the accomplishments of our Black ancestors and culminates in acts of kindness to those who struggle today.
Open Question: Ocean Health
Recent research shows that climate change is destabilizing ocean currents, and making ocean waters warmer and more acidic. What do these changes mean for ocean ecosystems and the humans that rely on them?
The Exploratorium is teaming up with Point Blue Conservation Science to dig into the details. Find out what’s happening in our seas and what we can do to minimize dangerous changes.
Afrofuturism
This Black History Month, join us as we uplift and celebrate Afrofuturism: a movement in literature, music, art and more featuring futuristic and science fiction themes that incorporate elements of Black history and culture!
Take a night flight to Chabot to celebrate Black History Month in collaboration with AfroComicCon, Star Dust, and more! From themed cocktails for the grown-ups to exciting hands-on crafting for the little space explorers, this all-ages event is sure to be a hit with the whole family!
AfroComicCon will be hosting a panel discussion on the history of Afrofuturism in the Bay Area and Stardust will be doing TWO live performances in our on site planetarium!
Black Film Unscreened & Unstreamed, Lorraine Hansberry
On March 11, 1959, Lorraine Hansberry’s A Raisin in the Sun opened on Broadway and changed the face of American theater forever. As the first-ever black woman to author a play performed on Broadway, she did not shy away from richly drawn characters and unprecedented subject matter. The play attracted record crowds and earned the coveted top prize from the New York Drama Critics’ Circle. While the play is seen as a groundbreaking work of art, the timely story of Hansberry’s life is far less known.
San Francisco Black History Month Closing Ceremony 2026
MUSIC • ENTERTAINMENT • ART • CUISINE … FREE celebration
Enjoy music and delicious food and wine from African American owned businesses. Please join us in celebrating them and Black history-makers!
Special Guest
Malia Cohen, California State Controller
Culture Lounge
Enjoy music and delicious food and wine from African American owned businesses. Please join us in celebrating them and Black history-makers!
5:30PM – Program
6:30PM-9:30PM – Culture Lounge
Performance: Destiny Muhammad
Harpist from the Hood, Destiny Muhammad, shares a Black History story through the sound of African Ancestry, Field Hollers and JAZZ taking listeners on a sonic journey from Africa to Alice Coltrane.
BAHC Live! Oakland Fan Zone & Super Bowl Watch Party
The Bay Area Host Committee (BAHC) invites the community to celebrate Super Bowl Sunday at the BAHC Live! Oakland Fan Zone and the official Bay Area Super Bowl Watch Party in the East Bay.
Taking place at the historic Henry J. Kaiser Center for the Arts, this free public event brings the excitement of the Big Game directly to Oakland with a full day of entertainment, culture, and community pride.
COMMUNITY REIMAGINED: Celebrating Black Excellence
Join us in person for an inspiring event all about honoring and uplifting Black excellence! It’s a chance to connect, celebrate amazing achievements, and reimagine our community together. Come vibe with great people, powerful stories, and a shared vision for a brighter future. You won’t want to miss this uplifting experience!
Black Men’s Brain Health Conference
The Power of Community Engagement: Transforming Black Men’s Participation in Brain Health and AD/ADRD Research.
Conference Theme: This meeting will reinvent how communities engage in and benefit from scientific research. For too long, the scientific and medical fields have been criticized for research that provides little lasting value to participating communities. By centering community voices, this conference aims to tap into genuine engagement and transform Black men’s roles in brain health and AD/ADRD research. The event will be hosted at Merritt College, a public community college in Oakland, California.
New R&B Friday Feb 20 W/DJ Mind Motion at 1945 Lounge SF Celebrating BHM
Get ready to vibe with DJ Mind Motion at 1945 Lounge SF for New R&B Friday – celebrating Black History Month in style!
SF History Talk – Mad Ave Meets Golden Gate Park: Ads, Souvenirs, and More
Part of our culture is based on the premise that someone’s worth allows them to earn money and, in turn, allows them to spend it on something they deem worthy. It’s the job of those advertising agencies, known by the moniker of Madison Avenue, to entice you to part with some cash in favor of their client’s product. With the fame of Golden Gate Park’s existence, since 1870, has come the use of the park to sell many kinds of things. For some it was the park’s co-location relative to residential real estate lots where the park was the “hook.” Also, there have been many forms of product promotion from grass seed to canned fruits to name a few. Souvenirs have also been another product to hawk. And none of these ever provided the park one red cent of income!
Black to The Bay – Black History Month Celebration
Black to the Bay is a Black History Month dance celebration calling the originals back home — a grown, soulful reunion honoring Black legacy, Bay Area culture, and the music that raised us.
Join Still Here SF 415 at the legendary vintage Geoffrey’s Inner Circle for an unforgettable evening of connection, nostalgia, and movement. This is not just a party — it’s a moment.
📣 ROLL CALL, BAY AREA
If you ever danced at Das Klub, The Palladium, The 30+ Club, The Galleria, Covered Wagon, Silks, DNA Lounge, Stargaze, or Raffles —
THIS NIGHT IS FOR YOU.
A vintage homage to the spaces that shaped the culture and the community that made them legendary.
This is a private, ticketed event curated by Still Here SF 415. Any venue names referenced are included for cultural and historical context only and do not imply affiliation or endorsement.
💃🏾 THE VIBE
🎧 Live DJ Experience
Feature DJ’s:
• DJ Jerry Ross
• The World Famous Show with Big Russ & CJ Flash
• CHRISDOPE
• MC: Miguel “Dr. Funk” Fonseca
Come ready to move, laugh, and stay awhile.
🎶 Classic Hits • Timeless Energy • Pure Nostalgia
🕺🏾 Space to dance • Room to breathe • Community energy
🍷 P. HARRELL WINES
A curated tasting experience featuring P. Harrell Wines.
Available from 8:00 PM – 9:30 PM.
Piece by Piece: Celebrating African American Contemporary Art
Is a hands-on visual arts workshop that introduces participants to influential African American contemporary artists while encouraging creative interpretation through paper mosaic techniques. Participants will observe iconic works by selected artists and reconstruct visual elements using color, texture, and pattern—learning how storytelling, identity, and culture are embedded in contemporary art practices.
Presentation: Contemporary Black Voices in American Opera with SF Opera
San Francisco Opera’s Department of Engagement + Connectivity, in partnership with the San Francisco Public Library, invite you to join Cole Thomason-Redus for a continuation of his popular survey of Black Voices in American Opera. This brand-new 90-minute presentation will focus on the careers and recordings of both seasoned and emerging African American artists on today’s world stage of opera. In addition to celebrating these proud voices, we will discuss the institutional and social barriers that have often existed within the art form, and the corrective and equity-based efforts being taken today as San Francisco Opera paves the way for a new century of opera in America. Admission is free of cost and open to all.
Dreamgirls: presented by Oakland School for the Arts
Enjoy an amazing 30-minute excerpt of Oakland School for the Arts’ Dreamgirls production at the Main Library’s TeenZone in celebration of Black History Month.
Dreamgirls is coming to you live in Oakland, led by OSA Alumni and Theatre Chair Tavia Percia. This is a show that you do not want to miss! With students across pathways participating, they have poured their heart into this musical and we cannot wait to see the final result!
DIY Waistbeads
Create your own custom waist beads at the 81st Avenue Library. All supplies provided, just bring your creativity!
Opening Reception: Soul, Sonics, and Soundsystems
A welcoming public program introducing the Exhibition and Listening Room.
Soul, Sonics, and Soundsystems Sound Art Exhibition + High Fidelity Listening Room + Archival Display
Soul, Sonics, and Soundsystems is a sound‑based art exhibition featuring a dedicated Hi‑Fi Listening Room and an accompanying archival display.
Presented by Black American Sound System (BASS), the project centers intentional listening as a cultural, historical, and communal practice rooted in Black American sound.
Black Love Healing Circle Hosted by The Science of Black Love
Come join us for a fun evening of lively conversation, connection, and community. This monthly gathering is a space created with intention for the Black community to come together and explore the nature of relationships, wellness, and personal growth.
Tech x Biopharma Panel & Mixer – Featured Speaker London Breed
Leaders, inventors and investors in tech and biopharma will enjoy a thought-provoking look at the opportunities, challenges, and future at the intersection of these industries.
To ensure a meaningful and high-quality networking experience, this event is reserved for professionals in technology, science, healthcare, and pharmaceuticals. RSVPs must include your name, title, and company email for approval.
The Commonwealth Club, WeAre and MelanInScience are bring together leading voices to explore the powerful intersection of Tech and BioPharma.
Leaders, inventors and investors in tech and biopharma will enjoy a thought-provoking look at the opportunities, challenges, and future at the intersection of these industries.
What you will gain from attending:
- Breakthrough innovations shaping healthcare, drug discovery, and biotech
- Strategies for positioning yourself at the forefront of this evolving space
- Expanded network of investors, founders, and professionals across science and tech
This conversation will not only spotlight the intersection of technology and biopharma, but also serve as a space to empower and connect BIPOC professionals in tech and science while closing the racial wealth gap.
Meet the Author: Huey P. Newton’s Family – Roots of A Revolutionary Suicide
Judge Lise Pearlman will discuss her book Huey P. Newton’s Family: Roots of A Revolutionary Suicide. The talk aims to shed light on how the Newton family’s ancestry and interrelationships helped shape Black Panther Party co-founder Huey Newton’s thinking and life trajectory.
2nd Annual Where Business Law & Tech Intersect – Bay Area Edition
Panel Symposium and Networking Event highlighting some of today’s most successful Black attorneys in todays innovative economy.
Black Tech Link is thrilled to bring our highly anticipated annual Where Business, Law & Tech Intersect series back for its second year—expanding once again into the Bay Area.
This regional panel symposium will spotlight Black legal professionals working at the forefront of tech, entrepreneurship, and corporate law. Attendees will gain practical insights into navigating careers in law and technology, understanding the legal frameworks shaping innovation, and building pathways into high-growth industries.
Vocal Choir Performance: Oakland School for the Arts
Join us at the Rockridge Branch for an amazing vocal performance by Oakland School for the Arts’ students in celebration of Black History Month.
Black History Month: Embroidered Portraits
Celebrate Black History Month by embroidering a portrait of your favorite Black artist, activist, poet, musician, figure in history!
From Stigma to Strength: Overcoming Generational Trauma
Join us for a powerful Black History Month gathering rooted in storytelling, healing, and collective care. 🖤
What to expect:
✨ Panel discussions
🎶 Live entertainment
🗣 Community voices and lived experiences
📚 Resource tables and partner materials
🍽 Food and refreshments
Let’s honor Black History while mapping the way forward for Black wellness.
Teen Double Dutch Extravaganza!
Jump Squad 510 will be at Eastmont Branch on Monday, February 23rd for our monthly Double Dutch workshop and performance!
Whether you are already an elite jumper or are just getting started jumping rope, you are invited to come be a part of this workshop. Learn something new and show off what you know!
Afrofuturism On-Screen
Every Monday afternoon this month the library will be screening a free calendar of Afrofuturist defined film and media all afternoon long for your enjoyment.
Black History Month 100: A Fireside Chat with Jarvis Givens & Ula Taylor
Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Incorporated, Alpha Epsilon and Gamma Phi Lambda chapters, in partnership with the Cal Alumni Association, Black Teacher Project, and UC Berkeley Department of African American and African Diaspora Studies, are thrilled to invite you to our Black History Month 100 social and fireside chat with Professors Jarvis Givens and Ula Taylor, which will be moderated by Dr. Micia Mosely.
Join us for an intimate conversation that will open space to reflect on the 100-year journey of Black History Month, and discuss how we can continue the tradition of teaching and preserving Black history to shape a better future. We invite you to hear their stories, share your experiences, and connect with community members as we celebrate this milestone. We are striving to create a space where all attendees depart feeling inspired and recharged to continue fighting for a world that is more free and more beautiful.
9th Annual Black Joy Parade
Join OPL in celebrating Black Joy! Every year thousands of people come to the Black Joy Parade to support Black business, artists, performers, activists and more.
Black History Month Bookmarks
Join us for a special family craft, led by community volunteer A’sonda Adams , in honor of Black History Month. We will be creating custom bookmarks. Hope to see you there !
Afro-Urban Beats For Children and Caregivers
Afro-Urban Beats: Miss Kanukai leads this fun dance workshop for children and their caregivers. Please wear comfortable clothing and shoes that will stay on (Crocs are not recommended).
Find Your Fit Community Closet Kickoff
At 81st Avenue branch we believe that access to basic essentials and seasonal clothing should be a right, not a privilege. The Community Closet is a space where individuals can access items they need at no cost. Join us on Feb 20th for an opportunity to upcycle and find an outfit to take home.
