The City of Gainesville will commemorate Black History Month in February with free community events highlighting Black culture, history and achievements.
The celebration will start with “Hats: Wear Your Fancy Hats” from 4 to 8 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 1, at the A. Quinn Jones Museum & Cultural Center (1013 NW 7th Ave.). It will feature an art exhibit by Mark A. Hopkins, live jazz and a Smooth Flava Dance Troupe performance.
“A Celebration of Black, Love, Art, and Poetry” will take place from 6 to 8 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 15, at Santa Fe College Blount Center (530 W. University Ave.). The event will highlight spoken word and visual art, co-sponsored by Bailey Learning and Arts Collective, Inc.
The Florida Invitational Step Show, “The Stroll,” takes place from noon to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 22, at Bo Diddley Plaza (111 E. University Ave.), featuring African American sororities, fraternities, and local dance teams. Co-sponsored by UF Black Student Union and UF Student Government.
From 3 to 5 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 23, the “Matthew Lewey Intergenerational Celebration” at The Historic Thomas Center (302 NE 6th Ave.) will highlight the life of Matthew Lewey, a postmaster, educator, Civil War veteran and state legislator.
Throughout February, visitors can take a self-guided tour of Evergreen Cemetery (401 SE 21st Ave.), where the city will honor notable Black residents with on-site signage and stories shared on Facebook.