- Gainesville will host free Black History Month events in February 2026 including a step show on Feb. 7 and a poetry showcase the same day.
- The city will honor Rosa Parks on Feb. 24 and offer a month-long self-guided tour at Evergreen Cemetery highlighting notable Black residents.
The city of Gainesville will observe Black History Month in February with multiple public performances and remembrance events, starting on Saturday, Feb. 7.
Black History Month is a month-long celebration of the achievements and cultural recognition of African Americans, from the early days of the Abolitionist movement, Reconstruction, the Harlem Renaissance, Black Arts Movement and the Civil Rights Movement during Jim Crow to the present day.
The following events are slated for February and are free and open to the public:
The Florida Invitational Step Show, “The Stroll”
When: Noon-3 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 7
Where: Bo Diddley Plaza, 111 E. University Ave.
Join African American sororities and fraternities, local cheer and dance teams for an electrifying step show. Event features Zeta Kappa – Phi Beta Sigmas, ReKonstruction Dance Troupe (REKO – FAMU, BSU and UCF), local dance teams Smooth Flava Dance, Top Notch Divas, The Infamous Diamonds and more.
A Celebration of Black, Love, Art and Poetry
When: 6-9 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 7
Where: Oakview Community Center, 810 NW 8th Ave.
Poets and visual artists will feature the essence of Black love in a poetry showcase and local visual artists. Event co-sponsored by Bailey Learning and Arts Collective, Inc.
Rosa Parks Day
When: 11 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 24
Where: RTS Rosa Parks Transfer Station, 700 SE 3rd St.
This event celebrates the life and legacy of Rosa Parks (Feb. 4, 1913 to Oct. 24, 2005) at the city’s Regional Transit System bus station named in her honor. In 1955, the civil rights activist refused to give up her seat on a Montgomery, Alabama bus. Her actions sparked the Montgomery Bus Boycott, led by the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and helped fuel the Civil Rights Movement and the end of racial segregation.
Evergreen Cemetery Self-guided Tour
Where: 401 SE 21st Ave.
All month long, Gainesville honors honor the lives, achievements and contributions of the Black residents interred at the city’s only municipal cemetery by sharing stories on its Facebook page. On-site honorary signage will indicate the gravesites of bluesman Willie Green, club owner Sarah McKnight and others for neighbors who wish to take a self-guided tour of the historic cemetery, established in 1856.