Looking for ways you and your Little can celebrate Black History Month? Look no further! There are so many incredible Black History Month activities going on in Portland and the surrounding communities. Here are a few ideas to get you started!
Events
There’s something to do every single day in February to honor Black History Month. Here are a few ideas:
- Black History Scavenger Hunt: All month, citywide (Portland)
- Cascade Festival of African Films: Jan. 31-Mar. 1, various locations (Portland)
- Black History Festival NW: Feb. 1- Mar. 3, various locations (Portland)
- African Storytelling: Feb. 12, Hollywood Library (Portland)
- African Song and Dance: Feb. 15, Capitol Hill Library (Portland)
- Buffalo Soldiers: Fighting on Two Fronts: Feb. 15, iUrban Teen (Vancouver)
- 450 Years of Oregon’s Black History: Feb. 15, Central Library (Portland)
- Storytime: Celebrate Black History Month through STEAM: Feb. 15, Tigard Public Library
- Biamp Portland Jazz Festival: Feb. 21-Mar. 1, various locations (Portland)
- Portland Trail Blazers HBCU to the Pros Night: Feb. 22, Moda Center (Portland)
- Get Grounded- A BIPOC Tree Planting Workshop: Feb. 22, Steigerwald Lake National Wildlife Refuge (Washougal, WA)
For more Black History Month events, visit https://www.eventbrite.com/d/or–portland/black-history-month/.
Museum
For the entire month of February, the 1803 Fund is sponsoring a “Black, Black History Month” pop-up museum with Creative Homies in Old Town. This three-floor museum features history, photography, paintings, film, and music exhibits.
Location: The Horizon Enterprise Building (433 NW 4th Ave., Portland, OR 97209)
Hours: Weds-Sat 10am-4pm; Sunday 11am-4pm
Restaurants
Grab a bite with your Little at these local, Black-owned restaurants and coffee shops.
- Deadstock Coffee (Portland)
- Bole Ethiopian Restaurant (Portland)
- Kee’s Loaded Kitchen (Portland)
- RichlandHub Coffee (Vancouver)
- Ingrid’s GoodStreetFood & Paleo Grill (Vancouver)
- Mamancy Tea & Chocolate (Hillsboro & Lake Oswego)
Books
Seek out books by Black authors to read with your Little. Bonus points if you get them from a Black-owned bookstore like Third Eye Books or Sunrise Books! Here are a few recommendations to get you started.
For elementary school students:
- Ellie Engle Saves Herself by Leah Johnson
- Saturday Morning at the Shop by Keenan Jones
- Black Panther the Young Prince by Ronald L. Smith
For middle school students:
- Twins by Varian Johnson
- Will’s Race for Home by Jewell Parker Rhodes
- Sunny by Jason Reynolds
For high school students:
- Our Shouts Echo by Jade Adia
- Invisible Son by Kim Johnson
- Work With What You Got: A Memoir by Zion Clark
What other ways are you celebrating Black History Month? Feel free to share photos with your Program Specialist!
