LIST | Black History Month events in West Michigan

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Black History Month kicks off on Feb. 1. It was established in 1976 after President Gerald R. Ford expanded Negro History Week, which was started in 1926 by historian Carter Woodson. 

Now, Black History Month honors contributions from Black Americans and serves to educate about Black history in the U.S.

In West Michigan, events are being held throughout February and March to recognize Black History Month. 

Here's how West Michigan is celebrating:

Kent County

Black History Month Storytimes

• GRPL Main Library - 111 Library Street NE
  • Monday, Feb. 5, 10:30 a.m.
• GRPL West Leonard Branch - 1017 Leonard NW
  • Monday, Feb. 5, 6:30 pm
• GRPL West Side Branch - 713 Bridge St NW
  • Tuesday, Feb. 6, 10:30 a.m.
• GRPL Seymour Branch – 2350 Eastern SE
  • Wednesday, Feb. 7, 10:30 a.m.
• GRPL Yankee Clipper Branch – 2025 Leonard NE
  • Thursday, Feb. 8, 10:30 a.m.
• GRPL Madison Square Branch - 1201 Madison Ave SE
  • Thursday, Feb. 8, 6:30 p.m.

Always Judge a Book by the Cover | Artist Talk with Octavia Ink

• GRPL Main Library – 111 Library St NE
  • Sunday, Feb. 4, 1:30 – 4 p.m.
  • Register here

The Black Panther and Beyond | The World of Afrofuturism with Dr. Julian Chambliss

• GRPL Main Library – 111 Library St NE
  • Saturday, Feb. 17, 12:30 – 1:30 p.m.
  • Register here

Movies at Main | Black Panther: Wakanda Forever

• GRPL Main Library – 111 Library St N
  • Saturday, Feb. 17, 2 p.m. – 4:45 p.m.
  • Register here

Movies at Main | Soul

• GRPL Main Library – 111 Library St NE
  • Saturday, March 9, 1:30 – 4 p.m.

Teen Printmaking Workshop with Octavia Ink

• GRPL Main Library – 111 Library St NE
  • Monday, Feb. 19,  2 – 4 p.m.
  • Register here

Black Lives Are Beautiful

• GRPL Main Library – 111 Library St NE
  • Wednesday, March 27, 6:30 – 7:30 p.m.

Stories of the Underground Railroad Told Through Quilting

• Kent District Library Spencer Township Branch — 14960 Meddler Ave.
  • Thursday, Feb. 8, 6:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
• KDL Gaines Township Branch — 421 68th St. SE
  • Thursday, Feb. 15, 6:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
• KDL Englehardt (Lowell) Branch — 200 N. Monroe St.
  • Saturday, Feb. 24, 1 p.m. - 2 p.m.
• KDL Krause Memorial (Rockford) Branch — 140 E. Bridge St.
  • Thursday, March 7, 6:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
• KDL Plainfield Township Branch — 2650 5 Mile Rd. NE
  • Thursday, March 14, 6:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.

The 102nd United States Colored Troops: A Unique Story in Michigan’s Civil War History

• KDL Walker Branch — 4293 Remembrance Rd. NW
  • Wednesday, Jan. 31, 6:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
• KDL Plainfield Township Branch — 2650 5 Mile Rd. NE
  • Wednesday, Feb. 14, 6:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.

Idlewild: Heirlooms of the Past

• KDL Wyoming Branch — 3350 Michael Ave. SW
  • Tuesday, Feb. 6, 6:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
• KDL East Grand Rapids Branch — 746 Lakeside Drive SE
  • Tuesday, Feb. 27, 6:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.

Grand Rapids

World of Winter Black History Walking Tour

• Rosa Parks Circle
  • Saturday, Feb. 3, 2 p.m. - 3 p.m.
  • Saturday, Feb. 11, 4 - 5 p.m.
  • Monday, Feb. 26, 6 - 7 p.m.

All Black & Excellent: Music, Motown, & Maurice Chestnut

• Center for Community Transformation, 1530 Madison Ave SE
  • Thursday, Feb. 1, 6:30 p.m. - 10 p.m.

Innovators: Celebrating Black History

• Grand Rapids Public Museum, 272 Pearl St NW
  • Saturday, Feb. 3, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Black History Month Wax Museum

• Knapp Charter Academy, 1759 Leffingwell Ave NE
  • Thursday, Feb. 22, 6 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.

Ottawa County

Black History Month Lecture

• Hope College's Maas Center, 264 Columbia Ave.
  • Thursday, Feb. 15, 4 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.

Black History Art Class: Alma Thomas

• Patmos Library Depot Room, 2445 Riley St.
  • Monday, Feb. 26, 6 p.m.
  • Reserve your spot here

Taste & Tales: Honoring Black LGBTQ+ History through Film and Food

• St. John's Episcopal Church, 524 Washington Ave
  • Tuesday, Feb. 20, 6 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.

Muskegon County

No-Sew Unity Quilt Take and Make

• Hackley Public Library — 316 W. Webster Ave.
  • Available Jan. 29 while supplies last

Trivia Contest

• Hackley Public Library — 316 W. Webster Ave.
  • Saturday, Feb. 3, 2 p.m. - 3 p.m.
  • Registration preferred

Open Mic Poetry Night

• Hackley Public Library — 316 W. Webster Ave.
  • Monday, Feb. 5, 6 p.m. - 7 p.m.
  • Registration preferred

Mac and Cheese Contest

• Hackley Public Library — 316 W. Webster Ave.
  • Saturday, Feb. 10, 2 p.m. - 3 p.m.
  • Register your dish here

Sweet Soul Food Dessert Contest

• Hackley Public Library — 316 W. Webster Ave.
  • Saturday, Feb. 10, 3:30 - 4:30 p.m.
  • Register your dish here

"The Mountaintop" — Theatre Performance

• Hackley Public Library — 316 W. Webster Ave.
  • Saturday, Feb. 24, 2 p.m. - 4 p.m.
  • Registration preferred

Black Hair Care Clinic

• Hackley Public Library — 316 W. Webster Ave.
  • Monday, Feb. 26, 6 - 7 p.m.
  • Registration preferred

Mama Brenda's Soul Food Fridays

• Supper House — 2500 Jefferson Street
  • Every Friday in February, 3 - 5 p.m.

This is a not an exhaustive list. If there's an event you don't see included, send an email to news@13onyourside.com so we can add it to our list!

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