Black History Month, which takes place in February every year, is celebrated throughout Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill, and the rest of the Triangle, with festivals, storytelling, performances, lectures and much more.
We’ve put together a list of some of the special events taking place around the Triangle for Black History Month in 2023, as well as a few places that have a focus on African American history and culture all year.
If you’d like to, jump to the events list.
Also, please check out North Carolina Black History Reading List. It includes 30 books, for both adults and children, that address Black history and culture, and also have a connection to North Carolina — either in subject matter, or through the author or illustrator.
Do you know of other events or places that should be on the list? Just send us an email to info@triangleeonthecheap.com and we’ll get it onto the list, time permitting.
African American History and Culture in the Triangle
Scroll down for a big list of Black History Month events in February, but first, here’s a look at a few places to immerse yourself in African American history and culture all year in the Triangle. Jump to events list.
Stagville State Historic Site
5828 Old Oxford Highway, Durham
919-620-0120
Historic Stagville includes part of one of the largest North Carolina plantations. Protected are the original slave quarters, a barn and a family house. Stagville’s focus is teaching about the lives and works of the enslaved people who lived on the plantation.
Visiting Stagville is free, as are self-guided tours. Guided tours are $2 for adults and $1 for children and seniors. You’ll need a car to visit all the sites. Donations are appreciated.
Hayti Heritage Center
804 Old Fayettesville Street, Durham
919-683-1709
Hayti Heritage Center, in the historic St. Joseph’s AME Church, preserves the history and culture of Hayti, a historic African-American community that is now part of Durham. The former church complex is listed on the register of national historic landmarks.
Today Hayti Heritage Center is home to vibrant arts programming year round, including the Hayti Heritage Film Festival, concert series, art galleries and more. It’s the starting point for tours of the Hayti neighborhood. It’s free to visit. Information on ticketing for events and activities is available on Hayti Heritage Center’s website.
Pope House Museum
511 S Wilmington Street, Raleigh
919-996-2220
This is the only African-American house museum in North Carolina. It features original furnishings and artifacts from Dr. Manassa Thomas Pope and his family. It’s open on Saturdays and free to visit.
Historic Russell School
2001 St. Marys Road, Hillsborough
919-452-6082
The Russell School is the last remaining Rosenwald School in Durham County. Rosenwald Schools were built in the early 20th century during a time when segregation prohibited black children from getting an eduction.
Rosenwald Schools were a collaboration of many people, including Booker T. Washington and Julius Rosenwald, who believed that black children in the rural south should have access to a formal education.Tours are available by appointment only right now, but normally, are offered the second Saturday of the month from April to September.
Geer Cemetery
800 Colonial Street, Durham
Geer Cemetery is one of Durham’s oldest African-American burial grounds. More than 1,500 men, women, and children were buried in Geer Cemetery from 1877 to 1944, many of them experiencing slavery, rural-to-urban-migration, and the inhumanity of Jim Crow firsthand.
Black History Month Events in the Triangle
We start our list at the end of January because of the excellent African American Cultural Celebration at the North Carolina Museum of History, which takes place January 27, 2024.
Friday, January 26, 2024
Willa Brigham: A Thread Runs Through It -- Meet the Artist Reception
6:00 pm to 8:00 pm | FREE | Page-Walker Arts & History Center, Cary
Saturday, January 27, 2024
22nd Annual African American Cultural Celebration at North Carolina Museum of History
10:30 am to 4:30 pm | FREE | North Carolina Museum of History, Raleigh
Thursday, February 1, 2024
Personal History Workshop for Seniors (drop-in workshop)
11:00 am to 3:00 pm | FREE | John Chavis Memorial Park (Raleigh)
Friday, February 2, 2024
Get Moving at Chavis: Walk and Groove at Chavis Indoor Track
10:00 am to 9:00 pm | FREE | John Chavis Memorial Park (Raleigh)
First Friday at Eno Arts Mill: Blackfuturism
6:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | Eno Arts Mill, Hillsborough
A Brilliant and Uncertain Performance with poet Dasan Ahanu and The Holloway Group Band
8:00 pm | FREE | The Cary Theater
Saturday, February 3, 2024
Field and Factory Tour at Duke Homestead
11:15 am | FREE | Duke Homestead
Annual NC MLK and Black History Month Parade in Durham
12:00 pm | FREE | Fayetteville Street and Burlington Avenue, Durham
Living in Color: Artist Exhibit Opening Reception at Dix Park
1:30 pm to 3:30 pm | FREE | The Chapel at Dix Park
Capital City Steppers
2:00 pm to 3:00 pm | FREE | Southeast Regional Library, Garner
CRAFT IT: Woven Painting
2:00 pm to 4:00 pm | FREE | Southgate Community Library, Raleigh
Sunday, February 4, 2024
Black Excellence in Science at Museum of Life + Science
10:00 am to 4:00 pm | $0-23.00 | Museum of Life+Science, Durham
Black History Month Concert: Erin Blue
3:00 pm | FREE | Carrboro Century Center
Monday, February 5, 2024
African Americans and the Arts, an Evening with Joseph Jordan
6:00 pm to 8:00 pm | FREE | Carrboro Century Center
Tuesday, February 6, 2024
Black History Trivia
7:00 pm to 9:00 pm | FREE | John Chavis Memorial Park (Raleigh)
Wednesday, February 7, 2024
A Taste of Black History: Lunch
11:30 am to 1:30 pm | FREE | Cary Senior Center
Black History Month Walking Tours in Wake Forest
1:00 pm | FREE | Taylor Street Park, Wake Forest
Kids Storytime and Craft: Spotlight on a Scientist
5:30 pm to 7:30 pm | FREE | John Chavis Memorial Park (Raleigh)
Friday, February 9, 2024
Free tours of Pope House Museum for Black History Month
10:00 am | FREE | Pope House, Raleigh
Black History Month Walking Tours in Wake Forest
1:00 pm | FREE | Taylor Street Park, Wake Forest
Free tours of Pope House Museum for Black History Month
2:00 pm | FREE | Pope House, Raleigh
Saturday, February 10, 2024
Meet the Artist: Quilting
11:00 am to 12:00 pm | FREE | North Regional Library, Raleigh
Field and Factory Tour at Duke Homestead
11:15 am | FREE | Duke Homestead
Black History Expo
12:00 pm to 4:00 pm | FREE | Alston-Massenburg Center, Wake Forest
Sunday, February 11, 2024
Family Day: Black History Month
1:00 pm to 3:00 pm | FREE | Nasher Museum of Art, Durham
Monday, February 12, 2024
Spotlight on an African American Athlete: Tots Storytime and Play
10:30 am to 11:30 am | FREE | John Chavis Memorial Park (Raleigh)
Celebrating Black People in America, an Evening with Kenny Mann, Jr.
6:00 pm to 8:00 pm | FREE | Carrboro Century Center
Tuesday, February 13, 2024
Free tours of Pope House Museum for Black History Month
10:00 am | FREE | Pope House, Raleigh
Free tours of Pope House Museum for Black History Month
2:00 pm | FREE | Pope House, Raleigh
Wednesday, February 14, 2024
Free tours of Pope House Museum for Black History Month
10:00 am | FREE | Pope House, Raleigh
Black History Month Walking Tours in Wake Forest
1:00 pm | FREE | Taylor Street Park, Wake Forest
Free tours of Pope House Museum for Black History Month
2:00 pm | FREE | Pope House, Raleigh
Thursday, February 15, 2024
Free tours of Pope House Museum for Black History Month
10:00 am | FREE | Pope House, Raleigh
Free tours of Pope House Museum for Black History Month
2:00 pm | FREE | Pope House, Raleigh
Friday, February 16, 2024
Free tours of Pope House Museum for Black History Month
10:00 am | FREE | Pope House, Raleigh
Black History Month Walking Tours in Wake Forest
1:00 pm | FREE | Taylor Street Park, Wake Forest
Free tours of Pope House Museum for Black History Month
2:00 pm | FREE | Pope House, Raleigh
Saturday, February 17, 2024
Black Inventors Workshop for Kids
11:00 am to 1:00 pm | FREE | John Chavis Memorial Park (Raleigh)
Fusion Family Day at Artspace
11:00 am to 3:00 pm | FREE | Artspace, Raleigh
Field and Factory Tour at Duke Homestead
11:15 am | FREE | Duke Homestead
NC Jazz Ensemble Presents The Future of Jazz
7:00 pm | $20.00 | Cary Arts Center
Sunday, February 18, 2024
Black History Concert: Collective Groove Band
4:30 pm | FREE | Carrboro Century Center
Tuesday, February 20, 2024
Free tours of Pope House Museum for Black History Month
10:00 am | FREE | Pope House, Raleigh
Free tours of Pope House Museum for Black History Month
2:00 pm | FREE | Pope House, Raleigh
Wednesday, February 21, 2024
Free tours of Pope House Museum for Black History Month
10:00 am | FREE | Pope House, Raleigh
Meet the Artist: Shawn Etheridge
10:30 am to 11:30 am | FREE | Oberlin Regional Library, Raleigh (formerly named Village Regional Library)
Black History Month Walking Tours in Wake Forest
1:00 pm | FREE | Taylor Street Park, Wake Forest
Free tours of Pope House Museum for Black History Month
2:00 pm | FREE | Pope House, Raleigh
Storytelling and Drumming with Shenette Swann
4:30 pm to 5:30 pm | Southgate Community Library, Raleigh
Stories of the Past, Present, and Future
6:30 pm to 8:30 pm | FREE | John Chavis Memorial Park (Raleigh)
Thursday, February 22, 2024
Free tours of Pope House Museum for Black History Month
10:00 am | FREE | Pope House, Raleigh
Free tours of Pope House Museum for Black History Month
2:00 pm | FREE | Pope House, Raleigh
Afro-Caribbean Night at the Nasher
6:00 pm to 8:30 pm | FREE | Nasher Museum of Art, Durham
Friday, February 23, 2024
Free tours of Pope House Museum for Black History Month
10:00 am | FREE | Pope House, Raleigh
Black History Month Walking Tours in Wake Forest
1:00 pm | FREE | Taylor Street Park, Wake Forest
Free tours of Pope House Museum for Black History Month
2:00 pm | FREE | Pope House, Raleigh
Saturday, February 24, 2024
STREAM Symposium
9:00 am to 1:30 pm | FREE | Downtown Cary Park
10:00 am to 12:30 pm | FREE | Dennis A. Wicker Civic and Conference Center, Sanford
Health and Wellness Fair
10:00 am to 2:00 pm | FREE | Carrboro Century Center
Black is the Color -- A Film About the History of African American Art
11:00 am to 12:30 pm | $4.00-6.00 | The Cary Theater
Field and Factory Tour at Duke Homestead
11:15 am | FREE | Duke Homestead
Meet the Heroes--a kid-friendly, interactive Black History event
12:00 pm to 5:00 pm | FREE | Walltown Park Recreation Center
Black History Celebration: Liberation Through Education
2:00 pm to 5:00 pm | FREE | Education Justice Alliance, Raleigh
Sunday, February 25, 2024
The Ongoing Fight for Freedom: Stories of NC’s Black Veterans
3:00 pm to 5:00 pm | FREE | William and Ida Friday Center
Black History Month Concert: Mary Williams
3:00 pm | FREE | Carrboro Century Center
Tuesday, February 27, 2024
Free tours of Pope House Museum for Black History Month
10:00 am | FREE | Pope House, Raleigh
Free tours of Pope House Museum for Black History Month
2:00 pm | FREE | Pope House, Raleigh
Legacy of the Tuskegee Airmen
6:00 pm to 7:30 pm | FREE | John Chavis Memorial Park (Raleigh)
Wednesday, February 28, 2024
Free tours of Pope House Museum for Black History Month
10:00 am | FREE | Pope House, Raleigh
Black History Month Walking Tours in Wake Forest
1:00 pm | FREE | Taylor Street Park, Wake Forest
Free tours of Pope House Museum for Black History Month
2:00 pm | FREE | Pope House, Raleigh
Thursday, February 29, 2024
Free tours of Pope House Museum for Black History Month
10:00 am | FREE | Pope House, Raleigh
Personal History for Seniors -- presentation
12:00 pm to 1:00 pm | FREE | John Chavis Memorial Park (Raleigh)
Free tours of Pope House Museum for Black History Month
2:00 pm | FREE | Pope House, Raleigh
Black History: Share Your Story
6:30 pm to 8:30 pm | FREE | John Chavis Memorial Park (Raleigh)
