The George Washington Carver Museum is in Austin, preserving and exhibiting African American material culture, history, and aesthetic expression. There are four exhibit galleries at the George Washington Carver Museum and Cultural Center: “The African American Presence in 19th Century Texas, a permanent exhibition on Austin African-American families, an Artists’ Gallery, and a Children’s Gallery featuring African-American scientists and inventors.” The Museum is free and open to the public and provides “a safe space to tell our stories in our own words, expressions, and narratives."

In addition to the exhibits, the Carver Museum is hosting events throughout the month to celebrate Black History Month. The events celebrate African Americans and the Arts by hosting different group events and film screenings. 

Adapted from the George Washington Carver Museum, Cultural and Genealogy Center About Page

One of the ways that Austin Public Library is celebrating Black History Month is with its Black History Month Film Series, which is “highlighting the Black experience and Black excellence.” On Thursdays in February, from 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM, the Hampton Branch of the Austin Public Library system will be showing Wakanda Forever (February 8), Selma (February 15), The Woman King (February 22), and Harriet (February 29). These events are free and open to the public. 

Thursdays  in February 

5:30pm to 7:30pm

Hampton Branch at Oak Hill

5125 Convict Hill Rd. 

Austin, TX 78749

Adapted from the Austin Public Library  website 

The Bullock Texas State History Museum hosts a day of free admission all day during H-E-B Free First Sundays, on the first Sunday of each month. On February 4th, from 10 AM to 5 PM, the Bullock Museum hopes to "celebrate Black History Month with storytelling, crafts, and hands-on activities for kids of all ages." There are activities for the whole family including working together to create a collage that is inspired by traditional quilts, exploring important Black American historical figures through dolls, and an Art Smart program inspired by the African diaspora.

Sunday, February  4th

10 AM to 5 PM

1800 Congress Ave. 

Austin, TX 78701

Adapted from the Bullock Museum website. 

The National Museum of African American History and Culture is a part of the Smithsonian and has an Initiative page for the month titled “Celebrate Black History Month 2024: Art as a Platform for Social Justice”. On the page, they link to other pertinent pages by the museum, such as: "Cultural Expressions Exhibition," "(Re)Creating the Narrative: The Black Women's Literary Renaissance of the 1970s", pages of different "Icons and Luminaries," and many other articles and collections. 

"Whether digital, literary, visual or performing arts, Black trailblazers and innovators revolutionized their fields, often transforming them by pioneering new techniques and styles. Through art, important issues and figures in African American history are exalted, and underrepresented stories are preserved. For the entire month of February, we invite everyone to join us in celebrating art and its relationship with justice. Art plays a role in communicating emotions, building community, and inspiring action."

Adapted from the National Museum of African American History and Culture website. 

The Smithsonian Institution is celebrating Black History Month! The SI is the “world’s largest museum, education, and research complex, with 21 museums and the National Zoo” and they are highlighting the impact that African Americans have had on visual arts, music, cultural movements, and more. While many events that the Smithsonian hosts are in person, there are select events that are online and can be accessed via Zoom, such as the Poetry Workshops, Meditation Mondays, and NMAAHC Kids Learning Together for younger kids. There are many Arts Resources, Podcast episodes, and General Resources linked to the topic of Black History consolidated on this page that can be further explored. 

Adapted from the Smithsonian website. 

The National Gallery of Art has a page dedicated to Black Art & Artists for Black History Month. The gallery has set up the page to highlight Black artists, ranging from 19th-century paintings to more modern pieces by contemporary artists, with resources linking to selected works and different artist spotlights. In addition to the artist spotlights there are also resources for educators that can be helpful when wanting to learn more about more specific areas of interest. 

Adapted from the National Gallery of Art website.