February is Black History Month, and Prince George’s County is packed with activities, events, and locations that honor the African American history of the region and nation.
Honor Black history with one of these 10 events or activities:
- Children can learn about Dr. Mae Jemison, the first Black woman to travel to space, at the “Mae Among the Stars” event at the Mount Rainier Library on February 1. The library will also provide supplies to make a rocket ship at the 3 p.m. event.
- Head to the Bowie Center for the Performing Arts to watch The Black History Showcase, presented by Men of Distinction. The showcase starts at 6 p.m. on February 10 and will include performances by local clubs and teams.
- Watch the compelling drama of Maggie Walker, a Virginian who helped establish and organize the first civil rights strike by African American students and the country’s first woman bank president. Get tickets for this Education on Stage performance on February 7 at the Publick Playhouse in Cheverly.
- Check out the FREEDOM exhibition at the Brentwood Arts Exchange starts February 6, showcasing the Uhuru Quilters Guild. The group of 80 predominantly African American quilters meets monthly to promote and preserve the work of African American quilters. The opening reception on February 18 will include a live performance from Liz Ann Miller, titled Rituals for Cleansing Racial Violence.
- Learn about African American pilots at a Black Aviators Tour at the College Park Aviation Museum. The tours last about an hour, are free with museum admission, and run every Sunday in February.
- Release your stress at The Art of Healing: Music Therapy with HALO Quartet, the first International African American Quartet. The five-week series, beginning on February 23 at the Montpelier Arts Center, uses music and singing to help participants find healing and release.
- Hear from former Black Panther Edith Johnson-Gilmore when she speaks at the New Carrollton Library on February 21 at 6 p.m. She’ll share her experiences from her time in New York City.
- Walk through the Northampton Slave Quarters and Archeological Park in Bowie. Rebuilt foundations and informational signs detail the lives of the enslaved people who lived on the plantation in the early 1800s.
- Visit Bowie’s Belair Mansion, where many enslaved people ran from the Ogle and Tasker families. This site is listed on both the National Register of Historic Places and as a National Park Service National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom site.
- Reminisce about baseball’s past at Blacksox Park in Bowie, which was once home to two local African American baseball teams, the Mitchellville Tigers and the Washington Blacksox, and one Negro League team, the Homestead Grays. You’ll now find baseball fields, playgrounds, and trails.
Experience more Black history in Prince George’s County at one of these spots.
Be sure to confirm hours of operation before visiting each location.