Black History Month

Celebrate Black history in February with in-person and virtual programs.
Barnett Branch
3434 E. Livingston Ave.
Love Letters
Thursday, Feb. 23 | 5:30 p.m.

Join us for an inspiring celebration of girls with live readings of love letters. Ages 12-17.

Urban Strings Community Concert

Saturday, Feb. 25 | 4 p.m.

Youth string ensembles perform inspiring music from popular African American composers and arrangers. All ages.

Canal Winchester Branch
115 Franklin St.
Urban Strings Community Concert

Saturday, Feb. 4 | 3 p.m.

Youth string ensembles perform inspiring music from popular African American composers and arrangers. All ages.

Driving Park Branch
1422 E. Livingston Ave.
Hip-Hop Dance with BHB

Wednesday, Feb. 15 | 5 p.m.

Dance to some beats and learn to perfect your moves in this hip-hop class. Ages 7-17.

Love Letters
Monday, Feb. 27 | 5 p.m.

Join us for an inspiring celebration of girls with live readings of love letters. Ages 12-17.

Dublin Branch
75 N. High St.
Underground Railroad in Central Ohio

Monday, Feb. 13 | 6:30 p.m.

View an exhibit about the Underground Railroad and its impact in central Ohio. Then, join us for a special program discussing the roles central Ohioans played and how to find homes that were stops. All ages.

Urban Strings Community Concert

Saturday, Feb. 18 | 2 p.m.

Youth string ensembles perform inspiring music from popular African American composers and arrangers. All ages.

Franklinton Branch
1061 W. Town St.
Making Sacred Drums with BabaaRitah

Thursday, Feb. 2 | 5 p.m.

Using your imagination, create a drum that is a unique and personal work of art! Then learn exciting drum patterns and songs. Ages 7-11.

Hilliard Branch
4500 Hickory Chase Way
Urban Strings Community Concert

Sunday, Feb. 19 | 3 p.m.

Youth string ensembles perform inspiring music from popular African American composers and arrangers. All ages.

Hilltop Branch
511 S. Hague Ave.
Urban Strings Community Concert

Saturday, Feb. 25 | 2 p.m.

Youth string ensembles perform inspiring music from popular African American composers and arrangers. All ages.

Karl Road Branch
5590 Karl Rd.
Underground Railroad in Central Ohio

Wednesday, Feb. 1 | 5:30 p.m.

View an exhibit about the Underground Railroad and its impact in central Ohio. Then, join us for a special program discussing the roles central Ohioans played and how to find homes that were stops. All ages.

Urban Strings Community Concert

Saturday, Feb. 11 | 3 p.m.

Youth string ensembles perform inspiring music from popular African American composers and arrangers. All ages.

Main Library
96 S. Grant Ave.
If You Can’t Fly: Folktales to Move us Forward with Lyn Ford

Saturday, Feb. 11 | 1:30 p.m.

Dr. King’s quotation becomes the focal point for retelling ancient, thought-provoking tales of clever heroes in challenging circumstances. All ages.

Exhibit: “Undesign the Redline”

Feb. 16 through March 15

In partnership with the YWCA, explore the history of structural racism caused by the 1938 redlining maps and how this inequity continues to impact our communities today. All ages.

The Legacies of Redlining

Saturday, Feb. 18 | 1 p.m.

Ohio Wesleyan University Professor John Krygier and a panel of researchers and advocates will discuss the history of redlining in Columbus. This program coincides with the YWCA of Columbus’ “Undesign the Redline” exhibit, on display at Main Library from Feb. 15 through March 15. Adults.

Urban Strings Community Concert

Sunday, Feb. 26 | 2 p.m.

Youth string ensembles perform inspiring music from popular African American composers and arrangers. All ages.

Martin Luther King Branch
1467 E. Long St.
Poetry Workshop with the Black Women Poetry Collective

Jan. 31 through Feb. 2 | 3-5 p.m.

Gain a deeper understanding of empowerment through poetry and learn skills to help build confidence with public speaking. Ages 12-17.

Open Mic Night with Black Women Poetry Collective

Friday, Feb. 3 | 3-5 p.m.

Celebrate poetry at our open mic event. Hear poetry and stories written during the poetry workshop or share your own poetry. All ages.

Love Letters

Tuesday, Feb. 7 | 3 p.m.

Join us for an inspiring celebration of girls with live readings of love letters. Ages 12-17.

Author Visit

Thursday, Feb. 16 | 5 p.m.

Join local authors Chiquita Mullins Lee and Carmella Van Vleet as they celebrate their new picture book, You Gotta Meet Mr. Pierce!. Create your own artwork like Elijah Pierce! All ages.

Comics Workshop

Tuesday, Feb. 21 | 3 p.m.

Join local artist Bryan Moss for a mini comics workshop! By blending literacy and art, kids learn to tell stories in any way they want! Ages 7-17.

Archaeology Meets Chemistry

Tuesday, Feb. 28 | 4-6 p.m.

Chill out with some cold-as-ice experiments and learn about an accomplished African American chemist and archaeologist. Ages 7-11.

Linden Branch
2223 Cleveland Ave.
Hip-Hop Dance with BHB

Thursday, Feb. 9 | 5 p.m.

Dance to some beats and learn to perfect your moves in this hip-hop class. Ages 7-17.

Marion-Franklin Branch
2740 Lockbourne Rd.
Making Sacred Drums with BabaaRitah

Wednesday, Feb. 15 | 5 p.m.

Using your imagination, create a drum that is a unique and personal work of art! Then learn exciting drum patterns and songs. Ages 7-11.

New Albany Branch
200 Market St.
Archaeology Meets Chemistry

Monday, Feb. 13 | 4 p.m.

Chill out with some cold-as-ice experiments and learn about an accomplished African American chemist and archaeologist. Ages 7-11.

Northern Lights Branch
4093 Cleveland Ave.
Singing, Drumming and Dancing with BabaaRitah

Thursday, Feb. 9 | 4:30 p.m.

Celebrate African history, unity and culture. Participate in song, dance and drumming from West Africa. Express yourself, share and have fun making music. All ages.

Northside Branch
1423 N. High St.
West African Rhythm with Sogbety!

Thursday, Feb. 23 | 5 p.m.

Explore West Africa with Sogbety Diomande, native of the Ivory Coast, through drumming and dance, colorful costumes, musical instruments, rhythms and songs. All ages.

Parsons Branch
1113 Parsons Ave.
Making Sacred Drums with BabaaRitah

Monday, Feb. 13 | 4 p.m.

Using your imagination, create a drum that is a unique and personal work of art! Then learn exciting drum patterns and songs. Ages 7-11.

Reynoldsburg Branch
1308 Brice Rd. (temp. location)
West African Rhythm with Sogbety!

Wednesday, Feb. 15 | 11 a.m.

Explore West Africa with Sogbety Diomande, native of the Ivory Coast, through drumming and dance, colorful costumes, musical instruments, rhythms and songs. All ages.

Shepard Branch
850 N. Nelson Rd.
Author Visit

Friday, Feb. 3 | 4 p.m.

Join local authors Chiquita Mullins Lee and Carmella Van Vleet as they celebrate their new picture book, You Gotta Meet Mr. Pierce!. Create your own artwork like Elijah Pierce! All ages.

Making Sacred Drums with BabaaRitah

Thursday, Feb. 16 | 5 p.m.

Using your imagination, create a drum that is a unique and personal work of art! Then learn exciting drum patterns and songs. Ages 7-11.

South High Branch
3540 S. High St.
Making Sacred Drums with BabaaRitah

Tuesday, Feb. 21 | 5:30 p.m.

Using your imagination, create a drum that is a unique and personal work of art! Then learn exciting drum patterns and songs. Ages 7-11.

Underground Railroad in Central Ohio

Monday, Feb. 27 | 6:30 p.m.

View an exhibit about the Underground Railroad and its impact in central Ohio. Then, join us for a special program discussing the roles central Ohioans played and how to find homes that were stops. All ages.

Southeast Branch
3980 S. Hamilton Rd.
West African Rhythm with Sogbety!

Tuesday, Feb. 7 | 4 p.m.

Explore West Africa with Sogbety Diomande, native of the Ivory Coast, through drumming and dance, colorful costumes, musical instruments, rhythms and songs. All ages.

Whetstone Branch
3909 N. High St.
Turtle Shell Tales with Lyn Ford

Saturday, Feb. 18 | 11 a.m.

Enjoy African and African American tales of the folksy and fabled turtle and tortoise by storyteller Lyn Ford. Ages 0-6.

Whitehall Branch
4445 E. Broad St.
Underground Railroad in Central Ohio

Tuesday, Feb. 21 | 6:30 p.m.

View an exhibit about the Underground Railroad and its impact in central Ohio. Then, join us for a special program discussing the roles central Ohioans played and how to find homes that were stops. All ages.

Making Sacred Drums with BabaaRitah

Monday, Feb. 27 | 6 p.m.

Using your imagination, create a drum that is a unique and personal work of art! Then learn exciting drum patterns and songs. Ages 7-11.

Virtual Program
African American Collection Spotlight: Orville Lynch and the Columbus Call & Post

Tuesday, Feb. 7 | 12 p.m.

African American Special Collections Librarian Nicole Sutton will connect with a local historian or community member about photographs and materials from the library’s digital collection, My History, to give context to the past. Adults.

Download our Black History Month program flier.

Black History Month
Discovery Quest

Stop in throughout February and uncover the past while exploring the library. Discover people and events that shaped history. Ages 7 & up.

Offered at most locations. Ask staff for details.