Black History Month
Celebrate African history, unity and culture. Participate in song, dance and drumming from West Africa. Express yourself, share and have fun making music. Ages 7-11.
Immerse your senses in The OG Players’ transformative harmonies, frequencies and vibrations, for a truly unique sound! All ages.
Monday, Feb. 12 | 4 p.m.
Celebrate African American achievements in science. We’ll discover brilliant scientists while conducting exciting experiments. Ages 7-11.
Wednesday, Feb. 21 | 5 p.m.
Dance to some beats and learn to perfect your moves in this hip-hop class. Ages 7-17
Monday, Feb. 5 | 6 p.m.
Come learn about some of the greatest moments, mind-blowing games, and legendary victories by Black and brown chess explorers throughout history! All ages.
Monday, Feb. 19 | 11 a.m.
Immerse your senses in The OG Players’ transformative harmonies, frequencies and vibrations, for a truly unique sound! All ages.
Wednesday, Feb. 7 | 2 p.m.
Celebrate African American achievements in science. We’ll discover brilliant scientists while conducting exciting experiments. Ages 7-11.
Saturday, Feb. 3 | 2 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. Ages 7-11.
Wednesday, Feb. 21 | 6-7:30 p.m.
Join us to watch Shutdown, a documentary created to tell the story of how Linden McKinley High School was repeatedly shut down in May 1971 due to racial tensions. The screening will be followed by a question & answer session with executive producer Simone C. Drake. All ages.
Tuesday, Feb. 27 | 10 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Learn about the library’s Local History & Genealogy collection and view a selection of historical photographs or documents from the archives. All ages.
Saturday, Feb. 10 | 4 p.m.
Dr. King’s quote becomes the focal point for retelling ancient, thought-provoking tales of clever heroes in challenging circumstances. All ages.
Saturday, Feb. 10 | 3 p.m.
Youth string ensembles perform inspiring music from popular African American composers and arrangers. All ages.
Saturday, Feb. 10 | 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Join us for a presentation of fire department history discussing Columbus’ African American firefighters. From the first Black firefighters on record in 1879 to current ongoing recruiting efforts, learn interesting facts about interesting and courageous people and some of the obstacles they faced.
All ages.
Saturday, Feb. 10 | 2:30 p.m.
Come learn about some of the greatest moments, mind-blowing games, and legendary victories by Black and brown chess explorers throughout history! All ages.
Saturday, Feb. 3 | 1:30 p.m.
Join us for interactive tales rooted in African and African American folk-tale tradition. All ages.
with J. Rawls & Friends
Sunday, Feb. 4 | 2 p.m.
Make your own rhymes or try out some break dance moves in this immersive hip-hop experience. Learn about the origins of hip-hop and how the culture continues to grow and evolve around the world. All ages.
Saturday, Feb. 17 | 11 a.m.
Join author Eric Walker to learn how he transformed genealogy research about his own family into the novel Lost Souls Recovered. All ages.
Thursday, January 18 | 3-6 p.m.
Celebrate Dr. King’s birthday with activities, refreshments and special guests, including performances by BHB, Urban Strings Columbus Youth Orchestra and the East High School band, plus watch an artist’s live art drawing of Dr. King. All ages.
Monday, Feb. 5 | 3 p.m.
Learn how to embrace your natural beauty through a live and interactive hair demonstration. Ages 7-17.
Monday, Feb. 19 | 6:30 p.m.
Join us for a presentation of fire department history discussing Columbus’ African American firefighters. From the first Black firefighters on record in 1879 to current ongoing recruiting efforts, learn facts about interesting and courageous people and some of the obstacles they faced. All ages.
Tuesday, Feb. 6 | 5 p.m.
Celebrate African American achievements in science. We’ll discover brilliant scientists while conducting exciting experiments. Ages 7-11.
Wednesday, Feb. 7 | 2-4 p.m.
Learn about the library’s Local History & Genealogy collection and view a selection of historical photographs or documents from the archives. All ages.
Friday, Feb. 9 | 4:30 p.m.
Learn how to embrace your natural beauty through a live and interactive hair demonstration. Ages 7-17.
Tuesday, Feb. 13 | 4 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. Ages 7-11.
Monday, Feb. 19 | 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. Ages 7-11.
Saturday, Feb. 24 | 1 p.m.
Youth string ensembles perform inspiring music from popular African American composers and arrangers. All ages.
Thursday, Feb. 22 | 4 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. Ages 7-11.
Saturday, Feb. 10 | 2 p.m.
Immerse your senses in The OG Players transformative harmonies, frequencies and vibrations, for a truly unique sound! All ages.
Thursday, Feb. 15 | 5 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. Ages 7-11.
Wednesday, Feb. 28 | 5 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. Ages 7-11.
Tuesday, Feb. 6 | 5 p.m.
Hear stories, sing songs, stretch and participate in call-and-response activities the bring on grins, giggles and guffaws in diverse storytelling and creative laughter exercises. Ages 7-11.
Tuesday, Feb. 27 | 11 a.m.
Join us for an interactive story telling experience! Participate in bringing the history and traditions of Africans and African Americans to life with books, songs and musical instruments. Ages 2 to 10.
Saturday, Feb. 17 | 11 a.m.
Celebrate African history, unity and culture. Participate in song, dance and drumming from West Africa. Express yourself, share and have fun making music. Ages 7-11.
Thursday, Feb. 29 | 5 p.m.
Learn how to embrace your natural beauty through a live and interactive hair demonstration. Ages 7-17.
Tuesday, Feb. 6 | 12–12:15 p.m.
Virtual on Crowdcast
Join our Black Heritage Special Collections Librarian Nicole Sutton for this month’s afternoon talk about Black history in Columbus. We will have a conversation with special guest Denise Ransom using photographs and materials from the library’s digital collection, My History, to give context to the past. All ages.
Thursday, Feb. 8 | 7 p.m.
Virtual on Crowdcast
Leaders of central Ohio STEM organizations discuss their efforts to get young people of color interested in and exposed to Science, Technology, Engineering and Math careers and fields. All ages.
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.
