Written by Catherine Currin  |  Photograph by Gus Samarco

Celebrate Black History Month across the Triangle—there’s plenty to learn, do and see. Take a visit to a monument, or attend a festival or parade. Here are a few things on our list.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Gardens
Visit the first public park in the country devoted to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in Southeast Raleigh. The lifesize statue and water feature are part of Raleigh’s public art collection, and you can even rent the picnic area of the park for a private event. The Triangle Martin Luther King Jr. Committee will host several events that weekend including its 40th annual wreath laying ceremony.
1215 Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. Visit website trianglemlk.com for more information.

 

Hayti Heritage Film Festival
One of the largest running Black film festivals, the Hayti
Heritage festival in Durham celebrates a wide range of
black Southern film—from classic features to documentaries. Catch a show from February 13 to 15.
hayti.org/programming/film

 

Sweat by Lynn Nottage
The Justice Theater Project debuts Sweat for the first time in the region. The play by Lynn Nottage won the 2017 Pulitzer Prize, and references themes of race, class and economic status. 

Show opens February 13; for show dates and times, visit thejusticetheaterproject.org.

 

Music of the Carolinas
Storyteller Donna Washington will perform a free concert at N.C. History Museum presented in partnership with PineCone February 10. Arrive in advance to make sure you grab a seat to hear from the award-winning recording artist. 

3 p.m.; tickets will be given away at 2 p.m.; ncmuseumofhistory.org

 

Oberlin Rising
Visit the monument commemorating the historic African-American community Oberlin Village. You can also check out the new headquarters for Preservation NC in the same neighborhood, in the restored Rev. Plummer T. Hall House and the Graves-Fields House. 

809 Oberlin Road

 

Family History Day
Visit Stagville February 8 for a free day of exploring, including research opportunities to learn more about enslaved North Carolinians. The state historic site in Durham includes pieces of one of North Carolina’s
largest plantations.
Feb. 8, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.; free; stagville.org

 

MLK Black History Month Parade & Block Party
Head to Durham February 2 for the 17th annual MLK Parade. There will be fun for all with food trucks, live music, marching bands, floats and more. Parade begins at noon at W.G. Pearson Elementary School, and activities last throughout the day. 

Feb 2; 11 a.m.-4 p.m.; free; spectacularmag.com