This February, we join communities across the nation in celebrating Black History Month. It's a time to reflect on the rich history, culture, and contributions of Black individuals both locally and globally. In Boulder, we proudly honor the legacy of Black leaders, artists, activists, and visionaries who have shaped our city and continue to inspire change today.
This year’s celebration marks 100 years since Black History Month was originally founded by author and historian Carter G. Woodson in 1926. This year's theme, “A Century of Black History Month Commemorations,” recognizes this monumental milestone and explores the lasting impact and importance of learning about and honoring Black history in American culture.
Feb. 6 – Feb. 27
Opening Reception: Feb. 6, 6 to 9 p.m.
NoBo Bus Stop Gallery
Join us for the opening reception of Black Futures in Art: Excellence Beneath My Feet Lives Within My Bones at the Bus Stop Gallery during First Friday. This exhibition features work by Joseph H Graves Jr. and Kevin Johnson, curated by Adderly Grant-Lord as part of the Black Futures in Art series.
Celebrate an evening of art, community, and conversation as we gather to mark the opening of this powerful exhibition. Free and open to all.
Learn more about Black Futures in Art at NoBo Bus Stop Gallery
Feb. 19 – March 29
Opening Reception: Feb. 20, 5 to 8 p.m.
Dairy Arts Center
Five years in, Black Futures in Art stands as a living testament to vision, community, and creative inheritance. What began as an idea has become a gathering—of artists, voices, families, and futures—woven together by joy, intention, and shared imagination.
This year’s exhibition is grounded in the theme “The excellence beneath our feet lives in our bones,” a poetic meditation on legacy, inheritance, and resilience.
Learn more about Black Futures in Art Exhibition at the Dairy Arts Center
Monday, Feb. 16, 4 to 6 p.m.
Museum of Boulder
The Bench by the Road Project was launched by the Toni Morrison Society in honor of Nobel Laureate Toni Morrison. This Bench is placed in memory of Dr. Charles and Mrs. Mildred Nilon, pioneers in the Civil Rights struggle for equal access in higher education, housing, and employment in the city of Boulder and the University of Colorado Boulder.
Boulder’s Carnegie Branch Library has a collection called “Black Business Ventures.” The collection, created with the help of local middle schoolers, documents stories and profiles of Black-owned businesses in Boulder. While many of the stories are a reminder of the tenacity of Black entrepreneurs against institutional racism in the 20th century, the collection is also filled with celebrations of familiar everyday life: a beautiful plant in a business owner’s Pearl Street store, siblings smiling in front of birthday cake, and a musician rocking to a melody on stage.
