North Carolina Museum’s 24rd Annual African American Cultural Celebration will take place at North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, 11 W Jones Street, Raleigh, North Carolina, since the NC Museum of History is closed for renovation.
Activities will take place on the Bicentennial Plaza and inside the museum.
The festival takes place Saturday, January 25, 2025, from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
This is a free event.
Learn about more Black History Month events throughout the Triangle.
This festival is the kickoff to Black History Month in Raleigh, and features performances, panels, storytelling and more.
Event highlights include:
- Virtual Education Day: Students, teachers, and lifelong learners are invited to a free Virtual Education Day on Friday, Jan. 24. The event will include storytelling by members of the North Carolina Association of Black Storytellers and music performances during a live-streamed session held in conjunction with the annual AACC Education Day.
- Opening Procession and Welcome: The celebration begins at 10:30 a.m. with a vibrant rendition of “Lift Every Voice and Sing.”
- Workshops and Talks: Explore the life of Peter Oliver, one of North Carolina’s earliest African American potters; learn about the Negro Baseball League with “Warrior on the Mound” author Sandra Headen; and hear the story behind the new North Carolina Freedom Park.
- Artisan Demonstrations: Watch skilled craftspeople create pottery, quilts, baskets, and jewelry. Unique displays will include crocheted dolls and multimedia masks.
- Performances: Enjoy live storytelling by the North Carolina Association of Black Storytellers and energetic drumming from the Magic of African Rhythm.
- Literature and Spoken Word: Meet authors like Alicia P. Williams (“Mid Air”) and Vanessa Miller (“The American Queen”) during a panel discussion.
Schedule
Get all the details, as well as updates, here.
Bicentennial Plaza
10:30 to 11 a.m.
- Opening kickoff
- Procession
- Welcoming remarks
- “Lift Every Voice and Sing” performed by Corey Leak
Museum of Natural Sciences, WRAL 3D Theater
- 11:30 a.m. to 12 p.m.: The Magic of African Rhythm
- 12:30 to 1:15 p.m.: Selection from The Ongoing Fight for Freedom: Stories of Black NC Veterans
- 1:30 to 2:15 p.m.: Education and heritage talks
- 2:30 to 3:15 p.m.: Food, health and beauty talks
- 3:30 to 4:15 p.m.: History, enterprise and film talks
Windows on the World Classroom, 3rd Floor
- 12:45 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.: Literature and Spoken Word
- 1:45 to 2:15 p m.: Storytelling
- 2:30 to 3 p.m.: Storytelling
- 3:15 to 3:45 p.m.: Storytelling
- 4 to 4:30 p.m.: Storytelling
Nature Exploration Center, 1st Floor
10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
- Alfreda Johnson, sweetgrass basket weaver
- Ben Watford, potter
- Heritage Quilters (Hands-on Activity)
- Information Table/African American Heritage Commission
- Neal Thomas, split-oak basket maker
- Pinkie Strother, dioramas artist
- Shawn Etheridge, painter
- Take-Home Craft Kits
- Warren Goodson, wood carver
Nature Exploration Center, 2nd Floor
10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
- America250: Office of Archives and History
- Museum Shop/North Carolina Museum of History Associates
- North Carolina State Historic Sites
- State Archives of North Carolina
- State Library of North Carolina Accessible Books and Library Services
- State Library of North Carolina Government and Heritage Library
- Wheel of History (Hands-on Activity)
Nature Exploration Center, 3rd Floor
10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
- Betty Williams, hatmaker
- C. J. Murphy, mixed media and mask artist
- Pamela Washington, jewelry artist
- Tarish “Jeghetto” Pipkins, puppeteer
- US Colored Troops Reenactment Groups
Double-Check Before You Head Out!
We make every effort to make sure that everything on Triangle on the Cheap is 100% accurate.
However, sometimes things change without notice, and it’s also possible that we can make a mistake.
Please verify all deals and events with the venue or organizer before you go.
More Black History Month Events
Check out a list of Black History Month events and sites in the Triangle, or see a few of them here. More are being added all the time.
North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, Raleigh
11 W Jones St
Raleigh, NC
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