Black History Month, which takes place in February every year, is celebrated throughout Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill, and the rest of the Triangle, with festivals, storytelling, performances, lectures and much more.
We’ve put together a list of some of the special events taking place around the Triangle for Black History Month in 2023, as well as a few places that have a focus on African American history and culture all year.
If you’d like to, jump to the events list.
Also, please check out North Carolina Black History Reading List. It includes 30 books, for both adults and children, that address Black history and culture, and also have a connection to North Carolina — either in subject matter, or through the author or illustrator.
Do you know of other events or places that should be on the list? Just send us an email to info@triangleeonthecheap.com and we’ll get it onto the list, time permitting.
African American History and Culture in the Triangle
Scroll down for a big list of Black History Month events in February, but first, here’s a look at a few places to immerse yourself in African American history and culture all year in the Triangle. Jump to events list.
Stagville State Historic Site
5828 Old Oxford Highway, Durham
919-620-0120
Historic Stagville includes part of one of the largest North Carolina plantations. Protected are the original slave quarters, a barn and a family house. Stagville’s focus is teaching about the lives and works of the enslaved people who lived on the plantation.
Visiting Stagville is free, as are self-guided tours. Guided tours are $2 for adults and $1 for children and seniors. You’ll need a car to visit all the sites. Donations are appreciated.
Hayti Heritage Center
804 Old Fayettesville Street, Durham
919-683-1709
Hayti Heritage Center, in the historic St. Joseph’s AME Church, preserves the history and culture of Hayti, a historic African-American community that is now part of Durham. The former church complex is listed on the register of national historic landmarks.
Today Hayti Heritage Center is home to vibrant arts programming year round, including the Hayti Heritage Film Festival, concert series, art galleries and more. It’s the starting point for tours of the Hayti neighborhood. It’s free to visit. Information on ticketing for events and activities is available on Hayti Heritage Center’s website.
Pope House Museum
511 S Wilmington Street, Raleigh
919-996-2220
This is the only African-American house museum in North Carolina. It features original furnishings and artifacts from Dr. Manassa Thomas Pope and his family. It’s open on Saturdays and free to visit.
Historic Russell School
2001 St. Marys Road, Hillsborough
919-452-6082
The Russell School is the last remaining Rosenwald School in Durham County. Rosenwald Schools were built in the early 20th century during a time when segregation prohibited black children from getting an eduction.
Rosenwald Schools were a collaboration of many people, including Booker T. Washington and Julius Rosenwald, who believed that black children in the rural south should have access to a formal education.Tours are available by appointment only right now, but normally, are offered the second Saturday of the month from April to September.
Geer Cemetery
800 Colonial Street, Durham
Geer Cemetery is one of Durham’s oldest African-American burial grounds. More than 1,500 men, women, and children were buried in Geer Cemetery from 1877 to 1944, many of them experiencing slavery, rural-to-urban-migration, and the inhumanity of Jim Crow firsthand.
Black History Month Events in the Triangle
We start our list at the end of January because of the excellent African American Cultural Celebration at the North Carolina Museum of History, which takes place January 27, 2024.
Mary White says
Great collection of Black History Month events. I commend you. Keep up the good work!
Sincerely,
Mary White
Durham