Carter G. Woodson was born in 1875 to people who were formerly enslaved. He was the second Black American to earn a doctorate from Havard University, following in the steps of W.E.B. Du Bois, and served as the dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at Howard University.
In February 1926, Woodson announced the establishment of Negro History Week, which was first celebrated during a week that included the birthdays of both Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass.
President Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863, which declared freedom to slaves within the Confederacy. Douglass was a formerly enslaved person who fled north from Maryland in 1838 and became a voice for the abolitionist movement. He was a published author, the president of the Freedman Bank, the U.S. Marshal of the District of Columbia and the ambassador to Haiti.
In 1976, the weekly observance grew into a month-long celebration. Since then, every U.S. president has issued a proclamation dedicating February as Black History Month.
To learn more about Black history and culture, or gain awareness of the past, check out our list of upcoming events, including musical and dance performances, interactive workshops, and more throughout February in and around Oakland County.
Verify registration, hours and locations before attending. Updated 2/25/2025
Oakland County
Bloomfield Hills/ Bloomfield Township
Feb. 14: The Good Lord’s Work: A Celebration of African American Music at Christ Church Cranbrook
Feb. 24: An Evening with Author Dion A. Johnson at Bloomfield Township Public Library
Farmington/ Farmington Hills
Feb. 9: Black History Month Concert featuring the Amen-Ra Drummers and Dancers at the Hawk
Feb. 22: Urban Art Orchestra at the Hawk
Feb 28: “Visions” – a “Black History Month” Collage Workshop Event
Franklin
Feb. 12: Biography Book Group: Eartha & Kitt at the Franklin Community Church
Oak Park
Feb. 21: Party for Langston at the Oak Park Public Library
Orchard Lake
Feb. 9: Local Black History Open House at the Orchard Lake Museum
Pontiac
Feb. 1: Black History Month Film Festival at Silver Lake Church Of The Nazarene
Feb. 22: Soulful Stitches: An African American Quilting & Doll Exhibit at the Pontiac Creative Arts Center
Feb. 27: Black History Month Essay Contest Celebration at Pontiac Public Library
Feb. 27: Black Business Networking
Rochester
Feb. 4 – 20: African American Celebration Month at Oakland University
Southfield
Feb. 1-29: Southfield Celebrates Black History Month: Walk Through History Display
Feb. 1, 8, 15 and 22: Black History Month Kick-Off at the Southfield Pavilion
Feb. 1:, 8, 15 and 22: Black History Mystery: Rediscovering Moments in Time at the Southfield Public Library
Feb. 22: Black History Month Open Mic celebration at the Southfield Public Library
Waterford
Feb. 1: Black History Month Unity Tournament at Elite Sportsplex
Feb. 26: Black History Month-Black Business Expo
West Bloomfield
Feb. 22: Black Expo at Orchard Lake Mall
Metro Detroit
Jan. 16: Panel Discussion on the Black Retail Experience in Detroit featuring Dr. Ken L. Harris, PhD by the Detroit Historical Society and Kresge Foundation
February: Black History Month Exhibitions and Programs at the Charles H. Wright Museum
Feb. 1-28: Black History Month Events at The Henry Ford Museum
Feb. 1: The Symbol of the Unconquered at the Detroit Institute of Arts
Feb. 2: Book Talk: Michelle Adams, The Containment by the Detroit Historical Society
Feb. 7: Stepper’s Ball at the Detroit Institute of Arts
Feb. 12: Uncommon Threads: Black Representation in Early American Needlework at the Detroit Institute of Arts
Feb. 15: NYCIFF Celebrating Black Stories at the Detroit Institute of Arts
Feb. 16: The 32nd Annual Alain Locke Awards at the Detroit Institute of Arts
Feb. 20: NBMBAA Detroit & WSU BBSA Black History Month Gala and Celebration
Feb. 21-23: Drop-in Workshop: Adrinkra Cloth at the Detroit Institute of Arts
Feb. 23: Hair Wars Demo at the Detroit Institute of Arts
Feb. 25: African American History Month Celebration of Art at Detroit Public Library
Virtual
Feb. 5: The National African American Read-In at Oakland Community College
Feb. 6: Voices of Africa at Oakland Community College
Black history should be celebrated and acknowledged year-round. Do you know of other Black history events in Oakland County? Email socialmedia@oakgov.com or comment below.
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