Every February since 1976, America has paid tribute to the generations of African Americans who struggled and sacrificed to achieve their full place in society. Black History Month is also a chance to celebrate the incredible accomplishments of black Americans.

Arlington has a variety of programs and events to acknowledge and celebrate these contributions. Here are a few suggestions.  

Arlington Public Library

Sunday, Feb. 23
2- 6 p.m.
Click here for more information

Celebrate African American culture in a variety of ways featuring, music, displays, dance performances, lectures and more. Bring the whole family to this annual event for our community. The Arlington Historical Society will have special displays during the month of February.

Schedule:

2 p.m. - Speak their Name and they shall live Again.

Arlington Heritage Memorial Grounds: African American Cemetery. This was the only cemetery where African Americans could be buried in Arlington before the 1950's.

Arlington's First: A Time To Honor Trailblazers, Past and Present.
Includes a recitation of the names of persons buried in the cemetery and Arlington Trailblazers. Presented by the Arlington Historical Society.

3 p.m. - Tarrant County College SE Jazz Combo

3:30 p.m. - Celebration Time

Arlington Animal Services

Arlington Animal Services’ Heritage Team was founded by Animal Services Manager Chris Huff in 2014. Huff was inspired to create the program when she noticed a disparity in the number of minority junior high and high school students actively volunteering at the Animal Services center, and thus the program was born.

The year-long volunteer program will begin again this summer. Click here for more information.

Arlington ISD

Friday, Feb. 21
5:30 p.m.

Sam Houston High School is hosting its Black History Month celebration Friday, Feb. 21. The event is a partnership with the National Council of Teachers of English and will feature text, talks and discussions by and about African American authors. The public is welcome to attend.

UT Arlington

It's a month full of events at UT Arlington.

• Feb.1: Black Heritage Celebration, all-day event in the Library
• Feb. 3: Black Community Roundtable, 7 p.m., Carlisle Suite 
• Feb. 5: Power Hour, noon, Library
• Feb. 10: Black N Blue Police Panel, 6 p.m. Red River
• Feb. 11: Level Up, 5 p.m., Central Library basement
• Feb. 12: Role of NPHC & HBCUs in 2020, noon, Carlisle Suite
• Feb. 12: NAACP Founder's Celebration, 7 p.m., Rio Grande A
• Feb. 13: Black HAIR-itage, 12:30 p.m. lunch panel, 3 p.m. demonstration, Library
• Feb. 14: Black Love, noon, Pickard Hall
• Feb. 15: Giving Back service event, 9 a.m., location TBA
• Feb. 16: Black HAIR-itage Gallery, UC Art Gallery
• Feb. 19: Speaker Series, noon, 6th Floor Library
• Feb. 19: What's Your Love Language, 7 p.m., San Jacinto
• Feb. 20: CAAS Conference, 10 a.m. Bluebonnet
• Feb. 21: Poetry Slam, 8 p.m., Location TBA
• Feb. 26: Speaker Series, noon, 6th Floor Library
• Feb. 27: Maverick Kitchen/Global Grounds, 12:30 p.m. Library, 4 p.m. Palo Duro
• Feb. 28: Movie Night, 7 p.m., Lonestar 

Click here for more information on UTA's Black Celebration Month events.

Theatre Arlington

Theatre Arlington, in Downtown Arlington, is marking Black History Month with performances of "A Raisin in the Sun." The groundbreaking play opened in 1959, and its themes are still relevant more than sixty years later. The show runs Feb. 14 through March 8 with performances Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings at 7:30 and Sundays at 2 p.m. Click here for tickets.