PHILADELPHIA – The African American Museum in Philadelphia (AAMP) has announced its line-up of programming and events in honor of Black History Month, including a keynote address by Dr. Bernice A. King. Throughout the month of February, AAMP will host workshops, a movie screening, and open discussions that uplift the Black experience. Registration for each event will be available to the general public on Wednesday, February 1, 2023.
“At AAMP, we are proud to celebrate Black history every day and welcome the opportunity to explore the Black experience deeper during Black History Month,” said Dr. Ashley Jordan, President & CEO of the African American Museum in Philadelphia. “Our programming, this month especially, aims to strengthen our sense of community and is open to everyone who is interested in learning about the different stories, topics, and perspectives that make up the Black experience.”
This year’s Black History Month programming at AAMP includes the following (in chronological order):
On Friday, February 3, from 5:30 – 7:30 p.m., AAMP will host First Friday, highlighting the exhibit, “Vision & Spirit: African American Art | Works from the Bank of America Collection,” which will be on display until February 19th. Following the First Friday tradition, AAMP will offer discounted admission, extended museum hours, music, and light refreshments for visitors.
On Thursday, February 9, from 5:30 – 8:30 p.m., AAMP will host a special edition of Greg Corbin’s “The Living Room Experience: A Black Men’s Gathering & Panel Discussion.” Greg Corbin, internationally acclaimed poet, educator, community leader, and founder of the Philly Youth Poetry Movement, will facilitate his original series, “The Living Room Experience,” for Black men and boys (14 and older) to explore the nuanced development of Black male masculinity, resilience, and mental health, through a night of workshops, artistic expression, and dialogue.
On Saturday, February 11, AAMP, from 1 – 4:00 p.m. in collaboration with the Philadelphia Writing Project, the School District of Philadelphia’s Office of Curriculum and Instruction, and the Graduate School of Education at the University of Pennsylvania, will host “Challenging the System to Work.” As part of a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities to the Philadelphia Writing Project in partnership with AAMP, the event will focus on unearthing the hidden histories of Black women in Philadelphia and the historic Colored Conventions, where opportunities for free-born and formerly enslaved African Americans to organize and strategize for racial justice were shared. Participants will learn from teachers in workshop settings and engage in discussion about ways to use these topics and ideas in K-12 classrooms. The event is free to teachers and museum educators, with identification.
On Thursday, February 16, from 12 – 1:00 p.m., AAMP will host its monthly Art Break, with the theme, Reclaiming the Vision, highlighting the exhibit, “Vision & Spirit: African American Art | Works from the Bank of America Collection,” which will be on display until February 19th. Led by Assistant Curator Zindzi Harley, and Program Coordinator Morgan Lloyd, this informal discussion will focus on the contributions and legacy of the artists in “Vision & Spirit” that have allowed and influenced Black contemporary artists to establish a collective visual identity and narrative in the 20th century.
On Saturday, February 18, from 4:00 – 5:30 p.m., AAMP will host The Color of Money, a Fireside Chat with Rhonda Bettis, Retail Banking Director for Philadelphia at Citizens Bank, that will explore the themes of financial literacy for future generations and the racial wealth gap.
On Thursday, February 23, from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m., AAMP, in partnership with PI-Philly and the Consulate General of Italy, will host a screening of the film “Autumn Beat,” and a Q&A with the director, Antonio Dikele Distefano. An Amazon Original Film, “Autumn Beat,” is Distefano’s feature film debut and tells the coming-of-age stories of second-generation Black youths in Italy who share the same dream of becoming famous rappers. Hear from Distefano on his inspiration for the movie and his experience as a Black Italian creator. The movie features adult themes and language; adult supervision is suggested for viewers under 13.
On Saturday, February 25, at 5:00 p.m., the NAACP Philadelphia Chapter will host an NAACP Image Award Watch Party and Sneaker Ball at AAMP.
On Sunday, February 26, from 4:00 – 6:00 p.m., AAMP will host An Evening Conversation with Dr. Bernice A King at the historic Mother Bethel AME Church, 416 S. 6th St, Philadelphia, PA 19147. Her keynote address will focus on the theme of the Beloved Community and how the words of her father, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., can inspire community, love, and hope. Sponsorship opportunities are available for this specific event.
Throughout Black History Month, visitors can also enjoy AAMP’s latest exhibit, “Beloved – Habibi.” The photography exhibition by Philadelphia artist Karim Brown, is a visual study that examines Black boyhood and manhood in the neighborhoods of North Philadelphia. Brown uses the medium of photography to intimately engage with the diverse ways of life within the Black community that he calls home. He combats the stereotypical and often ambiguous narrative of Black men in inner cities, inspired by W.E.B DuBois’ famed question “how does it feel to be a problem?”
The African American Museum in Philadelphia is open Thursday through Saturday, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Advance registration is recommended for on-site events. For more information on Black History Month programming and to purchase admission, visit aampmuseum.org.
About the African American Museum in Philadelphia
Founded in 1976 in celebration of the nation’s bicentennial, the African American Museum in Philadelphia is the first institution funded and built by a major municipality to preserve, interpret and exhibit the heritage of African Americans. The mission of the Museum is to bring together diverse communities in greater appreciation of the Black experience through the combined narrative of art, history, and culture. Throughout its evolution, the Museum has objectively interpreted and presented the achievements and aspirations of African Americans from pre-colonial times to the current day.
