In 1915, historian Carter G. Woodson founded the Association for the Study of African American Life and History, an organization that later championed the first Negro History Week. In 1976, on the 50th anniversary of the first Negro History Week, the Association officially shifted the name and duration of the celebration — to Black History Month.
February in the Fredericksburg region now brings plenty of opportunities to celebrate the history, culture and contributions of African Americans.
The Free Press team has scoured calendars and sites to bring you a roundup of some of the most engaging Black History events in the region this month. Events are free unless otherwise noted.
If your organization or community has an event we missed, please send an email to [email protected] or add it to our Community Calendar.
Daily events
The Rolling Back of Civil Rights Gains in Education
Wednesday, Feb. 5, 5 p.m.
UMW – Chandler Ballroom A&B, Cedric Rucker University Center: BOND and SEED host a panel discussion where education professionals will discuss the loss of civil rights protections in K-12 and higher education.
Book Talk with Justin Marlowe
Wednesday, Feb. 5, 7-8:30 p.m.
Fredericksburg Area Museum: Join the museum for a book talk with Justin Marlowe, author of “Perfect Strangers.” Through candid anecdotes and heartfelt reflections, Marlowe delves into the challenges of growing up in an era still reverberating from the Civil Rights movement. His memoir captures the dual narratives of Justin and his childhood best friend, Nicos, two African American adolescents navigating the complexities of suburban life in the late ’80s and early ’90s. Their stories explore the universal struggles of youth — romance, socialization, and mental health — against the backdrop of racial and class tensions.
Funding for the Arts
Friday, Feb. 7, 7 p.m.
UMW – The Underground, Lee Hall: Concert and art show by UMW organizations For the Culture and Women of Color; donations support arts-focused charity.
History on Wheels: African American Leaders
Saturday, Feb. 8, 10-11:30 a.m.
Fredericksburg Area Museum: The Fredericksburg Area Museum and Spotsylvania Public Schools invite families from all school districts to a special History on Wheels Pop-up Learning Lab. Families will learn about local history through interactive hands-on activities and gallery guides. The theme for February is African American Leaders: come learn about local African American leaders from business owners to doctors to teachers. Families will create their own protest signs inspired by the 1960 Fredericksburg sit-ins. FREE, RSVPs requested: [email protected]
Colors of Africa
Saturday, Feb. 8, 5 p.m.
UMW – Chandler Ballroom, Cedric Rucker University Center: Sponsored by the African Student Union and the James Farmer Multicultural Center, Colors of Africa celebrates the culture that Black people create. Whether it is Black people of the African continent, African Americans or the Caribbean, Blackness is a transnational and multicultural experience and it ought to be celebrated as such.
Khalil Houston Workshop
Tues., Feb. 11 & 18, 12:30-2 p.m.
Germanna Community College Fredericksburg Area Campus: Khalil Houston’s Power of Vulnerability Workshop empowers students to embrace authentic self-expression through poetry, storytelling, and open dialogue. By fostering a safe space, Khalil will help participants uncover hidden truths, build confidence, and use vulnerability as a tool for personal growth and deeper connection with others. RSVP here.
Black History Month: African Dinner
Tuesday, Feb. 11, 5 p.m.
UMW- Dining at the Top of the CRUC: Cost with Campus Meal Plan is one meal swipe or $14.92 Flex. The cost for EagleOne or credit card purchases is $17.23.
The History of Hip-Hop in the South
Wednesday, Feb. 12, 6 p.m.
UMW- Chandler Ballroom A&B, University Center: DJ Demp leads an interactive presentation on his career in the music industry as one of the trailblazers in the history of Southern hip-hop music.
Great Lives Lecture: John Lewis
Thursday, Feb.13, 7:30 p.m.
UMW – Dodd Auditorium: For six decades John Robert Lewis (1940–2020) was a towering figure in the struggle for civil rights in the United States. As an activist and progressive congressman, he was renowned for his unshakable integrity, indomitable courage, and determination to get into “good trouble.” “John Lewis: In Search of the Beloved Community” is the first book-length biography of Lewis. Historian Raymond Arsenault traces Lewis’s upbringing in rural Alabama, his activism as a Freedom Rider and leader of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, his championing of voting rights and anti-poverty initiatives, and his decades of service as the “conscience of Congress.” Arsenault recounts Lewis’s lifetime of work toward one overarching goal: realizing the “beloved community,” an ideal society based in equity and inclusion. Lewis never wavered in this pursuit, and even in death his influence endures, inspiring mobilization and resistance in the fight for social justice.
Hidden Histories: A Community-Led Black History Month Walking Tour
Saturday, Feb. 15, 1-2 p.m.
Fredericksburg Area Museum: Featuring recent research gathered by Dr. Gaila Sims, FAM’s Curator of African American History and Vice President of Programs and Interpretation, this one-time-only program will be facilitated by local community historian Keith Strother. The tour will begin and end on the museum’s third floor and will run approximately one hour, showcasing stories of African American resilience, creativity, and struggle centered right in the heart of downtown Fredericksburg. FREE, $10 donation suggested, RSVPs requested: [email protected]
Watch The Loving Story
Saturday, Feb. 15, 5:30 p.m.
Caroline County Community Center (17202 Richmond Turnpike, Milford): Watch the full length documentary about Richard and Mildred Loving, a Caroline County couple who challenged the U.S. Supreme Court on interracial marriage.
Caroline NAACP Black History Month Celebration
Monday, Feb. 17, 6-8 p.m.
Caroline Community Center (17202 Richmond Turnpike, Milford): Join the Caroline County NAACP for a fashion show, recognitions, special guest Bubba Johnson and the Richmond Gospel Gents and more.
Bail Out Bake Sale
Tuesday, Feb. 18, 1 p.m.
UMW – Campus Walk: The UMW NAACP College Chapter, For the Culture, and Women of Color will be selling baked goods and donating the proceeds to a nonprofit organization to aid marginalized individuals who are returning home from incarceration.
Empowerment Expo
Thursday, Feb. 20, noon-2 p.m.
Germanna Fredericksburg Area Campus (SP1) first-floor lobby: The Germanna Community College Vendor Empowerment Expo showcases local businesses, entrepreneurs, and organizations, offering opportunities to connect, network, and celebrate community empowerment.
A Space of Our Own: Black Women in Community
Thursday, Feb. 20, 6:30–8:30 p.m.
Fredericksburg Area Museum: This monthly program, curated by Dr. Gaila Sims, provides a welcoming space for Black women to share stories, network, and celebrate their legacy in the Fredericksburg area. Light refreshments, craft supplies, and conversation starters will be provided. Attendees are welcome to bring board games, puzzles, books, art-making materials, and snacks, if desired. Dress comfortably and bring your friends! Trusted allies are welcome, but this program prioritizes Black women’s needs and experiences.
Black History Month Performance: Kia Bennett
Thursday, Feb. 20, 7 p.m.
UMW – The Underground, Lee Hall: Kia Bennett is a native of Richmond and a product of Howard University. She made her introduction into entertainment while singing with former Washington D.C. group “Entyme,” along with other respected soul artists Geno Young, Sy Smith, and Yahzarah. She is best noted for her background vocals on records featuring international recording artists Roy Ayers, D’Angelo, Ledisi, Michael Bolton, and others. She is also formerly half of the singing duo, Kia Bennett & Desiree Jordan as KiDe’. Currently, she is a teaching artist with Creative Works and YAMZ (Young Artists and Musicians Zone). She has an EP entitled, Duet of Daffodils and is working on her full-length album.
For the Love of Fredericksburg: A Celebration of African American Enterprise
Saturday, Feb. 22, 1-2 p.m.
Fredericksburg Area Museum: Step into history and explore the enduring legacy of African American enterprise in Fredericksburg, Virginia, on this immersive walking tour presented by local history educator Tiya Shaw. This journey through the heart of Fredericksburg unveils the stories of local Black families who thrived in the face of adversity, building businesses, communities, and legacies that continue to shape the city’s identity. Stroll through historic sites and landmarks, discover tales of resilience, ingenuity, and progress that highlight the prosperity and contributions of African Americans in Fredericksburg. From the early days of colonial life, through emancipation, and into the vibrant Black-owned businesses that fueled the local economy, this tour pays tribute to the strength and vision of those who made a lasting impact on their community. FREE, $10 donation suggested, RSVPs requested: [email protected]
African American Read-In
Saturday, Feb. 22, 2-4 p.m.
Fredericksburg Branch Central Rappahannock Regional Library (1201 Caroline Street): Celebrate African American history through literature and music, featuring readers from the community and a special performance by David Lamont and Tomeka Jack-Myree. Tables featuring mental health resources for the Black Community will also be present. Popcorn provided by JusPop’n.
King George NAACP Black History Program
Saturday, Feb. 22, 3-5:30 p.m.
King George High School (10100 Foxes Way, King George): The King George Branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People presents guest speakers Dr. Joy Slaughter, Jolicia Ward and Marley Robinson. The program includes dinner, music by Walter Baker, Jr. and the Anointed Voices Community Choir. Adult admission: $25 advance, $30 at the door; students under 18 $5.
Step Show
Saturday, Feb. 22, 7 p.m.
UMW Dodd Auditorium, George Washington Hall: Step teams from area high schools, regional colleges and universities as they engage in a high-energy, entertaining competition. $10 general public (cash only), $5 UMW students w/ID. Discounts available.
Live Culinary Demonstration
Monday, Feb. 24, noon-1 p.m.
Germanna Community College Fredericksburg Area Campus (SP2) Sealy Auditorium: Experience a culinary demonstration by Stafford’s own Chef Chris Kyler, renowned for his soul food creations, as he presents Heritage Jollof Shrimp and Grits—a fusion dish that blends the iconic shrimp and grits of the American South with the bold, rich flavors of West African jollof rice, honoring the journey of African ingredients and culinary traditions through the transatlantic slave trade.
Spoken Word & Live Music
Tuesday, February 25, 12:30-1:30 p.m.
Germanna Community College Fredericksburg Area Campus: Khalil Houston presents powerful spoken word, blending raw vulnerability and artistic expression. Then, groove as the dynamic Control The Room brings soulful R&B vibes, creating an electrifying experience.
Black History Month: Cajun/Mardi Gras/Caribbean Dinner
Tuesday, Feb. 25, 5 p.m.
UMW Dining at the Top of the CRUC: Cost with Campus Meal Plan is one meal swipe or $14.92 Flex. The cost for EagleOne or credit card purchases is $17.23.
Great Lives Lecture: Phillis Wheatley
Thursday, Feb. 27, 7:30 p.m.
UMW – Dodd Auditorium: Admired by George Washington, ridiculed by Thomas Jefferson, published in London, and read far and wide, Phillis Wheatley led one of the most extraordinary American lives. Seized in West Africa and forced into slavery as a child, she was sold to a merchant family in Boston, where she became a noted poet at a young age. Mastering the Bible, Greek and Latin translations, and the works of Pope and Milton, she composed elegies for local elites, celebrated political events, praised warriors, and used her verse to variously lampoon, question, and assert the injustice of her enslaved condition. In “The Odyssey of Phillis Wheatley”, historian David Waldstreicher offers the fullest account to date of Wheatley’s life and works, correcting myths, reconstructing intimate friendships, and deepening our understanding of her verse and the Revolutionary era.
Monthlong events
Corsets and Contraband: Women, Labor, and Their Fight for Freedom
Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays,11 a.m.-3 p.m., thru March 31
Sidney E. King Arts Center (121 North Main Street, Bowling Green): Curated by Yvette Blake of Spotsylvania County and Denise Benedetto of Orange County, the exhibit highlights little known revolutionary contributions of African-American women during the American Civil War. This exhibit tells the stories of four African-American women who used their labor as tools of resistance and espionage. Visitors learn about Lucy Ann Walker, the “Clothesline Spy,” who gathered and shared intelligence while working as a laundress; Mary Bowser, “The highest-placed spy during the Civil War,” who passed critical information to Union forces while serving in the Confederate White House; Lizzie Hoffman’s daring transformation into a soldier disguised as a man; and Mary Louvestre’s bold smuggling of Confederate engineering plans further illustrate the extraordinary courage and ingenuity of these women. The exhibit is free and open to the public, with donations encouraged.
Stafford African American Heritage Trail, Discover Stafford
The Stafford African American Heritage Trail features over 20 significant locations, each with stories from over 300 years of rich history in the county. Find the full trail details here.
—Compiled by Noelle Clark and Martina Pugh
