Black History and Juneteenth

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February is Black History Month, an annual celebration of the achievements by African Americans and a time to honor the central role of black Americans throughout history and in the present day. 

During June, we will also feature Juneteenth events to honor and showcase Freedom Day events and activities happening in our libraries and the surrounding area. 

2025 Events, Displays and Activities

Black History Month or Related Events in the library

I AM A Man: The Re-humanization of Black Men Exhibition

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This exhibit was born out of curator and local artist Sharon Bjyrd’s emotional experience visiting the Dr. Martin Luther King Memorial at the Civil Rights Museum in Memphis a few years ago. Standing in the presence of history, she was moved to tears by the indignities Black people have endured—indignities that persist today, rooted solely in the color of our skin. The I AM A Man: The Re-humanization of Black Men(link is external) show features 7 local artists’ work, a mural project curated by youth at the Juvenile Detention Center, and various performances in response to this show’s theme.

Through this curated selection of works, Sharon hopes to spark a conversation about the intrinsic worth of Black men within the family, community, and society: "This is a celebration of their strength, their resilience, and their joy—a tribute to the men who came before and those who are shaping our future. This is for the Black men in my life and all those who deserve to be seen and honored for who they are: fully human, fully worthy," said Bjyrd.

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I AM A Man: The Re-humanization of Black Men Community Gathering

February 20, 6-7:30pm | Goodman South Madison Library
Hear from the curator and explore the exhibition - including the artist-curated playlist and accompanying book collection. There will also be a number of performances pulled from the play Da Classroom Ain’t Enuf. 

Movie Nights

The Inspection
February 7, 6-8pm | Lakeview Library

Join us for a film night on the first Friday of each month! Selections include feature-length films, documentaries, and shorts. Snacks and drinks provided. 

This month's feature: The Inspection (2022) In Elegance Bratton's inspirational and deeply moving retelling of his own story, a young, gay Black man, rejected by his mother and with few options for his future, decides to join the Marines, doing whatever it takes to succeed in a system that would cast him aside. But even as he battles deep-seated prejudice and the grueling routines of basic training, he finds unexpected camaraderie, strength, and support in this new community, giving him a hard-earned sense of belonging that will shape his identity and forever change his life. Rating: NR | Drama | 94 minutes

Black History Month Movie Series
Friday Nights in February, 5-7:30pm | Goodman South Madison Library

Highlighting a mix of genres, themes, and storytelling while ensuring a communal and engaging atmosphere, this lineup not only includes significant films, but also promotes a sense of community while honoring Black History Month. Join us for movies each Friday evening in February from 5-7:30pm - no registration is required.

• February 7: Black Panther - Join us for a screening of this groundbreaking Marvel film that celebrates Black culture, empowerment, and heroism, featuring the kingdom of Wakanda and a powerful storyline that resonates with audiences worldwide.
• February 14: Black Panther: Wakanda Forever - Queen Ramonda, Shuri, M'Baku, Okoye and the Dora Milaje fight to protect their nation from intervening world powers in the wake of King T'Challa's death. As the Wakandans strive to embrace their next chapter, the heroes must band together with Nakia and Everett Ross to forge a new path for their beloved kingdom.
• February 21: Creed II - Watch the latest installment in the Creed series, showcasing the journey of Adonis Creed as he faces new challenges and personal growth in the ring, highlighting themes of perseverance, legacy, and brotherhood.
• February 28: Creed III - Under the tutelage of Rocky Balboa, newly crowned heavyweight champion Adonis Creed faces off against Viktor Drago, the son of Ivan Drago.

Book Discussions

Parable of the Sower
February 15, 1:30-3pm | Goodman South Madison Library

Come join the book club for a lively thoughtful discussion of "Parable of the Sower" by Octavia Butler. Everyone is welcome to our public group. Please find our books for the club next to the Reference Desk.

James and Washington Black
February 20, 2-3pm | Sequoya Library

Join us for a discussion of this month's books, James by Percival Everett and/or Washington Black by Esi Edugyan. Read either book, or both--we'll compare and contrast! New members are always welcome. Copies of the books may be available at the Ask Desk.

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Book Displays & Other Activities

• Black Illustrators Scavenger Hunt - developed by librarian Jessi H. at Hawthorne Library, this scavenger hunt is a great way to discover different art styles, highlight the artist talents of Black illustrators, and explore new children's books. Find this scavenger hunt at Hawthorne, Lakeview, Central, Meadowridge, and Goodman South Madison Libraries throughout February.
• Black History Month book displays will be featured at several library locations throughout the month. Uncover new books by lesser known authors, find the latest releases by popular Black writers, and rediscover classic novels about the African American experience by browsing book displays at Central, Sequoya, Goodman South Madison Library and more. 

Author Events

Wisconsin Book Festival Presents Plundered by Bernadette Atuahene
February 21, 7pm | UW South Madison Partnership, 2238 S. Park St.

In this powerful work of scholarship and storytelling, Atuahene shows how predatory governance invites complicity from well-meaning people, eviscerates communities, and widens the racial wealth gap. By following the lives of two Detroit grandfathers, one Black and the other white, and their grandchildren, Atuahene tells a riveting tale about racist policies, how they take root, why they flourish, and who profits.

About Bernadette Atuahene
Bernadette Atuahene is a Harvard and Yale-trained property law scholar whose work focuses on land and homes stolen from Black people. She currently holds the Duggan Chair at the University of Southern California Gould School of Law. Atuahene has served as a judicial clerk at the South African Constitutional Court, worked as a consultant for the South African Land Claims Commission, and practiced at a global law firm called Cleary Gottlieb. She is the author of We Want What’s Ours: Learning from South Africa’s Land Restitution Program, and she directed and produced an award-winning short documentary film about one South African family’s struggle to regain their land. Atuahene has won several accolades and has published extensively in both academic journals and news outlets such as the New York Times and LA Times.

Wisconsin Book Festival Presents The Devil Times Three by Rickey Fayne
May 13, 7pm | Central Library

Steeped in the spiritual traditions and oral history of the Black diaspora, The Devil Three Times is a baptism by fire and water, heralding a new voice in American fiction.

About Rickey Fayne: 
Rickey Fayne is a fiction writer from rural West Tennessee whose work has appeared in American Short Fiction, Guernica, The Sewanee Review, and The Kenyon Review, among other magazines. He holds an MA in English from Northwestern University and an MFA in Fiction from the Michener Center for Writers at the University of Texas. His writing embodies his Black, Southern upbringing in order to reimagine and honor his ancestors’ experiences.

Black History Month or Related Events in the Greater Madison Community*

Dzigbodi Akyea Art Exhibit
February 2-28 | Madison College (Truax Campus)

Madison College’s SOUL Affinity Group and the Division of College Culture and Climate invite the community to its SOULful Joy exhibit that showcases art that resonates with the power of joy that is deep-rooted, resilient and soulful.

SOULful Joy is an empowering state of being. It represents a light that endures despite adversity, a strength cultivated through shared heritage, and a celebration of one's true self. It captures the laughter amidst hardship, the peace found in reflection, and the exuberance of cultural expression.

Deseré Mayo, a talented artist known for her graphite drawings, brings Black history and culture to life through her work. Her art appeals to children and adults, having graced the walls of homes and businesses, appeared on signs, and even decorated children's faces. Since childhood, Deseré has inspired countless individuals with her artistic talents.

Opening Reception: History of Racial Covenants Exhibition
February 6, 6pm | Monona Library

Racial covenants were a wide spread tool for preventing property sales to people of particular descent up through the early and mid-1900’s. In 1917, the US Supreme Court invalidated racial zoning, causing the use of restrictive covenants to proliferate as an exclusionary tool. While racially restrictive covenants include language targeting many racial, religious, and ethnic groups, they especially targeted Black people during the Great Migration (1910-40), when millions moved North and West to seek new opportunities.

Dane County Planning and Development has worked with several partners to uncover, develop, and present racially and ethnically restrictive covenants. While the full breadth of data analysis is yet to be completed, what has been verified will be presented as part of the Dane County Historical Society’s traveling exhibit about the History of Racial Covenants in Dane County and Madison. The exhibit consists of 14 pull-up banners and will be displayed in 12 libraries. The opening reception will be held at the Monona Public Library at 6 p.m. on February 6, 2025, to coincide with Black History Month. If you're unable to attend this opening reception, that's okay! We'll be hosting the exhibition at Sequoya Library later this year beginning on October 6, 2025. 

Black Heritage Celebration
February 13, 5-8pm | Madison Children's Museum

Join Madison Children’s Museum on February 13, 5–8 pm, as we honor the contributions of Black people in our community with a celebration featuring Black artists, musicians, and leaders. Free admission begins at 4 pm, and activities continue from 5 to 8 pm. No event tickets required!

John Lewis: Good Trouble Film Screening

February 27, 5-8pm | Monona Terrace Lecture Hall

• Doors Open: 5:00
• 5:30 Black National Anthem / USPS stamp unveiling
• Film Start Time: 6:00 (length 96 min)
• Discussion: 7:30

Using interviews and rare archival footage, “John Lewis: Good Trouble” chronicles John Robert Lewis’ 60-plus years of social activism and legislative action on civil rights, voting rights, gun control, health-care reform and immigration. Using past interviews with Lewis, who passed in 2020, Porter explores his childhood experiences, his inspiring family and his fateful meeting with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in 1957.

The event is free and open to the public. In celebration of Black History Month, the City of Madison Department of Civil Rights, Dane County Office for Equity and Inclusion, and Monona Terrace present

the film, “John Lewis: Good Trouble.”