The vision for Black History Month 2020 will be a plethora of events including films, speakers and panel workshops at area venues, churches, schools and museums.

Black History Month originated in 1926 with Dr. Carter G. Woodson and the Association for the Study of African American Life and History as “Negro History Week,” coinciding with the birthdays of Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass.

The first nationally recognized Black History Month was announced in 1976 by President Gerald Ford and has been celebrated internationally, including in Canada and the United Kingdom.

Following is a list of area events:

Saturday, Feb. 1, noon to 2 p.m. Richmond Public Library, 101 E. Franklin St. “The Brotha-to-Brother Project Kids’Summit,” designed to show young black men ages 10 through 18 that there are many ways to prosper, professionally and personally, as black men in America as well as teaching them the importance of preserving their mental health by effective communication. For more information please call (804) 646-5177.

Saturday, Feb.1, 1p.m. American Civil War Museum, Historic Tredegar, 480 Tredegar St. Book Talk with Richard Bell, author of “Stolen,” a gripping and true story about five boys who were kidnapped in the North and smuggled into slavery in the Deep South and their daring attempt to escape and bring their captors to justice. Included with admission; free to members. For more information please call (804) 649-1861.

Saturdays Feb. 1 through Feb. 22, North Avenue Public Library, 2901 North Ave., Black History Month Movie Series:

• Feb. 1, 2 to 3:30 p.m. “King,” based on the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., the American civil rights leader and 1964 Nobel laureate.

• Feb. 8, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. “Children of the Promise,” a Christian group from Cedartown, Ga., spreading the Gospel in song, word, and deed.

• Feb. 15, 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. “Ruby Bridges,” based on the true story of the first black student to attend integrated schools in New Orleans in 1960. As a six-year-old, Ruby was one of four black first-graders selected on the basis of test scores, to attend previously all-white public schools in New Orleans.

• Feb. 22, 1 p.m. “Hidden Figures,” the incredible story of Hampton Roads native Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan and Mary Jackson and their mathematical calculations that went into making John Glenn the first American man in space in 1962.

• Feb. 22, 3 p.m. “Loving,” a 2016 biographical drama tells the story of Richard and Mildred Loving, the plaintiffs in the 1967 U.S. Supreme Court (the Warren Court) decision Loving v. Virginia, which invalidated state laws prohibiting interracial marriage.

For more information please call (804) 646-6675.

Saturday, Feb. 1 through Saturday Feb. 22, 9 a.m. to noon

Black History Month at Historic Evergreen Cemetery, Historic East End & Evergreen Cemetery, 50 Evergreen Road.

Celebrate Black History Month through volunteering to help restore Historic Evergreen Cemetery, the resting place for many of Richmond’s African-American leaders of the 19th and 20th centuries, clearing overgrowth and debris from pathways and grave markers and grave marker recording.

Each Saturday has a special theme related to the ancestors in the cemetery and the spirit of community represented there. There will be educational opportunities on each day including presentations from descendants of those buried at Evergreen.

• Feb. 1, Greek Letter Day. Wear your sorority, fraternity, high school, college, or other alumni colors.

• Feb. 8, Genealogy Day. Wear tan, white, green and black. Presentation by the Afro-American Historical and Genealogical Society.

• Feb. 15, Family Day. Wear red, white, and pink. Encourage your family to join you - young ones are welcome. Informative session about Maggie L. Walker.

• Feb. 22, African Heritage Day. Wear red, yellow, green and black, or other colors or patterns representing your heritage.

For more information please call (804) 234-3905 ext. 105 or email volunteer@enrichmond.org

Saturdays, Feb. 1 through Feb. 29, noon to 2 p.m. Hull Street Public Library, 1400 Hull St. Black History Month Movie Series:

• Feb. 1 “If Beale Street Could Talk,” a 2018 American romantic drama directed and written by Barry Jenkins, and based on James Baldwin’s novel of the same name.

• Feb. 8 “Green Book,” based on the 1962 relationship between Dr. Don Shirley, a world-class African-American pianist and Tony Lip, a tough-talking bouncer from an Italian-American neighborhood in the Bronx hired to be his driver.

• Feb. 15 “The Help,” based on a 2009 novel by American author Kathryn Stockett about African-Americans working in white households in Jackson, Miss., during the early 1960s.

• Feb. 22 “B.O.S.S: The Black Experience in Business,” the untold story of African-American entrepreneurship, where skill, industriousness, ingenuity and sheer courage in the face of overwhelming odds provide the backbone of this nation’s economic and social growth.

• Feb. 29 “Toni Morrison: The Pieces I Am,” a compelling documentary focusing on her artful and intimate meditation as she examines her life, her works and the powerful themes she has confronted throughout her literary career.

For more information please call (804) 646-6675.

Feb. 1 through Feb. 29, noon to 5 p.m. Maymont Mansion, 1700 Hampton St. Discover the daily challengesAfrican-American workers faced maintaining a millionaire’s home and lifestyle while navigating the difficulties beyond the estate’s gates in turbulent times.

Guided tours are available every half-hour; last tour begins at 4:30 pm. Cost: $5 per person. For more information please call (804) 358-7166, ext. 329 or visit https://maymont.org/event/view-from-the-butlers-pantry-2/?instance_id=9310

Sunday, Feb. 2, 1 to 4 p.m. Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, 200 N. Arthur Ashe Blvd., Art Education Center

Grandma’s Hands Free — Open Studio Plus Performance. Celebrate family with Richmond artist Hamilton Glass and local African American photographers. Take digital family portraits onsite at VMFA to become part of a mixed-media public art collaboration. Mr. Glass will guide attendees in hands-on participation to capture fun memories in the Family Portrait Photo Booth. Free, no tickets required. For more information please call (804) 340-1400.

Sunday, Feb. 2, 1 to 4 p.m. Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, 200 N. Arthur Ashe Blvd., Atrium performances 2 p.m. and 3 p.m.

Art Education Center — Encounter generational lessons from two sisters with remarkable stories to share from the perspective of the African-American South. Through song, stories, and signed poetry, we will learn how women have made an impact on culture through practices passed down from family matriarchs. For more information please call (804) 340-1405 or visit www. vmfa.museum/calendar/events.

Tuesday, Feb. 4, 7 p.m. Varina Public Library, 1875 New Market Road

Author and historian Jon Kukla, Henrico County Recreation Manager and Historian Kim Sicola, author Gigi Amateau, and Meadow Farm Site Coordinator Julian Charity will begin the series of “Revisiting the Founding Era,” a project exploring America’s roots while re-examining the early history of the United States focusing on the experiences of people of color.

What role did African Americans play in the course of the Revolutionary War, before, during, and after? What do the records they left behind tell us, and how can the past help us chart our future?

The panel will explore several letters and images connected to the Revolutionary War, sharing their expertise and giving context to the primary sources. For more information visit henricolibrary.org/calendar or call (804) 501-1980.

Thursday, Feb. 6, 6 to 7 p.m. Wilton House Museum Wilton House Museum, 215 S. Wilton Road. “Exploring the Montpelier South Yard: Archaeology, Slavery, and Public Engagement,” a talk by Terry Brock, assistant Director of Archaeology, Montpelier. He will discuss ways that archaeology uncovered the homes and workplaces of African-American enslaved by James Madison, and how the discoveries reveal the different ways that these spaces were redefined by enslaved African-Americans. Cost: $10. For more information please call (804) 282-5946 or email: kwatkins@wiltonhousemuseum.org or visit https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ exploring-the-montpelier-south-yard-tickets-66358135971

Friday, Feb. 7, 6 to 8 p.m. Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, 200 N. Arthur Ashe Blvd., Atrium. First Friday Spirituals. Sopranos Lisa Edwards Burrs and Olletta Cheatham perform African-American spirituals. Free and open to the public. For more information please call (804) 340-1405 or visit www.vmfa.museum/calendar/events.

Saturday, Feb. 8, 3:30 to 5 p.m. Richmond Public Library, 101 E. Franklin St. “Virginia Profiles in Courage, Leadership, and Social Justice” featuring John Mitchell Jr. Historian and speaker Elvatrice Belsches provides an engaging presentation on the fascinating life and work of the “Fighting Editor” of the Richmond Planet. For more information please call (804) 646-5177.

Sunday, Feb. 9, through Saturday Feb. 22, Black History Museum and Cultural Center 122 W. Leigh St.

• Sunday, Feb. 9, 3 to 5 p.m. History of African American Music with Glenroy Bailey.

• Saturday, Feb. 15, 2 to 4 p.m. Children’s Author Lesa Cline-Ransom.

• Tuesday, Feb. 18, 6 to 8:30 p.m. “Yes we did!” Book signing with Lawrence Jackson one of President Barack Obama’s photographers.

• Saturday, Feb. 22, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Black Facts Competition high school student competition. For more information please call (804) 780-9093 or visit BlackHistoryMuseum.org.

Monday, Feb. 10, 6 to 7 p.m. Virginia State University, Anderson Turner Auditorium. Gospel great Cora Armstrong brings her gift of keyboard and song, storytelling and fellowship. For more information please call (804) 751-2275.

Tuesday, Feb. 11, 7 to 9 p.m. Virginia Commonwealth University, James B. Cabell Library, 901 Park Ave, Room 303. The 18th Annual Black History Month Lecture — “Red, White, Black and Blue: Documenting America’s Racial Illiteracy”, by Keith Knight, an award-winning cartoonist. A public reception will follow the presentation. For more information visit: https:// www.library.vcu.edu/about/events/2019-20/black-history-month- lecture-2020.html

Wednesday, Feb. 12, 6 to 8 p.m. Library of Virginia, 800 E. Broad St. Civic Conversations: a small-group discussion series. A conversation about Freedom Riders focuses on nonviolent activism during the struggle for racial justice. Free and open to the public. Contact Emma Ito at emma.ito@lva.virginia. gov or 804.692.3726 or visit https://www.lva.virginia.gov/news/ calendar/?year=2020&month=2

Saturday, Feb. 15, 2 p.m. Varina Public Library, 1875 New Market Road. The Next Star Arts Program, in partnership with the Varina Area Library, presents An African Cultural Experience with Ghanaian dance class, story time, drum circle, and a panel discussion. This is a free family event. For more information please call (804) 501-1980.

Tuesday, Feb. 18, 6 to 8 p.m. University of Richmond, Robins School of Business, Ukrop Auditorium, 102 UR Drive. Executive Speaker Series and Watts Lecture: William M. Lewis, Jr., first African-American managing director of Morgan Stanley and current managing director and co-chair of investment banking at Lazard Ltd.’

Free and open to the public. For more information please call (800) 700-1662 or visit: https://robins.richmond.edu/speaker-series/index.html

Wednesday, Feb. 19, 7 p.m. Tuckahoe Library, 1901 Starling Drive. Revisiting the Founding Era series features small group discussions with local authors local educators and historians, including Mike Halsey, secondary social studies specialist, Henrico County Public Schools; Jackie Dondero, history teacher, Deep Run High School; Joseph Rogers, program manager, American Civil War Museum; Ana Edwards, chair of the Sacred Ground Historical Reclamation Project; and Rodney Hall, retired teacher from Richmond Public Schools. For more information visit henricolibrary.org/calendar or call (804) 501-1910.

Thursday Feb. 20, 3:30 to 5 p.m. Richmond Public Library, 101 E. Franklin St. Royal Reveal: Urban fiction author Nikki Turner Exclusive. Get an exclusive first look at Ms. Turner’s new book cover and an up-close and intimate conversation with the author, hosted by Clovia Lawrence. For more information please call (804) 646-5177.

Saturday, Feb. 22, 5 to 10 p.m. Cultural Center of India, 6641 Ironbridge Parkway. Celebrating the “Ubiquitous African American Woman: Reclaiming Their Role in Pioneering Education Reform.” The event will honor seven Richmond area African- American women, including Richmond Free Press publisher Jean Patterson Boone. For more information please call (804) 590-6846 or visit UAAWCelebration.com for tickets.

Thursday, Feb. 27, 5:30 p.m. Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, 200 N. Arthur Ashe Blvd., Atrium

Come see RVA Community Makers — a mixed-media public art mural will reflect the creative visions of Richmond artist Hamilton Glass and local photographers Regina Boone, Courtney Jones, Brian Palmer, Sandra Sellars, Ayasha Sledge, and James Wallace. African-American Read-In will begin immediately after the unveiling and will take place throughout the galleries 5:30–7:30 pm. For more information please call (804) 340-1400.

Saturday, Feb. 29, 1 to 3 p.m. Richmond Public Library, 101 E. Franklin St. Genealogy Workshop with Greater Richmond, Chapter, Afro-American Historical and Genealogical Society. The organization strives to preserve African family history, genealogy and cultural diversity by teaching research techniques and disseminating information throughout the community. Their primary goals are to promote scholarly research, provide resources for historical and genealogical studies, create a network of persons with similar interests, and assist members in documenting their histories. For more information, please call (804) 646-5177

Thursday, March 5, 6 p.m. Fairfield Library, 1401 N. Laburnum Ave., Henrico County.

Untold RVA Presents: “The General Gabriel Game Show.” This fast-paced trivia game will test your knowledge of local African- American history from the founding era to today. Participants can win copies of “Come August, Come Freedom: The Bellows, The Gallows, and The Black General Gabriel,” local author Gigi Amateau’s award-winning historical novel about General Gabriel’s Rebellion. For more information visit henricolibrary.org/calendar or call (804) 501-1930.