Black History Month is an annual celebration of achievements by African-Americans and a time for recognizing their central role in U.S. history. The event grew out of “Negro History Week,” the brainchild of noted historian Dr. Carter G. Woodson and other prominent African-Americans.

Black History Month was first proposed by Black educators and the Black United Students at Kent State University in February, 1969. Their first celebration took place in 1970, with the month-long event then being celebrated throughout America in educational institutions, centers of Black culture and community centers.

Some of the month’s local events include:

Thursday, Feb. 10, 7 to 8:30 p.m., Virginia Commonwealth University James Branch Cabell Library Lecture Hall, 901 Park Ave.

Pulitzer-Prize winning historian Annette Gordon-Reed tells the sweeping story of Juneteenth, chronicling its origins in Texas and the many hardships African-Americans have endured since then. The talk will be based on her new book, “On Juneteenth.”

Program is sponsored by VCU Libraries. Register to attend in person or to watch online at www.support.vcu.edu/event/BlackHistoryMonth2022.

Saturday, Feb. 12, at 2 p.m., Glen Allen Branch Library, 10501 Staples Mill Road.

Public historian, biographer and filmmaker Elvatrice Belsches will offer a multimedia talk amplifying the extraordinary contributions of educator Virginia E. Randolph.

Born in 1870, Ms. Randolph was an educator in Henrico County who was named the United States’ first “Jeanes Supervising Industrial Teacher” by the county’s superintendent of schools, Jackson Davis. She led a program funded by the Jeanes Foundation to upgrade vocational training throughout the U.S. South. As her career progressed, she was an advocate for public health and juvenile justice reform.

Ms. Belsches currently is working on a documentary about Ms. Randolph’s legacy and is the recipient of a Virginia Humanities grant for her project.

Details: henricolibrary.org/calendar.

Monday, Feb. 14, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. – Rita Daniels, the great-great-great niece or Harriet Tubman, will speak about how Ms. Tubman’s legacy continues to grow and impact today’s youths. Presented by the Richmond Public Library’s “Get Lit” literacy initiative and the Harriet Tubman Learning Center, which was established in 2015 by Ms. Daniels and Geraldine Copes-Daniels.

The event is virtual. Registration: https://rvalibrary.libcal.com/event/8281939.

Wednesday, Feb. 23, 7 to 8 p.m. – “How the Lee Monument Came Down,” a virtual presentation by Michael Spence, managing gen- eral partner with Team Henry Enterprises, who led the team that disassembled the Monument Avenue statue and pedestal of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee. The program will be facilitated by J. Dontrese Brown, Richmond Public Library Foundation board member and co-creator of Hidden in Plain Sight Virtual History Project.

Registration for the virtual event: https://rvalibrary.libcal.com/event/8812206

Wednesday, Feb.16, and Wednesday, Feb.23, at 7 p.m., AARP Virginia’s “Wind Down Wednesdays” series of virtual events and short film screenings. Brian Bullock, a local filmmaker and history enthusiast, will share some of his short films and will lead interviews with local historians. Registration: https://aarp.cventevents.com/event/ea2d90c2-7c1e-4a06- 9ef3-1d8794323643/summary

Saturday, Feb. 19, at 1 p.m., Maggie L. Walker National Historic Site will host “Matinee with Miss Maggie,” a free event to commemo- rate Black History Month. During a virtual film program at 1 p.m., “Imitation of Life,” will be shown. The film addresses one of the questions often asked by visitors to the site upon seeing photographs of Mrs. Walker’s light complexion: “Did Maggie L. Walker ever pass for white?” While historical evidence suggests she never did so on purpose, “passing” was something many Black people with light skin tones did in Jim Crow America and beyond. The 1934 film “Imitation of Life” contained stories about racial passing during Mrs. Walker’s time. The public is invited to join a park historian in viewing “Imitation of Life” and discuss the significance of racial passing, both in Mrs. Walker’s time and now. Registration: Contact Park Ranger Ben Anderson at Benjamin_Anderson@nps.gov.

Sunday, Feb. 20, 1 to 6 p.m., Main Street Station, 1500 E. Main St., “UNTOLD”— Black Food and Spirits. “UNTOLD” will highlight Black history relating to the American food and spirits industry and bring today’s tastemakers under one roof. Enjoy Main Stage presentations from historians and industry tastemakers.

Tickets: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/black-food-and-spirits-untold-virginia-tickets-189993334177.