Black History Events and Content to Engage Students This February
For educators, Black History Month is an opportunity to understand and get acquainted with the cultures, stories and figures that make up the Black experience. In recent years, a focus has been placed on culturally responsive teaching, which considers every student’s culture and encourages ethnic-racial identity development. In a culturally responsive classroom, Black history isn’t limited to a month but is woven into the school year.
Diversifying curricula is necessary, especially in New Jersey, which has one of the largest diversity gaps between teachers and students. In 1990, New Jersey’s population was 79 percent white, compared to 2020’s population, which was 62 percent white. Schools, however, have not held pace, as nearly half of the state’s public schools do not have a Black teacher.
Through culturally responsive teaching, New Jersey teachers can help create more diverse learning experiences for their students. To assist with connecting educators with Black history resources, Rutgers Alternate Route has rounded up some free and teacher-approved resources to incorporate into classrooms.
Free resources from your local library
Digital apps have revolutionized how we interact with libraries, giving users access to thousands of titles wherever. Using the code associated with your library card, websites like Hoopla, Libby and more provide users with streaming content, digital books and more.
Through Hoopla, library cardholders receive digital access to audiobooks, eBooks, comics, movies, TV, magazines and music. Content syncs across all devices, streamlining content accessibility.
Hosted by OneDrive, Libby allows users to read digital books across devices, has offline access, streams audiobooks across platforms and has hundreds of thousands of titles available.
Stream critically acclaimed films and documentaries through Kanopy, which offers thousands of titles across various eras and genres.
Stream your favorite music without a paid subscription plan. Freegal offers library cardholders thousands of well-known musicians from today and yesterday. Browse by genre or hit ‘play’ on one of Freegal’s playlists.
Events and other ways to get involved
New Jersey is a state with a rich, diverse history, and Black contributions are a big part of what makes New Jersey what it is today. To celebrate these contributions, many New Jersey libraries, organizations and institutions have created thoughtful, enriching events to honor the state’s Black history, as well as American Black history.
Black History Month at Somerset County Library System of New Jersey
“Walk With Me” by Kate Clifford Larson
February 1, 2024
7-8 p.m.
African Americans in Space Presented by Dr. Bill Thierfelder
February 7, 2024
7-8:30 p.m.
The Tuskegee Airmen – America’s First Black Pilots
February 12, 2024
7-8 p.m.
“A Look into Manville’s Past” by Kathryn Quick
February 13, 2024
7-8 p.m.
Art by African Americans – From the Protest of the ‘60s to the Age of Black Lives Matter
February 15, 2024
7-8 p.m.
A Look at Black History Through Jazz Presented by Sanford Josephson
February 21, 2024
7-8 p.m.
Tina Turner – Queen of Rock Presented by Vinnie Bruno
February 27, 2024
7-8:30 p.m.
New Jersey State Library
The Path to Freedom: Black Families in New Jersey
February 2, 2024
Noon-1 p.m.
1978 Maplewood Arts Center
Expressions in Linoleum
February 3, 4, 10, 11, 17, 18, 24 & 25, 2024
2-4 p.m.
Artist Tenjin Ikeda is featured in this month-long exhibition curated by Nette Forné Thomas.
Gregory Burros Productions Present Jazz and Art Sessions
February 4 and 25, 2024
Local producer Gregory Burros curated two afternoons of jazz to accompany Expressions in Linoleum.
Visions The Performing Arts Center Presents: Portraits
The Burgdorff Theater
February 10-11, 2024
3 p.m.
Portraits is a play that features key leaders in Black history and liberation.
Teaneck Public Library
African American Experience in Real Estate in Wealth Creation in America
February 1, 2024
7-8:30 p.m.
Teaneck Meets the Harlem Renaissance, a Poetry Event
February 8, 2024
7-8:30 p.m.
African American Changes Through Music
February 15, 2024
7-8:30 p.m.
Why it’s Important to Teach Black History
February 22, 2024
7-8:30 p.m.
Seeking Higher Ground, the Historical Quest for African American Mental Health and Well Being
February 29, 2024
7-8:30 p.m.
Black History Month Virtual Festival
The 98th Annual Black History Festival Luncheon
The Westin Washington, DC
February 24, 2024
Noon-3:30 p.m.
During February, the Black History Festival has virtual options to engage with. For the luncheon at the end of the month, attendees will hear from Congressman Hakeem Jeffries, Dr. Hasan Jeffries and Ms. Denise Rolark Barnes.
Cherry Hill Public Library
Essay, photo and video contest
Deadilne: Monday, January 29
All public school students grades K-12 in Cherry Hill are invited to submit an essay, photo or video in honor of Black History Month. This year’s theme is Their Stories Matter: African Americans in our Schools and Community.
Englewood Public Library
Black History Month Film Series
Selma
February 7, 2024
2-4 p.m.
Hotel Rwanda
February 8, 2024
2-4 p.m.
I Am Not Your Negro
February 15, 2024
2-4 p.m.
Till
February 22, 2024
2-4 p.m.
12 Years a Slave
February 29, 2024
2-4 p.m.
Other events at Englewood Public Library
Black History Trivia Contest
Virtual
February 5, 2024
7-8 p.m.
Black POWs in Confederate Prisons
February 6, 2024
7-8 p.m.
Upright Bass: The Musical Life & Legacy of Jamil Nasser
February 13, 2024
7-8 p.m.
Stories of Slavery in New Jersey
February 27, 2024
7-8 p.m.
Black History Month Drum Circle
February 28, 2024
4-5 p.m.
Montclair History Center
Guided House Tour: Eyewitness to Black History
February 18, 2024
Noon-3 p.m.
Get a deeper understanding of New Jersey’s Black history through Montclair History Center’s guided tour. See artifacts and hear firsthand accounts of New Jersey’s Black history.
Content for the classroom
Students will never complain about watching a movie in class, engaging in bold stories or discussing modern hitmakers. There are countless Black creators and stories to choose to highlight, so keep in mind that this is just a small sampling of books, movies and musicians that have secured a notable place in this world.
Books
Elementary School Books
Let Me Breathe
This book focuses on two children who are navigating life through the COVID-19 pandemic. It is an inspiring and comforting story about how to face the unknown.
The United States v. Jesse Robinson
Many people know Jackie Robinson from his baseball career. This book focuses on the iconic athlete’s court martial trial.
When the Schools Shut Down
Following Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, many cities in Virginia closed public schools, cutting off education to students of color. This book features Yolanda Gladden’s account of the shutdown when she was a child.
The People Remember
A picture book that uses Kwanzaa as a guide through African American history, The People Remember is a story of survival, joy and celebration.
When Harriet Met Sojourner
In 1864, Harriet Tubman and Sojourner Truth met in Boston. This story highlights the events leading up to their meeting.
Choosing Brave: How Mamie Till-Mobley and Emmett Till Sparked the Civil Rights Movement
This story honors the love between Emmett Till and his mother, Mamie Till-Mobley. In 1955, Mamie lost her 14-year-old son when he was lynched by an all-white mob for a crime he did not commit.
Ellington Was Not a Street
Poet Ntozake Shange was introduced to many Black thinkers through her father. This story honors the community they created.
Grandaddy’s Turn: A Journey to the Ballot Box
A family’s struggle for voting rights is chronicled in this true story.
Middle School Books
Bud, Not Buddy
In 1936, a boy packs his suitcase and runs away from home in search of his father. He only has clues his mother gave him: flyers advertising a musical act.
Ninth Ward
See the devastating effects of Hurricane Katrina through 12-year-old Lanesha’s eyes.
Mississippi Bridge
Taking place in 1930s Mississippi, readers gain a deeper understanding of how race affected many city and state infrastructures like bussing.
Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry
Land is important to Cassie’s family, as it is something that gives them courage and pride. As Cassie navigates the complexities of growing up as a Black girl, she gains a deeper understanding of this importance.
The Rock and the River
Sam is the 13-year-old son of civil rights icon Roalnd Childs and this book explores the foundations of his childhood beliefs when they are challenged by his best friend.
Black Indians: A Hidden Heritage
Native American tribes and villages offered refuge to Black Americans seeking freedom. This book explores those relationships further, offering a glimpse of our history many books have left out.
Turning 15 on the Road to Freedom
Lynda Blackmon Lowery is the youngest marcher on the 1965 voting rights march from Selma to Montgomery. This memoir is the extraordinary tale of a young woman who held strong to her beliefs.
High School Books
Augusta Savage
Learn the life story of gifted sculptor Augusta Savage, who was famously commissioned to create a portrait bust of W.E.B. Du Bois for the New York Public Library.
Black Birds in the Sky
In this nonfiction account, author Brandy Colbert explores the events that happened in Tulsa on June 21, 1921.
The Black Panthers
This photo essay details the Black Panther Party, including interviews with existing party members and essays by scholars.
A Black Woman’s History of the United States
This book honors more than 400 years of contributions from Black women. From the first women who arrived in America to the present, these stories show readers how important Black women are to shaping America.
Overground Railroad
The Green Book was a list of places that were safe for Black travelers. This book chronicles the book’s history and how it saved countless lives.
Warriors Don’t Cry
Melba Pattillo Beals of the Little Rock Nine shares her account of becoming a civil rights symbol along with eight other students.
Lighting the Fires of Freedom
Women had an important role in the Civil Rights Movement, and this book uplifts the stories of key women from the movement.
Films
Soul
This film follows Joe, a jazz musician who discovers the ability to interact with souls from the Great Before, where they are prepared for human life. Mistaken for a soul himself, Joe is assigned to mentor a soul who has evaded humanity for thousands of years.
Dancing in the Light: The Janet Collins Story
A short film, Dancing in the Light is an illustrated journey of dancer Janet Collins’ life. Collins broke barriers in the 1930s, when she was the first Black ballerina at the Metropolitan Opera House. The 17-minute film’s focus recalls a real-life dilemma Collins had when she was asked to paint her face white.
A Ballerina’s Tale
Misty Copeland is another ballerina who made history, except Copeland’s story is more recent. In 2015, she was the first Black woman to become principal dancer at American Ballet Theatre. A Ballerina’s Tale gives viewers a glimpse of her prestigious role and what it is like to be Black in a predominantly white industry.
Garrett’s Gift
Another short film that highlights a historic individual in Black history, Garrett’s Gift is about inventor Garrett Morgan and how he was inspired to invent the traffic signal as a boy.
The Color Purple (2023)
Alice Walker’s iconic novel is adapted for the big screen a second time. The first adaptation in 1985, which was directed by Steven Spielberg and starred Whoopi Goldberg, Danny Glover and Oprah Winfrey, was nominated for 11 Academy Awards. In 2023 Spielberg and Winfrey reunited to produce a new version that combines elements of the stage musical.
Ruby Bridges
One of four Black students chosen to help integrate a New Orleans public school, Ruby Bridges was put into the spotlight at six years old, facing angry pushback and eventually becoming a symbol for the Civil Rights Movement.
John Lewis: Good Trouble
John Lewis is just as well known for his fight for civil rights as he is for his run as a United States congressman. This documentary is a tribute to Lewis’ life, from his early college activism days to being one of the 13 original freedom riders and helping organize the March on Washington.
Loving
Richard and Mildred Loving were the plaintiffs in Loving v. Virginia, where the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that laws prohibiting interracial marriage are unconstitutional. Since interracial marriages were illegal in their home state of Virginia, the Lovings drove to Washington, D.C. Married life in Virginia, however, was not easy until Mildred did something about it.
Music
Kelela made her debut in 2013 and became an instant critical darling when she released her first studio album in 2017. And then the world didn’t hear from her. In late 2022, Kelela released her first single in five years, promising a sophomore album in early 2023. She held to her promise with Raven, which, like her debut, won over critics.
When Genesis Owusu was a toddler, his parents moved his family from Ghana to Australia. The move forced him, and those around him, to face race and identity. "I had never met white people. White people had never met me,” he told NPR. “People expected me to walk a different way, talk a different way.”
Arlo Parks released her debut album in 2021 to critical acclaim and followed up on that success with her sophomore effort, My Soft Machine. The English singer, who is half Nigerian, made an impact on critics, winning a Mercury Prize for 2021’s Collapsed in Sunbeams and also landed the No. 3 and No. 4 spots, respectively, on the U.K. and U.S. charts.
Many people were introduced to Hemlocke Spring when her song, “Girlfriend,” went viral on TikTok. She’s since created a musical footprint for herself with her debut album, Going…Going…Gone! Springs, whose parents are Nigerian immigrants, most recently was an opening act on MUNA’s tour.
There is more to T-Pain than the Autotune that propelled him into the spotlight 15 years ago. In 2019, the musician shocked audiences by winning The Masked Singer, a reality competition where contestants sing with their identities hidden. Within the past year, T-Pain released On Top of the Covers, a compilation of covers that truly show his range as a singer.
Experimental multiinstrumentalist Yves Tumor found themselves on many best-of-2023 lists with their latest album, Praise a Lord Who Chews but Which Does Not Consume; (Or Simply, Hot Between Worlds). The album fuses rock, glam, pop, fashion and R&B to create a complete listening experience. Tumor often plays with gender and race in their art, pushing back on the status quo and challenging Black and queer stereotypes.
If you’re considering following your dream of teaching, Rutgers Alternate Route can offer you the support and training you need to succeed. Be sure to follow Rutgers Alternate Route on Twitter and sign up for Alternate Route’s monthly newsletter for more information and stories from the field of education.
Heather Ngoma has over 25 years of experience collaborating with educators across New Jersey to drive education innovation. She currently serves as the Director of the Rutgers-GSE Alternate Route Program in the Department of Learning and Teaching, a program which helps career changers, recent college graduates, and other aspiring education professionals become licensed teachers in New Jersey. Follow her on Twitter @heatherngoma.
