NOW-March 31: The 2018 Black American Art and History Exhibit, “The Black Boom! Explosion, We No Longer Have to Be Silent,” will be presented by Hamtramck Public Library and the Creative Spirits Art Collaborative. Featured will be work by a host of local black artists. Opening reception will be 5-8 p.m. Feb. 8. Call for exhibit hours. 2360 Caniff, Hamtramck. Call (313) 365-7050.
Thursday: Rochelle Riley, Nikole Hannah-Jones and Leonard Pitts Jr. will be featured at “The Burden: African Americans and the Enduring Impact of Slavery” at the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History. Doors open at 6 p.m. The program is 6:30-7:30 p.m. in the General Motors Theater. A reception and book signing will follow from 7:45-9 p.m. in the Ford Motor Rotunda. $25 advance, $35 at-the-door. Tickets include book, program and light refreshments. 315 E. Warren, Detroit. Call (313) 494-5800 or visit thewright.org.
Thursday, Monday, Feb. 12: National African American Read-In book discussions will be held at Farmington Community Library. Each date will have a different focus — kids (grades K-6), teens and adults, respectively. 23500 Liberty. 6:30 p.m. Thursdays. Free. Advance registration required. 23500 Liberty, Farmington. Call (248) 553-0300.
Thursday-Sunday, Feb. 8-11, 15-18 and 22-25: Celebrate Black History Month at the Michigan Science Center. 1-3 p.m. Thursday-Sunday. $14 adults, $11 ages 2-12; free for those younger than 2. 5020 John R, Detroit. Call (313) 577-8400.
Thursday-Monday, Feb. 7-11, 14-18 and 21-25: Celebrate Black History at the Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation in Dearborn. Each week you’ll learn about different aspects of African-American history through hands-on activities, performances, music, African-American-inspired food, and more. 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m. daily. Free admission with museum ticket ($23 ages 12-61, $17.25 ages 3-11, $21 ages 62-plus, free for children 2 and younger). Parking is $6. 20900 Oakwood, Dearborn. Call (313) 982-6001.
Friday: The Detroit Institute of Arts will kick off its Black History Month celebration with special programs that will include a reading by U.S. Poet Laureate Tracy K. Smith, artist demonstrations and live music by Mahogany Jones. 9 a.m.-2 a.m.
Saturday: Puppet Performance: “Can You Spell Harlem?” 2 p.m. Schroeder Cherry explores stories of the Harlem Renaissance with characters representing art, music and stories of historical personalities, including writer Zora Neal Hurston and photographer James Van Der Zee.
Sunday: Detroit Pistons’ mascot Hooper will be available to take photos with visitors in the Rivera Court from 1:30-2 p.m. A puppet show will follow at 2 p.m. 5200 Woodward, Midtown Detroit. Call (313) 833-7900 or visit dia.org.
Sunday: Celebrate with musical diversity at the Sphinx Finals Concert at Orchestra Hall. Featured will be performances by African-American and Latino string players. 2 p.m. $15. 3711 Woodward, Detroit. Call (313) 576-5130.
Feb. 13: Celebrate at Henry Ford Community College with a concert performed by Uprizine Steel Drum Band in the Student & Culinary Arts Center (Building M). This Caribbean steel drum band will perform sets of jazz and contemporary music from the Caribbean Islands and inform listeners about the origin of the music and instruments. 1-2 p.m. Free. 5101 Evergreen, Dearborn. Call (313) 845-9865.
Feb. 10-11: Dossin Great Lakes Museum presents “Proudly We Served,” a film about the USS Mason, the only U.S. Navy warship during WWII that had a crew of entirely African Americans. It explores how their historical journey fought segregation and U.S. enemies. 2-3 p.m. Free. 100 Strand Drive, Belle Isle, Detroit. Call (313) 833-1805.
Feb. 11: DTE Energy Foundation celebrates with free admission Second Sunday, a monthly open house, at the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History. 1-5 p.m. (Storytime 2 p.m.) 315 E. Warren, Detroit. Call (313) 494-5800.
Feb. 14: See a movie presentation of “Hidden Figures” at Macomb Community College. The movie about a group of women, including African-American women, known as the “human computers,” who did the math that eventually put John Glenn and Neil Armstrong in space. 2-4 p.m. Free. South Campus, 14500 E. 12 Mile, Warren. Call (586) 445-7999.
Feb. 21: Celebrate with black history trivia as students test their knowledge of famous people, events and facts about black history. 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Free and open to the public. Henry Ford Community College, ASCC (Building L). 5101 Evergreen, Dearborn. Call (313) 845-9865.
Feb. 22: Black History Month at Macomb Community College will feature storyteller Miz Rosie, dressed in costume to interact with and entertain audience members with music and stories that relate to black history. 6-7 p.m. Free. 11121 Wayne, Romulus. Call (734) 942-7589.
Feb. 23 and 25: “Under the African Sky” will be performed by the Wild Swan Theater at Towsley Auditorium. Experience a collection of African tales in different mediums, from storytelling, acting, dancing and drumming. 12:30 p.m. Feb. 23 and 2 p.m. Feb. 25. Inside Morris Lawrence Building, Washtenaw Community College, 4800 E. Huron River, Ann Arbor. Call (734) 995-0530.
Feb. 24: African-American history will be celebrated at the Detroit Historical Museum with make-and-take crafts, story readings, games, and live performances. Also, participate in the Great Migration, the Society’s newest Story Living educational program, learn about Detroit’s Underground Railroad history and more. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Free. 5401 Woodward, Detroit. Call (313) 833-1805.
Feb. 26: Celebrate “Health Day” at Henry Ford Community College. Dr. Cheryl D. Holloway, author of “The Black Woman’s Breast Cancer Survival Guide: Understanding and Healing in the Face of a Nationwide Crisis,” will talk about being a cancer survivor, in addition to offering advice on beating breast cancer. 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Free. In the Eshleman Library (Building B), 5101 Evergreen, Dearborn. Call (313) 845-9865.
Through Feb. 28: The West African folktale “Oh Ananse!” will be performed by the Detroit Puppet Theater at Music Hall Center for the Performing Arts Jazz Cafe. 2 p.m. Sundays. $15 adults, $10 children. 350 Madison, downtown Detroit. Call (313) 961-7777.