Local Family-Friendly Events Celebrating Black History Month

Celebrate Black History Month throughout the St. Louis area with this sampling of family-friendly events!

 

St. Louis Public Library Events

Visit the St. Louis Public Library’s Events Page for a list of programs celebrating Black History Month throughout the month of February.

 

St. Louis County Library Events

Visit the St. Louis County Library’s Events Page for a list of programs celebrating Black History Month throughout the month of February.

 

Alicia Keys’ Hell’s Kitchen

Fox Theater: 527 North Grand Boulevard, St. Louis, MO 63103

January 27 – February 8

HELL’S KITCHEN, the award-winning Broadway musical created and inspired by 17-time Grammy® Award winning Alicia Keys, takes you on the journey of Ali–a 17-year-old girl full of fire searching for freedom, passion, and her place in the world. Along the way, you’ll meet the musical mentor who changes her life, her dynamic family, and the neighborhood that helps her grow. 

Blessed by the Ancestors

City Museum: 750 N. 16th St., St. Louis, MO 63103

February 2 –  March 3, 2026

“Blessed by the Ancestors” is a captivating art exhibit that celebrates the rich artistic talent of Black artists hailing from Saint Louis, MO. This exhibition serves as a powerful testament to the cultural heritage and creative brilliance within the local Black community. Showcasing a diverse range of artistic expressions, the exhibit explores themes such as identity, heritage, resilience, and the profound connections between the artists and their ancestors.

Curated by Brock Seals, this collection includes paintings, sculptures, mixed media pieces, and other forms of visual art that reflect the unique perspectives and experiences of the featured artists. Visitors to the exhibit can expect to encounter a vibrant tapestry of storytelling through art, each piece contributing to a larger narrative that pays homage to the ancestry that has shaped and inspired the artists.

Unsung Black Heroes

UrbArts Gallery: 2600 N 14th St, St. Louis, MO 63106

February 7, 2026 at 2:30 pm

Some names from black history and current times readily roll off the tongue. But there are many important figures in Black Culture who are respected and well loved and yet remain largely unknown. For Black History Month February 2026, Zuka Arts Guild presents “Unsung Black Heroes” with 18 pieces of art by 14 artists to celebrate, uplift, and honor these well loved but lesser-known figures. Featured artists contributing to the exhibit:- Kenneth Calvert – Patricia Clark – Gwendolyn Davis – Rosalind Guy – Andrea Hughes – Linda Darnece Jones, – David Lee – Gundia Lock-Clay, – Joseph LaMarque – William Murphy – Ellis Outlaw – Linda Jo Smith – and Adrian Wright. In addition to the wealth of visual art being presented, a poetry reading will feature Saint Louis Poet Laureate Pacia Elaine Anderson, along with Cheeraz Gormon. David A.N. Jackson will provide music for the event. A brief dialogue and artist talk-back is also planned for the evening.

SLSO: Anthems of Resilience

718 N. Grand Boulevard, St. Louis, MO 63103

February 7, 2026 at 7:30 pm

Humanity is at the core of this transformative program. “I conceived of it as a symphony on the greatness of the human soul,” Prokofiev remarked about his wartime Fifth Symphony. In 2020, as Reena Esmail set out to compose RE|Member, she felt the deep healing of a collective return to music-making after a global pandemic. And Billy Childs expresses trauma, resilience, and empowerment within the Black American experience through his poignant symphonic poem, Diaspora, brought to life in these performances by saxophonist Steven Banks.

Black Violin

The Factory: 17105 N Outer 40 Rd, Chesterfield, MO 63005

February 7, 2026 at 8:00 pm (doors open at 7:00 pm)

Step into Black Violin’s Full Circle Tour, where GRAMMY-nominated duo Wil Baptiste and Kev Marcus redefine the possibilities of music by merging classical depth with hip-hop’s pulse. This tour captures the essence of returning to where it all began—transformed and reimagined. Each powerful performance invites audiences to reflect on their own journeys, discovering that even as we evolve, we’re often drawn back to our roots with renewed purpose.
From high school orchestra classmates to groundbreaking artists, Black Violin’s path reflects resilience, creativity, and the courage to challenge expectations. With their Black Violin
Foundation reaching over 100,000 students each year, they’re building a legacy that transcends the stage, inspiring a new generation to dream boldly. Join them for an unforgettable night that celebrates growth, music, and the beauty of coming full circle.