Celebrating artists and their impact on Black History

This Black History Month, AARP is joining in the celebration of Black artists and sharing how their work connects us, inspires us and motivates us to do better as a nation.

“Artists are the gatekeepers of truth. We are civilization’s radical voice,” Paul Robeson, a singer, actor, athlete and activist once said. He and so many Black artists use their craft to build community and push for progress.

That’s why AARP is excited to offer opportunities nationwide to learn more about Black trailblazers, innovators and activists in your community and throughout the country. Many events are virtual and can be enjoyed from home, like AARP California’s three-part series on Hip Hop’s effect on health and a Conversation with Ruth E. Carter, the first African American woman to win an Academy Award for Best Costume Design for work on the film “Black Panther.” There’s also an exploration of The Swing Dance Revolution of Jazz Age Harlem on Feb. 27. 

Other AARP offerings provide the option to participate online or in person, like AARP Michigan’s series of Black History Month performances and livestreams by The Secret Society of Twisted Storytellers®  and the Singing Justice Project. 

Maybe you could head to the International Civil Rights Center & Museum in Greensboro, NC, on Feb. 26 for a reception and screening of the documentary “The Man Behind The Counter,” which details the life of Charlie Bess, who worked the lunch counter at Woolworth’s department store, where sit-ins began. Or you could check the Underground Railroad and get a discounted tour of Harriet and Stephen Myers House in Albany, NY.

Dubbed Black History Month by President Gerald Ford in 1976, February is a great time to begin studying the contributions that African Americans have made to our country and the world, but it shouldn’t end there. We encourage you to celebrate and commemorate Black History all year long.