This upcoming February, check out the programs, exhibits, and historic landmarks the city has to offer that honor the contributions and history of African Americans in Raleigh, most of which are free and a few are even available year-round.
Black History Month Events and Exhibits
Black History Month 2025
February, Various Times, Cost: Free
John Chavis Memorial Park, 505 Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, Raleigh, NC 27601
John Chavis Memorial Park honors the achievements, history, and heritage of African American trailblazers. In honor of Black History Month, JCMP will host a series of events that celebrate the legacy of the African American Experience. All events are at no cost.
Storybook Adventures - Leaders and Legacy - A Celebration of Black History Month
Tuesday, Feb. 4
11:15 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Age: 3-5
Halifax Community Center, 1023 Halifax St, Raleigh, NC 27604
Join us for story time as we take our readers on an adventure. We will read, experience, and create from our storybooks, sparking your readers imagination and love for books. Pre-registration and adult participation are required for this class.
Celebration of Black Athletes in History
Thursday, Feb. 6
6:30 - 8:30 p.m.
Age: All
Green Road Community Center, 4201 Green Road, Raleigh, NC 27604
Come celebrate Black History Month with Green Road as we recognize the life and achievements of gifted black athletes throughout the years! From Gold medals to unshattered records, and a stamp as the “Greatest of All Time”, enjoy this interactive live wax museum.
African American Artist Viewing
Saturday, Feb. 15
10 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Age: All
City of Raleigh Museum, 220 Fayetteville Street Raleigh, NC 27601
Come experience the incredible talent of local Black artists and discover how their work is deeply shaped by Black history and culture. This is a unique opportunity to engage with powerful art that tells stories of resilience, identity, and heritage. Don’t miss out on this inspiring event—admission is completely free!
‘Joy Cometh in the Morning’ African American Symposium
Saturday, Feb. 22
10 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Age: 15 and up
City of Raleigh Museum, 220 Fayetteville Street Raleigh, NC 27601
For Black History Month the Dr. M.T. Pope House and City of Raleigh Museum will be focusing on African American Emancipation through education, business ownership, and civic engagement, with academic presentations and music. This program is supported in part by North Carolina Humanities, the state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities, www.nchumanities.org
History Hero's
Tuesday, Feb. 28
10 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
Age: 3-5
Cost: $8
Pullen Community Center, 408 Ashe Ave, Raleigh, NC, 27606
Join us as we celebrate Black History Month! This program will be all about learning and sharing. Each participant registered will be given the name of an important person from history. On the day of the program, you will bring in a picture or some fun facts to share with others. We will also make a craft and read a story. Pre-registration is required so we can plan accordingly.
Landmark Exhibition Exploring Raleigh's Black History
Tuesdays - Saturdays and Sundays
11 a.m. - 7 p.m. and 1 p.m.–4 p.m.
Cost: Free
401 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd, Raleigh, NC 27601
A cultural exhibit “Centuries in the Making: A Cultural Legacy of South Park and East Raleigh Neighborhoods” in Historic South Park is now open! In partnership with the South Park East Raleigh Neighborhood Association, this exhibit showcases the unique contributions African Americans made to the city. Some of the topics included in the exhibit are Raleigh’s Black Main Street, which details the history of East Hargett Street and how it became the epicenter of black-owned businesses. Also on display are the history of Raleigh’s historic Black schools, churches, and cemeteries.
Make sure to check back throughout the month as more events will be added.
Historic African American Landmarks
The City owns parks, a cemetery, and other landmarks with significance to the African American community. Below are a few who have made it onto the local, state, and national registers of historic places.
John Chavis Memorial Park and Carousel
505 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. Raleigh, NC 27601
Under the federal Works Progress Administration (WPA), Chavis Park was created in 1937 to give black families access to similar recreational opportunities as white families. It attracted black families throughout North Carolina from the late 1930s to the late 1940s. The carousel was installed as one of the main attractions and is one of the few vintage carousels that remain in operation today. The park is named for John Chavis, a black Revolutionary War soldier, who went on to establish a school in Raleigh, where he taught white students by day and black students by night. He also became a Presbyterian minister in 1799. Read more about Chavis Park’s history.
John P "Top" Greene African American Cultural Center
401 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd, Raleigh, NC 27601
The center is named after Mr. John P. “Top” Greene, a community activist and South Park community resident. The center features historical exhibits and displays that interpret the history and culture of the South Park and East Raleigh neighborhoods.
Latta University Historic Park
1001 Parker Street, Raleigh, NC 27607
Rev. Morgan London Latta, a freed enslaved person and teacher, founded Latta University in 1892. At its peak, Latta was home to 26 buildings home and 1,400 students, including orphaned children of former enslaved people. The university operated for 30 years. The Latta residence was the only remaining structure on the site, but it was destroyed in a fire in 2007. The City recently completed a master plan for the park and is working on Phase I implementation. Read more about Latta House's history.
Mt. Hope Cemetery
120 Prospect Avenue, Raleigh, NC 27603
Mt. Hope, which was established in 1872, is one of the first municipal cemeteries for African Americans in North Carolina. Most sizeable towns in the state opened suburban cemeteries for whites in the post-Civil War era, but very few established municipal cemeteries for freed enslaved people. Several prominent residents are buried there including Rev. G.A. Mial, former enslaved person and educator Lucille M. Hunter, James E. Hamlin owner of Hamlin Drugstore, and Dr. Manassa T. Pope, the first black mayoral candidate in Raleigh. Read more about Mt. Hope's history.
Pioneers Building at Method Community Park
514 Method Road, Raleigh, NC 27607
The Pioneers Building was the old Agricultural Building of the Berry O’Kelly High School, the first fully accredited and largest rural high school in the state of North Carolina for African Americans. Read more about the Pioneers Building.
Pope House Museum
511 South Wilmington Street, Raleigh, NC 27601
As the only African American house museum in the state of North Carolina, the Pope House offers a glimpse into the life of one of Raleigh’s most intriguing citizens, Dr. Manassa Thomas Pope, who was the only African-American man to run for mayor of a southern capital during the Jim Crow Era. Read more about Pope House's history.