In February, you can celebrate Black History Month with a variety of WTTW programming that explores the political, artistic, musical, and other contributions and experiences of Black Americans.
Playlist Black History Month
Black History Month
Discover Black History Month Programming on WTTW
Meredith FrancisCelebrate Black History Month this year on WTTW with a wide variety of programming that explores the political, artistic, musical, and other contributions and experiences of Black Americans.
Celebrate Black-Owned Businesses (and Michael Jordan) with Chicago BLACK Restaurant Week
Daniel HautzingerNow in its eighth year, Chicago BLACK Restaurant Week celebrates the "Jordan Year," 2023, after the legendary athlete's number, by offering deals and events to support Black-owned restaurants.
What to Watch on WTTW for Black History Month
Meredith FrancisBlack History Month brings a myriad of engaging programs that tell the stories of Black history, arts, culture, and more.
Celebrate Black History Month with WTTW's Programming
Daniel HautzingerChicago has a rich and ongoing set of Black history and stories, and Black History Month in February is always a good excuse to further explore them and other stories from around the country. Discover our programming celebrating Black History Month.
Mayor Harold Washington Through the Years, in His Own Words
Daniel HautzingerHarold Washington was a frequent guest on WTTW over the course of his political career. Hear him discuss his upbringing, his coalitional politics, the Council Wars when he was mayor of Chicago, and more in archival interviews ranging from 1968 through 1984.
What to Watch in February
Lisa TiptonCelebrate stories of African American resilience, resistance, and culture, with documentaries about Marian Anderson, the Black church, a groundbreaking public television show, and more.
Celebrate Black History Month with WTTW in 2021
Daniel HautzingerThis February, celebrate Black History Month with a variety of WTTW programming over air and online that explores African American history, stories in the larger African diaspora, and Black culture in America.
The Chicago Woman Who Fought to Clean Up the Southeast Side
Daniel HautzingerHazel Johnson described her Southeast Side community as existing within a "toxic donut," surrounded by landfills, industrial facilities, incinerators, and more. Her activism on behalf of marginalized communities led her to the White House and the title of the "mother of environmental justice."
The Chicago Librarian Who Created a Lauded Collection of African American History and Literature
Daniel HautzingerVivian Harsh helped make Bronzeville's library a center for African American writers and intellectuals, hosting speakers such as Gwendolyn Brooks and Zora Neale Hurston and amassing a collection of books and manuscripts by the likes of Langston Hughes and Richard Wright.
The Many Pioneering Lives of Etta Moten Barnett
Daniel HautzingerShe went from being a young mother from Texas to becoming one of the first black women to appear onscreen not as a stereotype and the first to sing at the White House. Gershwin wanted her for Porgy and Bess – and later she became a liasion to Africa and a Chicago cultural patron.
The Black- and Woman-Led Success of a Chicago Ice Cream Company
Daniel HautzingerBaldwin Ice Cream began as a parlor opened by seven African American postal workers on the South Side and eventually grew to offering ice cream in major Midwestern grocery stores and at O'Hare, thanks in part to Jolyn Robichaux, its president for more than two decades.
Africa's Global Objects: Cécile Fromont at the Art Institute
Daniel HautzingerCécile Fromont is a professor of Art History at the University of Chicago specializing in Central Africa and Brazil who appears in the new, three-part documentary Africa's Great Civilizations.
"Her Life is History": The Universality of Maya Angelou
Daniel HautzingerMaya Angelou was beyond prolific, and her life touched on many of the most significant people and events of the twentieth century. The creators of a film about the great woman discuss the difficulty of capturing her multi-faceted life on film, why they admire her, and what she was like.
DuSable to Obama: Chicago's Black Metropolis
Daniel HautzingerDuSable to Obama: Chicago's Black Metropolis explores the incredible history of African Americans in Chicago and their indelible influence on the city. Discover extensive web-exclusive content here.
