February means Black History Month and you're not going to have to venture far to learn a few history facts and have fun at the same time.
Things to do:
National Archives
The National Archives will celebrate Black History Month with relevant films, public programs, and lectures. All events are open to the public and will be held at the National Archives Building in Washington, DC and at the National Archives at College Park, Maryland. Many of the events are free.
http://www.archives.gov/
Anacostia Community Museum
This museum of African American history and culture, which is part of the Smithsonian Institution, hosts educational programs, workshops, lectures, and film screenings in addition to special exhibitions highlighting black history from the 1800s to the present.
http://anacostia.si.edu/
George Washington's Mount Vernon Estate
Visitors can learn more about the slaves who lived and worked at Mount Vernon throughout the month of February. Dramatic presentations from enslaved will presents his perspective on Saturdays and Sundays in the greenhouse at 2:30 p.m., 3 p.m., and 3:30 p.m. The Marquis de Lafayette talks about his efforts to end slavery in the Greenhouse on Sundays at 3 p.m. Each Black History Month event is included in the regular admission price to the estate.
www.mountvernon.org/
African American Civil War Memorial and Museum
The museum uses photographs, documents and state of the art audio visual equipment to educate visitors about the story of African American's fight for freedom and civil rights. This is the only memorial in the United States to honor Colored Troops who served in the Civil War. They will be holding special events and days of remembrance throughout February.
www.afroamcivilwar.org
Black History Month Wreath Laying at the Navy Memorial
To commemorate Black History Month, the Navy Memorial is hosting a series of educational programs. A ceremony honoring Benjamin Drummond, the first patient admitted into the Naval Hospital is one of the many events taking place at the memorial.
http://www.navymemorial.org/
Old Town Alexandria
Many African Americans lived in Alexandria, VA from 1790 through 1951. Take a tour of these historic sites and learn more about the role they played in our history.
http://oha.alexandriava.gov/
Madame Tussauds Wax Museum
The museum will host a special exhibit to raise awareness of Black History Month. Wax displays of more than a dozen influential African Americans will be featured including Rosa Parks, Marvin Gaye, Tiger Woods, Ella Fitzgerald, and Dr. Martin Luther King.
www.madametussauds.com/washington
Town Hall Education Arts and Recreation Campus (THEARC)
A series of events celebrating Black History Month will take place in the THEARC Theater in Southeast Washington. “Journeys To a Dream: Nobody Tells the Orphans How To Cry”, an original theatrical production depicting the lives of child soldiers in Sierra Leone, ethnic cleansing in Darfur, and the similarities of the U.S. urban youth experience will be performed as part of the celebration.
http://www.thearcdc.org/
NOAA Black History Month Celebration
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Events (NOAA) is commemorating black history month with this year’s theme “The Quest for Black Citizenship in the Americas.” The organization will hosts several programs including prominent guest speakers, the Black History Trivia Championship, and a special presentation of the movie “The Great Debaters.” All events take place at their offices in Silver Spring, Md.
http://www.noaa.gov/blackhistory/events.html
