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WPL Resources
Black Women Poets - A collection of classic and contemporary poetry by Black women poets.
How to Be an Antiracist Booklist - Titles to help you understand and respond to racism.
Cookbooks & Cooking Memoirs for Black History Month - A selection of cookbooks written by Black authors to celebrate their culinary heritage.
Langston Hughes: Poet of the Harlem Renaissance - Read about one of the most talented and prolific writers to emerge during the Harlem Renaissance.
Mysteries and Crime Fiction by Black Authors - A selection of Black-authored mystery novels featuring Black detectives, private investigators, and amateur sleuths.
Sci Fi & Fantasy by Black Authors - Want to read more Black authors but don't know where to start? Check out these recent sci fi & fantasy reads.
Worcester Public Library Events
Virtual Program, Wednesday, February 5, 7 - 8 pm
Registration required
Worcester Public Library, Thursday, February 6, 6:30 - 9:30 pm
Join us in celebrating one of Jamaica's finest - Robert Nesta Marley for his 80th birthday. This is an all ages celebration of Bob's music and message with vendors, art, local performances, and more!
Presented by Ourstory Edutainment & The Village Worcester
Saxe Room, Worcester Public Library, Friday, February 7, 11 am - 2 pm
This event is free and open to all. Food will be provided. HIV resources will be available.
Each year, AIDS Project Worcester hosts National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day to raise awareness and highlight the disproportionate impact of HIV in the Black communities, to increase access to HIV education, prevention, testing and treatment, to mobilize community involvement and to combat HIV, recommit to sharpen efforts to focus on research, highlight the progress made from then (40 years ago) and now, consider challenges around prevention of HIV transmission among Black people and to promote prevention, screening, testing, and treatment for individuals living with HIV and for those at risk for HIV.
Banx Room, Worcester Public Library. Saturday, February 22, 4:15 - 5:15 pm
The destruction of the Laurel/Clayton neighborhood in the name of "urban renewal" was a major and traumatic milestone in the history of the city. Join Local History librarian Alex as we trace the history of both Laurel/Clayton and its dissolution as well as the major players in what happened.
First Floor Meeting Room, Worcester Public Library, Wednesday, February 26, 7 - 8 pm
Registration required
Book displays throughout the Main Library:
1st Floor
Fiction by Black Authors
2nd Floor
Notable Black American Biographies
Cookbooks by Black Authors
The Fight for Civil Rights
3rd Floor
Black Artists
Honoring Black Veterans in American History
Book Display at the Worcester Senior Center:
Throughout the month of February, WPL will host a Black History book display at the Worcester Senior Center. These books are not part of our collection and are yours to keep — they do not need to be returned to the library. A special thanks to the Friends of the Worcester Public Library for their generous donation of these books.
Worcester Community Events
Saturday, February 1, 4 - 6pm
Worcester Center for Crafts, Krikorian Gallery 25 Sagamore Road, Worcester, MA
The Worcester Black History Project and the Black Arts Collective of New England in collaboration with the Worcester Center for Crafts explore the history, resilience, and contributions of African American labor through diverse artistic expressions.
Saturday, February 8, 5:30 - 9:00 pm
Mechanics Hall, 321 Main St, Worcester, MA
“Courage to Dream” will tell the courageous faith stories of Black and Brown immigrants who have journeyed to Worcester County in search of a better life. Through performances by local artists, actors, choirs, and culinary creatives, we will celebrate their resilience and contributions.
Thursday, February 13, 12 - 2 pm
Major Taylor Museum, 2 Main Street Worcester, MA
This in-person event will feature engaging presentations, interactive activities, and discussions about the impact of Douglass's work on American history. Come celebrate and learn about this influential figure in the fight for equality and justice. Don't miss out on this opportunity to commemorate **Black History Month** in a meaningful way. We look forward to seeing you there!
Wednesday, February 26, 7 - 9 pm
The Hanover Theatre for the Performing Arts, 2 Southbridge St., Worcester, MA
Black Angels Over Tuskegee is an incredibly energetic and emotionally gripping drama that documents the journey of six brave men who defied all odds to succeed. The play follows the struggles of the first African American aviators in the US Army Air Forces, also known as the Tuskegee Airmen, as they fought against injustices during the Jim Crow era. With determination, patriotism and brotherhood, they pushed towards their dreams of a fair and inclusive society.
This event is FREE to the public. RSVP’s requested.
Learn More
The Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC) is the only national museum devoted exclusively to the documentation of African American life, history, and culture. It was established by an Act of Congress in 2003, following decades of efforts to promote and highlight the contributions of African Americans, throughout the year. The museum’s Black History Month online resources are available to explore, including a dedicated Black History Month webpage.
The Library of Congress, National Archives and Records Administration, National Endowment for the Humanities, National Gallery of Art, National Park Service, Smithsonian Institution and United States Holocaust Memorial Museum join in paying tribute to the generations of African Americans who struggled with adversity to achieve full citizenship in American society.
