Flint celebrates Black History Month with local events

The Flint community is celebrating Black History Month with a variety of events highlighting art, culture, history, and faith. Most events are free and all are open to public.

Balloon Man: African American Film Series – February 9, 5:30 p.m. at Flint Institute of Arts, free

After being drafted by the Buffalo Bills, tragedy forces Bill Costen out of his dream. Saying goodbye to a career on the turf, he takes to the air, becoming the first African American Hot-Air Balloon Master Pilot in the world. A panel discussion will be held on Feb. 11 on YouTube and Facebook Live. 

Black History Keynote – On Critical Race Theory: Why it Matters & Why You Should Care – February 9, 5:30-7 p.m. at University of Michigan-Flint

Keynote features Dr. Victor Erik Ray. Dr. Ray currently serves as the F. Wendell Miller Associate Professor in the Departments of Sociology and Criminology and African American Studies at the University of Iowa. He is also a nonresident senior fellow in Governance Studies at the Brookings Institution. His most recent book, On Critical Race Theory: Why it Matters and Why You Should Care, published by Penguin Random House, provides, in the words of Dr. Tressie McMillan Cottom, “the profound gift of a clear-eyed, expert field guide to racial fascism and critical race theory. This is a handbook for serious people who want to fight dishonest fear-mongering.” Ray draws upon the radical thinking of giants such as Ida B. Wells, W.E.B. Du Bois, and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., to clearly trace the foundations of critical race theory in the Black intellectual traditions of emancipation and the civil rights movement. From these foundations, Ray explores the many facets of our society that critical race theory interrogates, from deeply embedded structural racism to the historical connection between whiteness and property, ownership, and more.

Unspoken the Movie — Film Viewing – February 11, 2023, 11 am, New Community Baptist Church (FREE)

New Community Baptist Church is hosting a film viewing of the Jude 3 Project Apologetic documentary Unspoken . Unspoken is an in-depth look into the Christian heritage of Africa and people of African descent, intended to dispel the notion of Christianity being an exclusively white man’s religion. After viewing the documentary there will be a Q&A with our special guest panelists Dr. Victor Clay, Pastor Robert Smith, & Pastor Damon Richardson. All are welcome for this event.

Black History Month Recognition – February 12, 2023, 10:30 am, HOPE Outreach Ministries (FREE)

HOPE will observe Black History Month on this date. Members and visitors are invited to dress in African-inspired clothing.

The Black Church: God will Make a Way – February 15, 12:15 – 1:15 pm, Flint Institute of Arts (FREE)

In the third installment of The Black Church, host Henry Louis Gates, Jr. takes us on a journey through the Church’s expansion to address social inequality during the Civil Rights movement. 60 min

Art à la Carte is a series of informative programs focusing on the arts. It is offered free of charge on Wednesdays at 12:15p. Participants are encouraged to bring lunch or pick up something from The Palette Café. Coffee, tea, and cookies are provided. All programs are held in the FIA’s Isabel Hall unless otherwise noted.

The Soul of Etta James – February 16 – March 4, Thursday – Friday: 7:00 pm – Saturday: 2:00 & 7:00 pm, The New McCree Theatre ($10)

A Musical Bio by Charles H. Winfrey. As told through the lens of James’ two sons, Donto and Sametto.  The sons take us on a journey from her upbringing in a dysfunctional family, through her long-term heroin addiction, to the indelible imprint she leaves on this country’s musical landscape.

The Black Church: Crisis of Faith – February 22, 12:15 – 1:15 pm, Flint Institute of Arts (FREE)

The fourth and final segment of The Black Church explores the history of the Church after the tragic assassination of Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. through the Black Lives Matter movement of today.

Art à la Carte is a series of informative programs focusing on the arts. It is offered free of charge on Wednesdays at 12:15p. Participants are encouraged to bring lunch or pick up something from The Palette Café. Coffee, tea, and cookies are provided. All programs are held in the FIA’s Isabel Hall unless otherwise noted.

MW Gallery – Ongoing Guided tours on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, 12:00 p.m., 111 E. Court St. Suite 2C Flint (FREE)

The MW Gallery hosts the Mott-Warsh Collection, a private collection of fine art created by artists of the African diaspora and others who reflect on it. The gallery hosts guided tours on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays.  MW Gallery is always free and open to the general public. ​