California Marks Black History Month With These Kickoff Events

There are several Black History Month celebrations planned in Southern California

There is nothing stopping communities in all 50 states (and Puerto Rico) from celebrating Black History Month, and that is what is happening in California.

According to ABC 7, several Black History Month celebrations are planned in Southern California.

On Feb. 4, the Woodcrest Library is hosting an African American and Black History Month Activism Through Art event. This event teaches teenagers aged 13 to 17 about the impact of youth activism and allows them to create activist coasters in support of their own causes. Registration is required in advance because space at the library is limited.

The Annual Pan African Film + Arts Festival will take place between Feb. 4 and Feb. 23 at multiple locations, including the Westfield Culver City Shopping Center. According to its website, it is “the largest Black film festival” and features over 150 films from around the world.

On Feb. 7, at the Temple City Library, participants will learn “how Black and African American writers have used poetry to express themselves. We will review some poems and learn how words can be used to construct images of who we are,” at an event titled African American and Black History Month: Empower Through Poetry.

The 2025 Allensworth Black History Month Celebration will be held at Colonel Allensworth State Historic Park on Feb. 8. This year’s theme is “African American & Labor: The Past, The Present, Our Future.” Attendees will tour the park’s historic buildings and enjoy live entertainment, music, and food.

Also, on Feb. 8, at the Monticello Library, participants of the Build Like Philip Freelon event will learn about Freelon, an architect who designed the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Houston.

On Feb. 9, the Inner City Youth Orchestra of LA will perform at an event held in collaboration with African Americans for LA Opera, LA Voices: Black History Celebration With Inner City Youth Orchestra of LA. This event, which will take place at the Wilshire Ebell Theatre, will feature well-known and esteemed compositions created by Black composers.

On Feb. 12, at the Lomita Library, children ages 5-12 will learn about the mixed-media art of the late Faith Ringgold and will use her trademark style and techniques to create their own masks inspired by her work.

These are just a few of the celebrations planned in response to the Trump administration’s attack on the federal government and diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives.

According to KTLA, California Attorney General Rob Bonta and 12 other attorneys general pushed back on Trump’s attacks on DEI via a joint statement.

“These orders have nothing to do with combatting discrimination,” the statement began. “Instead, the [Trump] administration is targeting lawful policies and programs that are beneficial to all Americans. These policies and programs are not only consistent with state and federal anti-discrimination laws, they foster environments where everyone has an opportunity to succeed. That is the opposite of discrimination,” the attorneys general wrote.

They continued, “As state attorneys general representing tens of millions of American workers, we strongly oppose the President’s attempts to weaponize decades-old policies, which have been supported by Democratic and Republican administrations alike, to combat historical inequities faced by underrepresented communities and the ongoing, insidious discrimination that still exists in our country.”