Arts/Culture

To commemorate Black History Month, our friends at Discover Roxbury have some fun and informative events lined up. On February 11, Roxbury's Black History Trolley Tour will be taking off from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Take an informative trolley tour through three centuries of Boston's historic Black neighborhoods! Follow the progression of the Black churches of Boston, the importance of the arts, the struggles during the civil rights movement, and become more familiar with the movers, shakers, and strivers in Roxbury's Black history! The trolley departs at:

12:30 p.m. from Roxbury Heritage State Park / DCR, 183 Roxbury St., in Roxbury.
12:50 p.m. from Hotel 140, 140 Clarendon Street, Back Bay.

Tickets are $25! To reserve a space, please click here.

In celebration of Black History Month, the Grove Hall Branch will host a series of lectures, screenings, and discussions: 

Saturday, February 11: Funlayo Wood, PhD student in the Department of African and African American Studies at Harvard University and initiated priestess in the Yoruba Ifá-Òrìsà tradition, will discuss African and African-derived religious practices in the talk “‘Other’ Spaces of Black Spirituality” at 12 p.m.

Saturday, February 11: Annie Kountz, graduate student at Harvard University, will present on incarceration and the impact it has on the African American community. This presentation is part of the Grove Hall Branch Library’s Harvard Scholarship in the Community presentation series for Black History Month. From 2:30 to 4:30 p.m.

Thursday, February 16: Lisanne Norman, PhD student at Harvard University, explores how Marcus Garvey’s contributions to the early 20^th-century African American struggle for freedom and equality movement is often overlooked due to his scandalous exit from America in the talk “Marcus Garvey: A Light in the Darkness?” at 6 p.m.

Saturday, February 18: Giovanna Micconi, PhD student of African American Literature at Harvard University, will discuss William Demby’s life in the talk “William Demby and African American Expatriates in Italy” at 11:30 a.m.

Thursday, February 23: Oludamini Ogunnaike will present on Sufism, the mystical dimension of Islam, and its powerful presence in Senegal at 6 p.m.

Dot2Dot will be hosting their first open mic of 2012! Dinner will be held at 6:00 p.m. and the open mic will be held at 7:00 p.m. More information about the event will be released as we near the date. Check out dot2dot's website for more information! Dot2Dot is located at 1739 Dorchester Avenue, in Dorchester, MA 02124. Contact Dot2Dot at 617.436.2368 or by emailing dot2dotmanager [at] gmail.com.

Celebrate the New Year with Viet-AID at the Vietnamese American Community Association! On February 3rd from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. The Vietnamese American Community Center will be hosting food, drinks, and cultural performances! To RSVP, please do so by email or call 617.822.3717x10. VietAID is located at 42 Charles St. in Dorchester, 02122.

A Song in My Heart: Vocal Showcase Special Celebrations will be taking place at the William E. Reed Auditorium (24 Washington St, Dorchester, MA 02121) on Sunday, February 12, 2012 from 5:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. Tickets are $25 and available at Skippy White Records (1971 Columbus Ave, Roxbury, MA) or by contacting Robin by email or phone at 617.519.9747, or Leon by email or phone at 617.413.4703. The event will showcase the musical talents of Tashawn King, Denise Lamb, Athene Wilson and more! Food will be provided, and a cash bar will be available.