Can’t Miss Alabama salutes Black history
Choose from a variety of educational opportunities throughout the month. (Getty Images)
Kick off February with exciting must-see attractions.
‘The Colored Museum’
Take a journey through 11 exhibits of “The Colored Museum” and explore what it means to be Black in contemporary America. The production will run through Sunday, Feb. 6 at the University of Alabama Department of Theatre and Dance in Tuscaloosa. The play, written by George C. Wolfe, investigates themes of Black love, Black self-hate, isolation, identity and sexuality. Audiences will come face-to-face with old and new stereotypes as the satire challenges the understanding of Black culture. Get tickets at the Rowand-Johnson Hall Monday through Friday from noon to 4 p.m., by phone at 205-348-3400 or online.
28 Days of Black Life, History and Culture
In celebration of Black History Month, explore 28 days of Black Life, History and Culture in the city of Mobile. Events range from virtual presentations to a movie series, including:
- Daily posts of Mobile Black history facts. Follow on social media with hashtag @mobileparksandrec.
- An exhibit of art by local seniors at the Connie Hudson Center Art Gallery, open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
- Feb. 11: LODA ArtWalk will celebrate Black history in downtown Mobile from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Follow on social media with hashtag @LODAartwalk.
- Feb. 12: Saturdays at the Coop featuring the Boukou Groove Band at Cooper Riverside Park from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.
The movie series and panel discussions continue every Wednesday through the month, starting at 6 p.m.:
- Feb. 9: “Judas and the Black Messiah.” Offered a plea deal by the FBI, William O’Neal infiltrates the Illinois chapter of the Black Panther Party to gather intelligence on Chairman Fred Hampton. The movie is rated R.
- Feb. 16: “The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks.” An African American woman becomes an unwitting pioneer for medical breakthroughs when her cells are used to create the first immortal human cell line in the early 1950s. The movie is rated TV-MA.
- Feb. 23: “42.” Jackie Robinson becomes the first African American to play in Major League Baseball when he is signed by the Brooklyn Dodgers and faces considerable racism in the process. Portions of the movie were filmed in Birmingham.
Visit the website for the full schedule of events.
Equal Justice Initiative
Discover Black history at the newly expanded Equal Justice Initiative (EJI) Legacy Museum: From Enslavement to Mass Incarceration in Montgomery. The museum examines the legacy of slavery, from its introduction in the New World in the 17th century to ongoing issues related to mass incarceration. The Legacy Museum includes a welcome center, gift shop and the popular restaurant Pannie-George’s Kitchen. A few blocks away is EJI’s National Memorial for Peace and Justice and Peace and Justice Memorial Center. Follow this link to read more about the Legacy Museum.
The new Legacy Museum: From Enslavement to Mass Incarceration is at 400 N. Court St. in Montgomery. (Equal Justice Initiative)
The new expansion brings life to the many exhibits, galleries and content through film, images and first-person narratives. (Equal Justice Initiative)
Southern Museum of Flight
The Tuskegee Airmen exhibit is being featured at the Southern Museum of Flight in Birmingham. This extraordinary diorama display honoring Alabama’s famed Tuskegee Airmen is more than an exhibit. It is a spotlight shining on a significant period of American history, and this tribute highlights an extraordinary group of men who continue to provide inspiration for anyone who dares to dream. The exhibit features a number of World War II-era trainers, including a North American AT-6 Texan, a Vultee BT-13B Valiant and a Fairchild PT-19 Cornell. The museum is at 4343 73rd St. N. Learn more at southernmuseumofflight.org. Visit the website or message info@southernmuseumofflight.org to learn more.
Birmingham Civil Rights Institute
Celebrate Black History Month at the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute (BCRI) with virtual and in-person events. Explore a variety of exhibits, including the Human Rights Gallery, Movement Gallery, Confrontation Gallery, Barriers Gallery, the Odessa Woolfolk Gallery, the “Courage Under Fire” exhibit of photos from the burning of the Freedom Riders’ bus in Anniston and “Remembering 4 Little Girls: A Gallery of Creative Expressions,” an exhibit of student works inspired by the Spike Lee film. BCRI is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
The Birmingham Civil Rights Institute. (Encyclopedia of Alabama, courtesy of the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute)
‘9 to 5 The Musical’
One of the most hilarious stories of friendship and revenge in the era of the Rolodex is being performed through Sunday, Feb. 6 at Virginia Samford Theatre in Birmingham. With music and lyrics by Dolly Parton and from the book by Patricia Resnick, the production is based on the 1980 hit movie by the same name. Pushed to the boiling point, three female co-workers concoct a plan to get even with the sexist, egotistical, lying, hypocritical bigot they call their boss. Tickets for the outrageous and thought-provoking musical can be purchased online at virginiasamford.org.
Annual King Cake-Off
Who has the best king cake on the Gulf Coast? You be the judge at the 4th Annual King Cake-Off on Friday, Feb. 4 at The Temple in downtown Mobile. Local bakeries, eateries and grocery stores will compete to see who has the tastiest king cake and king cake-inspired treat on the Gulf Coast. Events will feature live music, local vendors, kid-friendly activities, specialty cocktails and king cake tastings. Proceeds will go to Big Brothers Big Sisters of South Alabama. Purchase tickets at kingcakeoff.com.
Winter Wednesdays
Workshops are underway at Bellingrath Gardens and Home in Theodore. Each workshop covers a special feature of the gardens or home, tips for making your garden more spectacular, or guest lectures from renowned members of the horticultural and gardening world. Sessions are 10:30 a.m. until 11:30 a.m. Winter Wednesdays are included in gardens admission.
Reservations are requested for each program:
- Feb. 9 – Guest speaker: Jon Roethling.
- Feb. 16 – Guest speaker: Gary Bachman.
To learn more about each program, call 251-459-8868, email bellingrath@bellingrath.org or visit the website.
‘Faces of Vietnam’ exhibit
This exhibit runs through Friday, Feb. 11 at the Alabama Center for the Arts in Decatur. Curated by attorney Stephen Humphreys from his travels throughout Vietnam, most of the collection is from the post Đổi Mới (Reform) era of the 1990s. Through the exhibit, Humphreys strives to answer the question: “What is the real Vietnam, and what is the face it shows the world?” The exhibit includes works from leading contemporary Vietnamese artists of the post-reform period in traditional and contemporary media, such as oil paintings, lacquer and woodblock prints. See the exhibit Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Friday from 8 a.m. to noon.
