Where to Celebrate Black History Month in Sonoma County

In Sonoma County, various nonprofits, museums, entertainment venues and more will host a number of events to celebrate the month.


Starting Saturday, Black History Month honors the culture and contributions of Black Americans while paying respect to their perseverance in the face of discrimination.

In Sonoma County, various nonprofits, museums, entertainment venues will host a number of events to celebrate the month. For more learning opportunities on the Black American experience from past to present, check out these books and movies recommended by local professors. To support local Black-owned businesses, check out our directory here.

Santa Rosa Junior College BHM Events

All of Santa Rosa Junior College’s Black History Month events are free and will take place on the Santa Rosa campus unless noted otherwise. 1501 Mendocino Ave., Santa Rosa, 707-527-4011, santarosa.edu

‘A History of Black Characters in Comic Books’ exhibit, Feb. 3 – March 14

The Santa Rosa Junior College Multicultural Museum will open its exhibit, “Stereotyped to the Margins: A History of Black Characters in Comic Books,” starting with a reception from 2-4 p.m., Feb. 3, at the campus museum. Curated by Dr. Eric Atkinson of SRJC’s English department, the exhibit includes comic book artwork throughout the 1900s to present, with the purpose of examining culture and ourselves beyond monolithic viewpoints. Light refreshments will be served at reception. Exhibit extends through March 14.

‘Racial Healing in the Trump Era,’ Feb. 4, 5

Dr. Calvin Monroe will lead two separate discussions 0n “Racial Healing in the Trump Era” — from 6-7:30 p.m., Feb. 4, at Sawubona BLOC in Pioneer Hall, and from 11:45 a.m. to 1 p.m., Feb. 5, in the Bertolini Student Center.

Tyler Shahan teaches attendees how to paint an Addams Family-inspired painting during a Cluster Funk Studios event at Barrel Brothers Brewing in Windsor, Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023. (Abraham Fuentes / For The Press Democrat)
Tyler Shahan teaches attendees how to paint an Addams Family-inspired painting during a Cluster Funk Studios event at Barrel Brothers Brewing in Windsor, Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023. (Abraham Fuentes / For The Press Democrat)
‘Master Peace & Mocktails,’ Feb. 12

Brittany Lee and Tyler Ann Shahan, owners of Cluster Funk Studios in Santa Rosa, will host a guided paint therapy session with music and mocktails from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., Feb. 12, in the Bertolini Student Center.

‘Rooted in Resilience,’ Feb. 19

Clinical social worker Joseph Hancock will lead a discussion, “Rooted in Resilience: Celebrating Black History Through Healing and Wellness,” from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., Feb. 19, in the Bertolini Student Center.

Soul Skate Night, Feb. 23

SRJC’s Black Student Union and Umoja community will present “Soul Skate Night” from 7:30-9 p.m., Feb. 23, at Cal Skate in Rohnert Park. For ages 17 and over. Free for the first 100 SRJC students and faculty who RSVP. Reserve a spot on Eventbrite.

6100 Commerce Blvd., Rohnert Park, 707-585-0494, calskate.com

Talks with Dr. AK Sterling, Feb. 25, 26

Public speaker and educator Dr. AK Sterling will lead two separate discussions during the final weekend of Black History Month. His first talk, “Why So Thirsty,” is from 6:30-8 p.m., Feb. 25, at the Sawubona BLOC in Pioneer Hall. The second talk, “Uncovering Capacity,” is from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., Feb. 26, in the Bertolini Student Center.

Sonoma State University BHM events

All of Sonoma State University’s Black History Month events will take place on the Rohnert Park campus. Each event is free to attend. 1801 E. Cotati Ave., Rohnert Park, 707-664-2880, sonoma.edu

Black History Month Dinner, Feb. 4

Sonoma State’s The HUB Cultural Center will kick off Black History Month with a celebratory dinner and opening ceremony from 5-6 p.m., Feb. 4, at The HUB. hub.sonoma.edu

Black Panther memorabilia is on display for visitors to the True Black History Museum traveling exhibit at the Sonoma State University Student Center in Rohnert Park, Thursday, Feb. 8, 2024. (Chad Surmick / The Press Democrat)
Black Panther memorabilia is on display for visitors to the True Black History Museum traveling exhibit at the Sonoma State University Student Center in Rohnert Park, Thursday, Feb. 8, 2024. (Chad Surmick / The Press Democrat)
A visitor to The True Black History Museum pauses to watch a video about George Washington Carver while visiting the traveling exhibit at the Sonoma State University Student Center in Rohnert Park, Thursday, Feb. 8, 2024. (Chad Surmick / The Press Democrat)
A visitor to The True Black History Museum pauses to watch a video about George Washington Carver while visiting the traveling exhibit at the Sonoma State University Student Center in Rohnert Park, Thursday, Feb. 8, 2024. (Chad Surmick / The Press Democrat)
True Black History Museum, Feb. 5

Sonoma State’s Associated Students and The HUB will sponsor the True Black History Museum from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Feb. 5, at Ballrooms B and C in the Student Center. The True Black History Museum is a traveling Black history exhibit with a collection of over 1,000 artifacts and documents dating from the 1700s to the 21st century.

Black Labor Reimagined, Feb. 12

Sonoma State professor Kim Hester Williams will give a lecture, “Black Labor Reimagined: The Practices of Resistance, Rest and Joy,” from noon to 1 p.m., Feb. 12, at Ballroom B in the Student Center. Williams will lecture on journalist Nikole Hannah-Jones’ The 1619 Project, which examines United States history with a focus on slavery and its continued impact on American life.

Black Joy Fest, Feb. 13

The HUB will host its third annual Black Joy Fest from noon to 3 p.m., Feb. 13, in the Seawolf Plaza. The celebration will include food, music, community resources and more.

BSU Presents: Love & Basketball Screening, Feb. 18

Sonoma State’s Black Student Union will host a screening of the 2000 film Love & Basketball starting at 6 p.m., Feb. 18, at The HUB.

Black History Month Cookout, Feb. 27

The HUB and Visionaries Inspiring Black Educated Scholars (VIBES) will host the college’s Black History Month Cookout from 6-8 p.m., Feb. 27, at the Seawolf Plaza.

Sonoma County Library BHM events

Local branches of the Sonoma County Library will host such events as lectures, workshops, film screenings and more. All events, virtual and in-person, are free to attend unless noted otherwise. sonomalibrary.org

Dream Together: MLK Tiny Art Workshop, Feb. 11

The Sebastopol Regional Library will host a Black History Month-themed art workshop from 3:30-4:30 p.m., Feb. 11, in its meeting room. For grades 4-6, children will create mini art pieces while they learn about Martin Luther King Jr. and his dream for a just and equal society. All materials will be provided. Registration encouraged, but not required. Register online.

Sebastopol Regional Library, 7140 Bodega Ave., Sebastopol, 707-823-7691

Black History Month Film: The Gospel According to Andrè, Feb. 16

The Sebastopol Regional Library will host a film screening of the 2017 documentary, “The Gospel According to Andrè,” from 2-3:30 p.m., Feb. 16, in the meeting room. The film explores the life and career of fashion journalist André Leon Talley, who grew up in the segregated South and went on to work at Vogue. The screening event will include tea and popcorn.

Author Talks: I Am Nobody’s Slave with Lee Hawkins, Feb. 18

In a virtual event, the Sonoma County Library will present a conversation with journalist and Pulitzer Prize finalist Lee Hawkins about his memoir “I Am Nobody’s Slave: How Uncovering My Family’s History Set Me Free.” Hawkins will talk about his book’s examination of his family’s legacy post-enslavement, including their resilience in the face of trauma and systemic racism. The discussion will be held from 11 a.m. to noon, Feb. 18, over Zoom. Register online.

An undated photo shows Rosa Parks riding on the Montgomery Area Transit System bus in Montgomery, Alabama. Parks refused to give up her seat on a Montgomery bus on Dec. 1, 1955, igniting the boycott that led to a federal court ruling against segregation in public transportation. (DAILY ADVERTISER / via AP)
An undated photo shows Rosa Parks riding on the Montgomery Area Transit System bus in Montgomery, Alabama. Parks was involved with the 1955 Montgomery Bus Boycott that led to a federal court ruling against segregation in public transportation. (DAILY ADVERTISER / via AP)
Black History Month Film: The Rebellious Life of Mrs. Rosa Parks, Feb. 23

The Sebastopol Regional Library will host a film screening of the 2022 documentary “The Rebellious Life of Mrs. Rosa Parks,” from 2-3:45 p.m., Feb. 23, in the meeting room. The film explores the civil rights activist’s decades of work — beyond her role in the Montgomery Bus Boycott and diving deeper into her radical politics, organizing and lifelong dedication. The screening event will include tea and popcorn.

Santa Rosa BHM events

Talk with civil rights activist Peggy Preacely, Feb. 1

The Saturday Afternoon Club will host a public talk with civil rights activist Peggy Trotter Dammond Preacely from 7:30-9 p.m., Feb. 1, at its historic Santa Rosa clubhouse. Cosponsored with The Nubian Café Collective, the evening will give the public an opportunity to hear firsthand from the longtime activist, speaker and former Freedom Rider. Tickets are $25 in advance and $30 at the door. Purchase tickets on Eventbrite.

430 10th St., Santa Rosa, 707-852-3029, thesaturdayafternoonclub.com, peggytrotterdammondpreacely.com

Transit Equity Day free rides and celebration, Feb. 4

Transit Equity Day, Feb. 4, honors civil rights leader Rosa Parks and promotes the importance of safe, public transportation that’s accessible to all. Sonoma County’s bus transit agencies are partnering with NAACP Santa Rosa-Sonoma to observe the day, during which all bus rides on Sonoma County Transit, Santa Rosa CityBus and Petaluma Transit will be fare free.

Additionally, Santa Rosa CityBus will host a commemorative meetup to celebrate the day at 10 a.m., Feb. 4, at Santa Rosa’s downtown Transit Mall on Second Street. Kirstyne Lange, president of the local branch of the NAACP, and Santa Rosa mayor Mark Stapp will be at the event to honor those who have “helped advance equity in public transit and to discuss the future of public transit,” according to the City of Santa Rosa’s press release.

sctransit.com, srcitybus.org

Cirque Kalabanté
Cirque Kalabanté is storming into the Luther Burbank Center for the Arts in late February. (Courtesy Luther Burbank Center for the Arts)
Cirque Kalabanté performance, Feb. 19

Storming into the Luther Burbank Center for the Arts at 7:30 p.m., Feb. 19, is Cirque Kalabanté, a high-energy show of West African drumming, dancing and tumbling — think Cirque du Soleil on a kicky world beat, with the noise turned up to 11.

The troupe, which trains in Montreal, recently sold out shows in New York and arrives fresh from a monthlong tour in the Netherlands and the UK. Set in a fictional Guinean fishing village, the show knits together humor and tradition with jaw-dropping acrobatics and a live soundtrack that will bring the house down.

Tickets range from $35–$49, depending on seat choice, plus fees. Purchase tickets online or in person at the LBC box office.

Luther Burbank Center for the Arts, 50 Mark West Springs Road, Santa Rosa, 707-546-3600, lutherburbankcenter.orgkalabanteproductions.com

‘The African American Journey Through Art’ Conversation, Feb. 23

The Museum of Sonoma County will host a panel discussion, “Reflected Truths, Refracted Realities: The African American Journey Through Art,” from 2-3 p.m., Feb. 23. Four Black artists will join the panel to examine truths and challenges of systemic racism intertwined with history and identity — and how their art mirrors those complexities of the Black American experience. Tickets are $10 per person and free for museum members. Register online.

425 Seventh St., Santa Rosa, 707-579-1500, museumsc.org

Petaluma BHM events

Dorian Bartley, of The Dorian Mode, plays vintage jazz and blues music at the 4th Annual Jazz Concert Celebrating Black History Month at the Petaluma Historical Library and Museum on Friday, February 5, 2016. More Petaluma events celebrating black history this month can be found at www.petalumamuseum.com. (ASHLEY COLLINGWOOD/FOR THE ARGUS-COURIER)
Dorian Bartley, of The doRiaN Mode, plays vintage jazz and blues music at the Petaluma Historical Library and Museum. This year’s annual Jazz Concert Celebrating Black History Month, featuring The doRiaN Mode, happens Feb. 7 at the Polly Klaas Community Theater in Petaluma. (Ashley Collingwood/for the Petaluma Argus-Courier)
The doRiaN Mode Jazz Concert, Feb. 7

Petaluma Blacks for Community Development will host its annual Jazz Concert Celebrating Black History Month starting at 7 p.m., Feb. 7, at the Polly Klaas Community Theater. The evening will feature Bay Area band The doRiaN Mode, winners in the 2024 North Bay Music Awards for Best Jazz Band. The doRiaN Mode, founded in 2013 by Dorian Bartley, specializes in vintage jazz, swing and early R&B. Tickets are $50 per person. Purchase tickets on Eventbrite.

Polly Klaas Community Theater, 417 Western Ave., Petaluma, 707-769-1334, pollyklaastheater.org, pbcd4us.com

‘Blacks in the Labor Force’ exhibit, Feb. 13 – March 30

The Petaluma Historical Library & Museum will host the exhibit, “Blacks in the Labor Force: Breaking Barriers, Building Legacies,” opening with a reception from 5-7 p.m., Feb. 13, and running through March 30. Petaluma Blacks for Community Development will present the exhibit, which honors Black labor leaders and highlights Black workers’ largely untold contributions to the economic development of the United States. Admission is free, donations appreciated.

20 Fourth St., Petaluma, 707-778-4398, petalumamuseum.com

West County BHM events

‘Get Up, Stand Up’ exhibit, through Feb. 15

Currently on exhibit through Feb. 15 at the Occidental Center for the Arts is ‘Get Up, Stand Up,’ part of the center’s annual Black History Month show. The exhibit features works by the center’s artists as well as from the Black history collection of Raynetta James, of Forestville, who lived through the Civil Rights Movement. There will be an artist reception with refreshments from 2-4 p.m., Feb. 2, at the art center. Winners from the center’s People’s Choice Awards will be announced at 3 p.m.

3850 Doris Murphy Court, Occidental, 707-874-9392, occidentalcenterforthearts.org

Santa Rosa rapper Damion Square who performs as D. Square, performs during Black 2 the Future at Hop Monk Tavern in Sebastopol, Saturday, Feb. 18, 2023. (Kent Porter / The Press Democrat) 2023
Santa Rosa rapper Damion Square who performs as D. Square, performs during Black 2 the Future at Hop Monk Tavern in Sebastopol, Saturday, Feb. 18, 2023. (Kent Porter / The Press Democrat) 2023
Black 2 the Future, Feb. 21

Local event promotion group Decolonized Mindz Entertainment will present “Black 2 the Future: Black History Month Community Awards & Performances” from 7-10 p.m., Feb. 21, at the Sebastopol Center for the Arts. Hosted by Damion Square, an SRJC alum, Bay Area hip-hop artist and founder of Decolonized Mindz, the evening will include awards recognizing outstanding individuals in the community as well as performances by Bay Area artists showcasing Black history and culture. Performers include rapper, poet and educator Kayatta; hip-hop and soul artist Erica Ambrin; singer/songwriter Audio Angel; rapper PaqGod and producer DJ Konnex. General admission is $15 and a cocktail table for two to three people is $50, plus fees. Purchase tickets on Eventbrite.

282 S. High St., Sebastopol, 707-829-4797, sebarts.org

Did we miss any local Black History Month events? Email them to reporter Maci Martell at maci.martell@pressdemocrat.com.