Throughout the month of February, we're celebrating Black History Month! We invite our members to recognize world-changing Black women and girls from the past and present, and to learn more about the cultures, histories, and traditions of the Black and African American communities in our region and beyond. Girl Scouts of all levels can earn the Black History Month Fun Patch by completing engaging activities that honor the cultural richness and contributions of Black Americans.
Keep reading for resources to help your Girl Scout dive into Black stories, discoveries, art, history, and more!
The Girl Scout Black History Month Celebration Fun Patch is designed for Girl Scouts of all levels and their leaders to learn about the diverse cultures and contributions of Black and African American communities across the US. Girls and leaders have a variety of activities to choose from to earn this fun patch, and we encourage girls of all identities to participate. Download the Black History Month Activity Sheet in English and Spanish to learn more.
Resources for Celebrating Black History Month
Here are some great ways to celebrate Black History Month with your Girl Scout or troop.
Celebrations and Events
Saint Paul Winter Carnival’s RONDO NIGHT!: A celebration of the vibrant history of St. Paul’s Rondo neighborhood. Enjoy lively Rondo performances. Support BIPOC Rondo artists, businesses and organizations. Savor flavorful bites from West Indies Soul restaurant. Free event, February 1.
Freedom Riders by Youth Performance Company: Travel back to the summer of 1964 and meet the Freedom Riders, a group of college students who braved hate and violence when they ventured into the Deep South to help register new voters. This stirring theatrical production tells a story about the power of unity, resilience, and the unwavering fight for civil rights. Runs from February 2-18.
Rondo Community Music Series: This incredible lineup of musical performances features talented artists who draw inspiration from the history, cultural expression, and resilience of St. Paul’s Rondo neighborhood. Presented by Walker West Music Academy, which offers music education, concerts, and community events rooted in the African American experience for people of all ages to gather, explore, and grow through music. Free virtual and in-person events, starts February 3.
Meet at Mia: Celebrating Black History: Celebrate Black History Month at the Minneapolis Institute of Art with a night of music, art-making, and more. Free event, February 8.
Black History Month Celebration at The Black Market: Spend a fun day exploring local black businesses and celebrating Black History! This event features tons of food, drinks, art, games, music, and more. Black Market is a family-friendly space that brings people together from across Minnesota. Free event, February 10.
Stories for Black History Month: Learn about characters from African and African American folktales and the tradition of storytelling in the African American community in this lively performance by master storyteller Kristie Lazenberry. Free event, February 17.
Introduce A Girl to Engineering Day: Organized by the National Society of Black Engineers, this special day is an opportunity for girls to learn how engineers change our world. Volunteers, educators, and others will act as role models and facilitate engineering activities. Free event (pizza provided!), February 22.
Youth Zine and Collage Workshop with Baki Porter: In this workshop, create your own zine (a small, DIY-created book) while learning about the history of African Americans in Minnesota and how the art form of self-publication is being used as a form of protest. Presented by the Minnesota African American Heritage Museum and Gallery. Free event, February 24.
Half Pint Co. Celebrates Black History Month: This kid-focused event will be an unforgettable day of music, activities, and stories that pay homage to the rich and diverse history of Black Americans. Free event, February 25.
Museums, Cultural Centers, and Exhibits
American Gothic at the Minneapolis Institute of Art: In the summer of 1942, during a yearlong fellowship in Washington, D.C., Gordon Parks photographed government worker Ella Watson across the varied landscape of her daily life. This intimate series reveals Parks’ experiences in coming to terms with the segregated city he once embraced as “the seat of democracy.” Free exhibit, on view now through June 2024.
Black Citizenship in the Age of Jim Crow at the Minnesota History Center: This exhibit follows the journey of Black advancement from the end of the Civil War through World War I in the face of opposition from many white Americans. Explore the African American fight for full citizenship and racial equality during the age of Jim Crow. Ticket price includes admission to all Minnesota History Center exhibits; MNHS Members get in free.
Minnesota African American Heritage Museum and Gallery: This North Minneapolis museum is dedicated to celebrating the history of African Americans by giving visitors a look at the achievements, contributions and experiences of Black people throughout the history of Minnesota. Free admission.
The Somali Museum of Minnesota: Founded in 2011, this public art gallery in South Minneapolis gives young Somalis who have grown up in the United States a way to connect with their culture, as well as Minnesotans of other ethnic heritage to encounter Somali art and traditional culture for the first time. Admission price is $11 for adults, $8 for youth.
Support Local Black-Owned Businesses
Restaurants
Abdirahman Kahin, a Somalian immigrant, founded Afro Deli upon noticing a lack of Halal restaurants in the Twin Cities. With locations in St. Paul and Minneapolis, this fast-casual African eatery brings diverse groups together and introduces Minnesotans to African culture through taste and smell.
Black Garnet Books was created by St. Paul resident Dionne Sims during the summer of 2020 in direct response to state violence. The bookstore exists to address racial inequality within the publishing and literary industries, curating its shelves to focus on literature by authors and illustrators of color.
Minneapolis’ Strive Publishing and Bookstore aims to inspire community collaboration through publishing stories to heal, teach, learn, and earn, while building an ecosystem that embodies a rich Black culture and heritage.
Read Books that Celebrate Blackness
Children’s Reading Circle (produced by the Minnesota African American Heritage Museum and Gallery) is a video series in which Black children’s authors like Dr. Artika Tyner and Mélina Mangal read their books aloud for your listening pleasure. *A great virtual opportunity for those who aren’t near the Twin Cities.*
Watch Films that Teach About Black History and Culture
Watch films that teach about Black history and culture
Jim Crow of the North is a must-watch PBS documentary that explores the origins of housing segregation in the Minneapolis area. The story also illustrates how Black families and leaders resisted this destructive practice.
Can Kids Change the World?: An educational video from Scholastic about the children involved in the civil rights movement.
Early Risers is a podcast from Little Moments Count and MPR with frank facts, engaging stories and real how-to’s for anyone who cares about raising children with a clear-eyed understanding of cultural differences, race and implicit bias.
Learn More About Black History Month in the Girl Scouts Movement
Learn more about Black History in the Girl Scouts Movement
GSUSA Blog – Black History Month: A Time to Celebrate Black Girl
Magic Published January 2020 Read more
Girl Scouts Nation’s
Capital – Celebrating Black History Month Video Published February
2022 Watch the video