With deeply rooted community events, performances, exhibits and local businesses that celebrate Black Joy -
Oakland shares its rich Black history with locals and visitors.
Oakland, CA - Oakland, California is a diverse city with a community that is proud of its heritage and authentic culture. From those who began the social movement Black Panther Party, to moguls in the music industry, to the Oakland born creators and innovators - Oakland continues to inspire. The Town’s diverse community is home to many Black-owned businesses, amazing arts, culture, culinary offerings, and Black pride events that welcome visitors for Black History Month. Here are the many ways to enjoy Oakland this February and celebrate Black History in The Town!
STAY AWHILE
HOTEL OFFERS
With so much to do and see during Black History Month, consider spending a night (or two) in Oakland. The Kissel Uptown Oakland and Marriott Oakland City Center are offering great rates and they can’t wait to welcome guests to join the Black History Month celebrations in The Town. KisselUptownOakland | MarriottOakland
EXPERIENCE UNITY & COMMUNITY
LUNAR NEW YEAR BLACK HISTORY UNITY CELEBRATION
Celebrating Asian and African-American solidarity, The Oakland Asian Cultural Center welcomes the community back for another celebration of Asian and African-American solidarity on Saturday, February 3rd, at the Oakland Asian Cultural Center. The 2024 lineup includes Black and Asian martial artists, musicians, and dance groups. In addition to a full day of performances, there will be a local vendors marketplace, a children’s zone with Eastwind Books of Berkeley, and an exhibition on Black and Asian solidarity. Saturday, February 3, 2024 | 11:00AM – 4:00PM | Oakland Asian Cultural Center | 388 9th Street https://oacc.cc/event/lnyxbhm
FOR THE LOVE OF THE TOWN TEA
A BENEFIT FOR UCSF BENIOFF CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL OAKLAND
The Oakland Marriott City Center invites you to For the Love of The Town – an afternoon tea and pop-up shop featuring some of Oakland’s finest Black owned businesses to benefit USCF Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland. Enjoy savory and sweet treats including delicious cakes from Pound Business and tea from Teas with Meaning. Gather with friends and family, browse and buy at the pop-up shop, show your love for The Town and support the beautiful children at UCSF. Reservations are required. Saturday, February 10, 2024 | 11:30AM – 1:00PM | Iron & Oak Restaurant, Oakland Marriott City | Center 1001 Broadway Street | Oakland Marriott City Center
OAKLAND MUSEUM OF CALIFORNIA SPOTLIGHT SUNDAYS
OMCA presents Know Your Rights for a Brighter Future: A Presentation and Panel Talk on Sunday, February 18th. The discussion will be led by advocacy leaders of Know Your Rights Camp, an organization dedicated to advancing the liberation and wellbeing of Black and Brown communities through knowing your rights across the varied sectors of education, health, technology, and the legal system. Panelists will include representatives from Know Your Rights Camp, including Nicole Martin, Attorney and Legal Program Director of the Autopsy Initiative, a Know Your Rights Initiative and Dr. Roger A. Mitchell, Jr. MD FCAP, Forensic Pathologist Coordinator of the Autopsy Initiative. Know your Rights for a Brighter Future is a part of exhibition programming for OMCA’s Gallery of California History. Sunday, February 18, 2024 | 1:00PM – 2:00PM | OMCA | 1000 Oak Street | Museum.org
MULTI-ETHNIC SPORTS HALL OF FAME CURT FLOOD PLATINUM AWARD CEREMONY
Be part of a historic and celebratory evening, as iconic players from across professional sports and its industry disciplines are recognized for their achievements. The dinner and ceremony will take place on February 24th at the Oakland Marriott City Center. The Class of 2024 includes Clifford Ray (NBA), Lee Lacy (Baseball), (MLB), Alexis Gray Lawson (WNBA) Mohinder Singh Gill, (Track & Field), and Travis Williams (NFL). The recipients for the Curt Flood Platinum Award are Dave Stewart (MLB), Rick Barry (NBA), and Ryan McBean (NFL). Saturday, February 24, 2024 | Oakland Marriott City Center | 1001 Broadway Street | multiethnicsportshof.com
SWEETEN & SAVOR THE CELEBRATION
SHRIMP AND GRITS TASTE OFF
A festive event featuring six of Oaklands most notable chefs preparing their own version of shrimp and grits. Taste each one and decide which is your favorite! Wine tastings are also included. Help crown the next winner of the Best Shrimp and Grits in The Town! Friday, February 2, 2024 | 6:00PM to 10:00PM | Town Fare Café | 1000 Oak Street
Tickets available at Eventbrite
OAKLAND'S SOOO CHOCOLATE FESTIVAL
Prepare your taste buds for a journey through the world of chocolate! From rich truffles to silky-smooth chocolate fondues, the festival promises an array of exquisite treats that celebrate the artistry and joy of chocolate. Presented by the Black Cultural Zone and Akoma Market, the event will take place at the Best of Oakland Market at Uptown Station. Spend time shopping with the artisans and vendors and support local, Black entrepreneurs as they showcase unique crafts, baked goods, fashion and so much more! Friday, February 2, 2024 | 6:00PM – 8:00PM | Uptown Station 1955 Broadway | blackculturalzone.org
SANKOFA SUPPER
Be part of an evening that transcends borders and brings together the rich flavors and cultural influences of the African diaspora. Feast on the diverse culinary talents of Chef Nelson German - Chef/Owner of Alamar Dominican Kitchen and Sobre Mesa, Chef Michele McQueen - Chef/Owner of Town Fare Café, Chef Adiam Tsegaye of the modern Ethiopian bistro Mela Bistro and Chef Juan Hormiga of Parche Contemporary Columbian. Enjoy a cocktail hour with passed appetizers. Dine together in an elegant family style dinner service representing the region of each Chef. There will be a DJ and live performance during the evening with an afterparty at Sobre Mesa in Oakland. Saturday, February 3, 2024 | 6:00PM – 10:00PM | Town Fare Café | 1000 Oak Street | Tickets available at Eventbrite
2ND ANNUAL SUNDAY SOUL JAZZ BRUNCH AT TOWN FARE CAFE
Come together to join in community and celebrate Black History Month in one of the tastiest ways – over great food and drinks with great people. Featuring Chef Michele McQueen’s soul food provisions that honor family heritage and celebrate Black history. Sunday, February 4, 2024 |Two seatings 11:00AM to 1:00PM and 2:00PM to 4:00PM | Town Fare Café |1000 Oak street | Tickets available at Eventbrite
13TH ANNUAL BLACK VINES EVENT
The 13th Annual Black Vines Toast to Black Wineries and Diverse Art is an event that celebrates Black-owned wineries and creative talent within the Black community. Join Black Vines as they create a space filled with love, joy and celebration of Black future. Enjoy hors d'oeuvres and delicious wines. Receive a limited-edition Black Vines keepsake glass. Saturday, February 24, 2024 | 1:00PM to 5:00PM | The Bridge Yard | 210 Burma Road | blackvines.net
JAZZ BRUNCH FEATURING MUSIC BY JAZZ MAFIA
Join The Cook and Her Farmer for a celebration of Black History Month, Southern flavors, and community at their annual jazz brunch in the garden. Located in Swan's Market on 9th Street in the historic district of Oakland the event will feature delicious food including shrimp and grits, fried catfish, oysters, tasty drinks and more complimented by a New Orleans style brass band presented by Jazz Mafia. Saturday, February 24, 2024 | The Cook and Her Farmer | 510 29th Street | thecookandherfarmer.com
EAT & DRINK WITH HEART & SOUL IN THE TOWN
Oakland’s culinary scene is as diverse as The Town’s culture itself. There are more than 60 Black-owned food and drink businesses in Oakland. With chicken & waffles, the best barbecue in the Bay Area, yummy cookies, cakes and pies, Michelin star cuisine, Bib Gourmand and James Beard recognized restaurants, gourmet coffee houses, and craveable vegan bites – Oakland has it all! For a list of Oakland’s Black-owned food and beverage establishments go to VisitOakland.com
TAKE THE KIDS TO LEARN & PLAY
CULTURAL EVENTS AT CHILDREN’S FAIRYLAND
Join Children's Fairyland, the iconic storybook theme park, for a beautiful display and retrospective showcasing the ingenuity, contributions, and triumphs of Oakland’s African-American community over the past 100+ years. From Pullman Porters to the Pointer Sisters, explore compelling figures and facts that you never knew you never knew—it's an educational experience for the entire family! Throughout the month of February there will be two special book celebrations featuring Tiffany Golden's "Wash Day" on Feb 10TH and Ajuan Mance's "What do Brothas do All Day" on Feb 17TH. On Feb 17TH, the Oakland Public Library releases 9 unique Black History Month library cards at Fairyland from 11:00AM to 2:00PM. Every weekend at the Emerald City Stage, there will be electrifying performances at 1:30PM and 2:30PM, featuring Bonita Bumble Bee, Bay Area storyteller Kirk Waller, living legend DJ Lance Rock, Prescott Circus, and rapper/poet Jamey Williams. February 2024 | Children’s Fairyland | 699 Bellevue Avenue | fairyland.org
CHABOT SPACE & SCIENCE CENTER AFROFUTURISM EVENT
Join Chabot Space and Science Center in a celebration of Black scientists, scholars, and artists of the past, present, and future. Afrofuturism is an activist aesthetic movement that imagines the future through a Black cultural lens. Through music, art, and storytelling, Afrofuturism envisions a just future rooted in Black liberation. Come join us in a day of hands-on activities, presentations, and live demos for the whole family. Saturday, February 24, 2024 | 10:00AM – 4:00PM | Chabot Space & Science Center | 10000 Skyline Boulevard | chabotspace.org
JOIN AN AMAZING CELEBRATION
THE 7TH ANNUAL BLACK JOY PARADE
Join the largest free and family-friendly event of its kind in California. A parade and festival to celebrate the Black experience past, present, and future. Sunday, February 25, 2024. The parade begins on 14th and Broadway in downtown Oakland at 12:30pm PST. Following the parade, The Black Joy Parade celebration will be held at 19th and Broadway and feature a curation of 200+ local artists, craftsmen, food vendors, performances and more. Admission is free for all. Donations are appreciated. Sunday, February 25, 2024 | blackjoyparade.org
ATTEND UNFORGETTABLE MUSICAL PERFORMANCES
PARAMOUNT THEATER OAKLAND
Don’t miss the opportunity to see Smokey – the iconic American R&B and soul singer, songwriter, record producer, and former record executive - in an incredible setting!
February 17 – Smokey Robinson
Paramount Theater 2025 Broadway | paramountoakland.org
THE FOX THEATER
A beautiful historic venue welcomes this popular band to The Town!
February 8 – Black Pumas
The Fox Theater 1807 Telegraph Avenue | thefoxoakland.com
YOSHI’S
A great place to grab a bite and enjoy live music – Yoshi’s has a lineup of Black artists from an array of genres.
February 1 + 2 – Switch R&B Funk 70’s & 80’s
February 4 - Naturally 7 Jaw Dropping Pyro Technics
February 8 – Black History Funk Full Throttle with Eric “EQ” Young
February 9 to 11 – Stanley Clarke Band Bass Virtuoso
February 12 – Dee Lucas with Gino Rosaria & Joe Levy Contemporary Jazz Saxophonist
February 13 to 18 - Eric Benét
February 22 - The Cookers Heavy Hitting Jazz
February 23 + 24 – Najee Contemporary Jazz Saxophonist
February 29 – Will Downing Sophisticated Soul
Yoshi’s 510 Embarcadero West | Yoshis.com
TAKE A BLACK HISTORY TOUR
BLACK LIBERATION WALKING TOUR
The Black Liberation Walking Tour (BLWT) is a community-led cultural tour celebrating Hoover-Foster’s multi-generational Black history and culture. The walk takes guests through the 100 year narrative ribbon leading from the early West Coast Civil Rights Movement through the second wave of the Great Migration to the Black Liberation actions of the present day. A project of the West Oakland Cultural Action Network (WOCAN) , the BLWT captures oral histories to document the lives, art, and culture of long-time residents, historical figures, and rapidly disappearing former Black cultural spaces. blwt.or
BLACK PANTHER PARTY ALUMNI LEGACY OAKLAND TOUR
HOSTED BY ORIGINAL BLACK PANTHER ALUMNI
The Black Panther Party invites guests to discover a deeply unique, educational experience in the birthplace of the Black Panther Party: Oakland, California. The official 2-hour BPP Alumni Legacy Tour features a walking tour with original Black Panther Party members (from the Black Panther Party Alumni Legacy Network), providing direct access and true stories of the Panthers in historical locations in downtown Oakland. Conducted by the revolutionaries who were there, guests get a true idea of what really happened. bppaln.org
BLACK OAKLAND TOUR BY ETHNIC TIES TRAVELS
As the home of the original Black Panther Party, Ethnic Ties invites you to join their Black Oakland Tour. This hybrid mobile-walking tour will feature historical and culturally significant locations central to the party's development in Oakland. ethnictiestravel.com
EXPERIENCE POWERFUL HISTORY, ART & EXHIBITS
A SPECTACULAR BLACK GIRLS ART SHOW
Celebrating 40+ black women artists, A Spectacular Black Girl Art Show is a national exhibition tour that features the work of black women visual artists and artisans. Sunday, February 4, 2024 | 3:00PM to 9:00PM | Oakstop | 1736 Franklin Street | blackgirlartshow.com
OAKLAND ARTS & LECTURES HOSTS AUTHOR NANA KWAME ADJEI-BRENYAH
Oakland Arts & Lectures proudly presents an enriching evening with Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah, New York Times-bestselling author of Friday Black, and his latest novel, Chain-Gang All Stars. Taking place at the vibrant Oakstop - California Ballroom, this event is a must attend for literary enthusiasts in Oakland. Oakland Arts & Lectures, powered by the Activate Oakland Event Sponsorship Program, is a testament to the thriving literary scene in Oakland. Don't miss this opportunity to dive deep into the world of literature, meet fellow enthusiasts, and engage in stimulating conversations. Sunday, February 4, 2024 | 3:00PM | Oakstop | 1736 Franklin Street | Tickets available at Eventbrite
RARE BAY AREA HIP HOP PHOTOGRAPHIC EXHIBIT
The Gallery at B-Love's Guest House features a rare collection of photographs of Bay Area Hip-Hop culture in the 1990's shot by artist, activist, and photojournalist Traci Bartlow. Set in a historic Victorian house in West Oakland, the tour is led by Bartlow, a brilliant storyteller who shares more than 50 photographs, collages, and ephemera in an intimate setting. This experience is great for schools, Hip-Hop enthusiasts, and vacationers. Book a private tour to experience this exciting time capsule of music history and culture. B-Love's Guest House | b-lovesguesthouse.com
OAKLAND BLACK HISTORY BY PHOTOGRAPHER CARL POSEY
During the month of February IDILVICE Boutique is spotlighting Native Oaklander photographer Carl Posey's work from his time in Oakland. The exhibit includes some of his early music portraits for album covers of Del The Funky Homosapien and shots of Tupac Shakur, as well as MC Hammer and so much more! There will be events with the photographer present for signing some one-of-a-kind artworks for sale exclusively. February 2024 | IDIL VICE | 4193 Park Boulevard | @idilvice
OAKLAND MUSEUM OF CALIFORNIA (OMCA) BLACK POWER
This exhibit is part of the Gallery of California History about the Black Power movement. In response to the widely popular 2016 exhibition, All Power to the People: Black Panthers at 50, this installation is an on-going exhibit that illustrates the creative ways black anti-racist activists in California supported their communities and challenged the U.S. Government. This is an ongoing exhibit. OMCA | 1000 Oak Street | museum.org
REMEMBER THEM: CHAMPIONS FOR HUMANITY MONUMENT
The Remember Them: Champions for Humanity Monument statue stands proudly in the Henry J. Kaiser Memorial Park, in downtown Oakland. This inspiring bronze sculpture depicts 25 culturally diverse role models who made significant contributions toward global peace, freedom and human rights over the past 150 years. The Monument, designed in four sections, is cast in 60,000 pounds of bronze and stands 31 feet high and 52 feet long. The champions honored on the monument include Maya Angelou, Mother Teresa, Rosa Parks, Frederick Douglass, Nelson Mandela, Malcolm X, Mary Ann Wright, Dr. Marcus Foster, and many more.
OAKLAND ART MURMUR
Oakland Art Murmur (OAM) seeks to amplify the voices of Oakland’s artists and arts workers and connects the public to the eclectic and incredible art of Oakland. OAM features many Black artists and supports the community by generating not only local, but also regional, national, and international attention to Oakland, providing good-news stories about the city’s thriving art scenes and cultural renaissance. Check out their Friday Art Walks, Saturday Strolls and Self-Guided Tours. oaklandartmurmur.org
AFRICAN AMERICAN MUSEUM & LIBRARY
Visit this museum dedicated to the discovery, preservation, interpretation, and sharing of historical and cultural experiences of African Americans in California and the West for present and future generations. 659 14th Street | oaklandlibrary.org
GET YOUR FASHION ON AT BLACK OWNED SHOPS & BOUTIQUES
DISCOVER OAKLAND STYLE THROUGHOUT THE TOWN
Oakland celebrates entrepreneurial spirit and is home to several Black-owned shops and boutiques that offer a selection of clothing to suit a variety of styles. Recognized by Vogue Magazine as one of the top fashion boutiques in the U.S. - McMullen proudly showcases fashion from several Black designers. Taylor Jay Collection designs high-quality, eco-friendly fashion basics for all women. Love Iguehi showcases African fashion with modern style. And for Oakland branded attire – check out Oakland’s Own. shopmcmullen.com taylorjaycollection.com loveiguehi.com oaklandsown1852.com
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About Visit Oakland
Visit Oakland is a non-profit organization marketing Oakland, California as a travel destination. Visit Oakland offers a wide variety of complimentary services and materials for travelers interested in visiting Oakland. For more information, check out VisitOakland.com. Want to share the Oakland love with the world? Follow @visitoakland on Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn. #visitoakland #oaklandloveit
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