Today, February 2, 2026, marks a historic milestone across the nation—the 100th anniversary of the first officially recognized national celebration honoring Black history and achievement. In New Jersey, that legacy is being honored not with a single ceremony, but through a sweeping, statewide series of festivals, exhibitions, performances, historical reenactments, and educational gatherings that reflect both the depth of African American history and the living, evolving cultural influence shaping the state today.

Today, February 2, 2026, officially marks the 100th anniversary of the first national Black History celebration. New Jersey has a robust schedule of festivals, historical recreations, and community expos throughout the month.

Major Festivals & Community Expos

• Black History Month 2026 Expo (Union Township): A massive free community event on Feb. 7 from 1:00 PM – 6:00 PM at the Jefferson School Auditorium. It features an art gallery, live music, and over 40 Black-owned business vendors.
• 7th Annual African American Read-In (Piscataway): Scheduled for Feb. 21 at 11:00 AM at the John F. Kennedy Library, this event celebrates Black authors and cultural contributions through literature and crafts.
• Rays of Hope: Living Black Museum (Princeton): On Feb. 23 at 3:00 PM, the Arts Council of Princeton will host a “living museum” celebrating Black culture through interactive exhibits by local youth. 

Historical Recreations & Performance

• Madame Selika: 1878 Songbird in the White House (Elizabeth): A free theatrical recreation on Feb. 19 at the Union County Courthouse (or adjacent venue) commemorating the first free person of color to perform at the White House.
• Hannah Till: Black History in the Revolutionary War (South Orange): Historical interpretation sessions throughout February at The Woodland Parlor, focusing on the life of General Washington’s enslaved cook.
• Cirque Kalabante: Afrique en Cirque (Morristown): A high-energy performance showcasing African culture and acrobatics at the Mayo Performing Arts Center on Feb. 13 at 8:00 PM. 

Art Exhibitions & Museum Events

• Honor the Past, Inspire the Future (Margate): This exhibition opens today, Feb. 2, at the Katz JCC and runs through March 1, featuring regional artists like E.B. Lewis and Kimberly Camp.
• Allan Rohan Crite: Neighborhood (New Brunswick): A major exhibition opening this month at the Zimmerli Art Museum at Rutgers, with a celebratory “SparkNight” event on Feb. 12 featuring live music and art activities.
• Seeing America Exhibit (Newark): Throughout February, the Newark Museum of Art features galleries dedicated to the Harlem Renaissance and the Civil Rights Movement. 

Lectures, Tours & Book Signings

• Four Centuries of African American Soldiers (Trenton): A living history program on Feb. 21 at the William Trent House documenting the stories of Black warriors throughout American history.
• Douglass Day (Skillman): The Stoutsburg Sourland African American Museum will host a special event on Feb. 13 featuring records from the historic Colored Conventions movement.
• A Raisin in the Sun (Maplewood): A local production of the Lorraine Hansberry classic begins on Feb. 13 as part of the township’s month-long celebration.
• A’Lelia Bundles Author Talk (Montclair): On Feb. 21, the Montclair Public Library hosts A’Lelia Bundles to discuss her new biography on Harlem Renaissance icon A’Lelia Walker. 

Overnight & Immediate Events (Feb 2 – Feb 3)

• Union County Flag Raising: Today at 1:00 PM at the Union County Courthouse Rotunda in Elizabeth.
• Crafternoon: Traffic Light Craft: Today at 4:00 PM at the Mercer County Library (Hopewell Branch), honoring inventor Garrett Morgan.
• Underground Railroad Virtual Lecture: On Feb. 3 at 6:00 PM, the Mercer County Library is hosting a virtual program on abolition in South Jersey. 

Throughout February, communities from Union County to Atlantic County, from Newark to Princeton, and from Morristown to Maplewood are transforming libraries, schools, museums, theaters, and civic spaces into places of remembrance, creativity, dialogue, and shared celebration. Together, these events form one of the most ambitious and inclusive Black History Month schedules New Jersey has ever presented.

At the center of the month’s community programming is the Black History Month 2026 Expo in Union Township, a large-scale, free public gathering scheduled for February 7 from 1:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. at Jefferson School Auditorium. Designed as both a cultural showcase and an economic empowerment platform, the expo brings together an immersive art gallery, live musical performances, and more than forty Black-owned business vendors representing fashion, wellness, food, publishing, and creative services. The event functions as a vibrant marketplace of ideas and entrepreneurship, while also offering families and students an accessible entry point into Black cultural heritage through hands-on experiences and community storytelling.

In Piscataway, the 7th Annual African American Read-In continues its growing tradition on February 21 at 11:00 a.m. at the John F. Kennedy Library. This interactive literacy-focused event highlights Black authors and illustrators while pairing readings with youth-centered activities, crafts, and family engagement sessions. The Read-In has become a cornerstone for introducing children to stories that reflect diverse identities and lived experiences, reinforcing the role of literature as a powerful tool for cultural preservation and imagination.

Princeton offers one of the most immersive and youth-driven programs of the month through Rays of Hope: Living Black Museum, presented by the Arts Council of Princeton on February 23 at 3:00 p.m. This innovative living museum transforms student researchers and performers into historical interpreters, guiding visitors through interactive exhibits that explore Black history, artistic expression, and community leadership. Rather than relying on static displays, the experience allows audiences to engage directly with young historians and artists whose work reflects both historical scholarship and contemporary cultural voices.

Historical storytelling takes center stage in Elizabeth with Madame Selika: 1878 Songbird in the White House, a free theatrical recreation scheduled for February 19 at the Union County Courthouse or an adjacent civic venue. The performance honors one of the earliest known free people of color to perform at the White House, blending historical research with live interpretation to illuminate the overlooked cultural influence of Black artists in the post–Civil War era. The production offers audiences an emotionally resonant window into the political and social barriers navigated by Black performers during the 19th century.

South Orange deepens that historical lens throughout the month with Hannah Till: Black History in the Revolutionary War at The Woodland Parlor. These ongoing interpretation sessions examine the life of George Washington’s enslaved cook, using primary-source research and living history techniques to explore the often-silenced roles of enslaved individuals during the nation’s founding. The program challenges visitors to reconsider whose stories have traditionally been preserved—and whose have been excluded from mainstream historical narratives.

Contemporary performance and global cultural expression are powerfully represented in Morristown on February 13 at 8:00 p.m., when Cirque Kalabante brings Afrique en Cirque to the stage at the Mayo Performing Arts Center. The production combines high-energy acrobatics, live percussion, dance, and movement inspired by West African traditions. The result is a visually electrifying performance that celebrates African cultural heritage through modern circus arts, connecting ancestral traditions with contemporary stage innovation.

New Jersey’s museums and galleries are also anchoring the centennial commemoration through major exhibitions and public programs. In Margate, Honor the Past, Inspire the Future opens today, February 2, at the Katz JCC and runs through March 1. The exhibition features the work of respected regional and national artists including E.B. Lewis and Kimberly Camp, presenting visual narratives that explore identity, memory, and resilience through painting, illustration, and mixed media.

In New Brunswick, the Zimmerli Art Museum at Rutgers University opens a significant exhibition dedicated to Allan Rohan Crite, whose work captured the daily rhythms and spiritual life of Black communities with extraordinary intimacy and artistic discipline. The exhibition is accompanied by a celebratory SparkNight event on February 12, combining live music, gallery activities, and family-friendly art experiences that invite audiences to explore Crite’s legacy through both scholarship and creative participation.

In Newark, the Newark Museum of Art is dedicating February programming to galleries exploring the Harlem Renaissance and the Civil Rights Movement, allowing visitors to trace how artistic innovation and political activism shaped—and were shaped by—one another. Through paintings, archival material, and interpretive installations, the museum positions Black creativity as a driving force in American cultural history.

Together, these exhibitions form a central pillar of New Jersey’s broader cultural programming, connecting seamlessly with the state’s expanding network of heritage institutions, creative spaces, and interdisciplinary programming highlighted through Explore New Jersey’s ongoing coverage of the state’s art and culture scene.

Educational programming and historical scholarship remain equally prominent across the state. In Trenton, Four Centuries of African American Soldiers arrives at the William Trent House on February 21, offering a living history program that documents the stories of Black warriors from the colonial period through modern conflicts. Through reenactments, first-person interpretation, and historical artifacts, the program confronts the complex relationship between military service, freedom, and citizenship.

In Skillman, Douglass Day is being observed on February 13 at the Stoutsburg Sourland African American Museum with a special program centered on records from the historic Colored Conventions movement. The event invites participants to engage with digital archives and original documents connected to Black political organizing during the 19th century, highlighting how grassroots activism shaped early civil rights efforts long before national legislation.

The performing arts continue to play a defining role in the centennial celebration. In Maplewood, a new local production of Lorraine Hansberry’s landmark drama A Raisin in the Sun opens on February 13 as part of the township’s month-long programming. The play remains one of the most influential works in American theatre, and its exploration of family, housing discrimination, generational ambition, and dignity continues to resonate powerfully with contemporary audiences.

Literary scholarship and cultural preservation take center stage in Montclair on February 21, when author and historian A’Lelia Bundles appears at the Montclair Public Library to discuss her newly released biography of Harlem Renaissance figure A’Lelia Walker. The conversation explores Black entrepreneurship, artistic patronage, and women’s leadership during one of the most influential cultural movements in American history.

The centennial also includes a series of immediate and community-focused events taking place at the very start of the month. Today at 1:00 p.m., Union County will host a ceremonial flag raising at the Union County Courthouse Rotunda in Elizabeth, marking the official opening of Black History Month observances across the county. Later this afternoon at 4:00 p.m., the Mercer County Library’s Hopewell Branch presents a hands-on Crafternoon program centered on inventor Garrett Morgan, encouraging children to learn about his contributions through creative activities.

Looking ahead to tomorrow, February 3 at 6:00 p.m., the Mercer County Library will host a virtual lecture examining Underground Railroad networks and abolitionist activity in South Jersey, offering residents statewide access to scholarly insight into one of the region’s most important historical chapters.

Together, these programs represent far more than a calendar of events. They reflect a statewide commitment to honoring Black history not as a closed chapter of the past, but as a living, evolving foundation of New Jersey’s identity. As the nation marks one hundred years since the first official Black History celebration, New Jersey is choosing to commemorate the moment through education, creativity, performance, scholarship, and community—ensuring that the next century of remembrance begins with stories told boldly, inclusively, and together.