Black History Month 2022: Industry Celebrations (Updating) (2024)

Since 1976, Black History Month — aka African American History Month — has been observed each February to celebrate the far-reaching achievements of Black people and illuminate their instrumental role in U.S. history. Updated weekly as part of Billboard’s 2022 Black History Month observance, here’s a roundup of industry events, special programming and other projects happening this month. This week’s update includes new entries from SoFi Stadium, Mechanical Licensing Collective, Zankel Hall, TV One and Chance the Rapper’s non-profit organization SocialWorks.

Feb. 1

ASCAP

ASCAP’s Black History Month Instagram campaign will feature daily posts at 3 p.m. ET via the organization’s@ASCAPand@ASCAPUrban accounts. Each post will include fun facts, photos and reels about Black artists, songwriters and composers including Stevie Wonder, Charley Pride, Mary J. Blige and Whitney Houston.

Samsung TV Plus

Samsung TV Plus’ more than 200 free channels will offer live, on-demand content including sports, news and entertainment ranging from critically acclaimed documentaries and popular film marathons to news and entertainment programs. Vevo’s music video channels will feature genre-specific visuals by fan-favorite Black artists and Afro-Latino artists. Fuse Backstage will air All in With Black History Month, which will delve into the stories behind R&B/hip-hop’s most notable acts including Nicki Minaj, Tupac Shakur, Kanye West, Dr. Dre and Rihanna.

Amazon Music

As part of the newly announced Black Culture Is…, Amazon Music will offer a monthlong collection of live streams, Amazon Original songs, playlists and more featuring outstanding Black artists and creators including Summer Walker, Cordae, Wayno, Muni Long, Unusual Demont and more. Fans can catch the latter’s never-before-heard cover of Outkast’s hit song “Prototype.” New episodes of CONNECTED With Wayno and Group Thread will also air throughout the month.

Madame Tussauds

Madame Tussauds will continue honoring some of the most successful music artists of all-time this Black History Month. Stunning wax figures of music greats including Beyoncé, Snoop Dogg, Jennifer Hudson and the late Billie Holiday will be displayed at multiple Madame Tussauds location including Las Vegas, New York, and California’s bustling Hollywood through February. Other icons including Maya Angelou, Serena Williams and Angela Bassett will also be honored.

Soundcloud

Soundcloud is celebrating “Black Health and Wellness” this Black History Month with curated content and playlists that spotlight Black excellence and creativity. Playlists were created by rising artists including Jalen Santoy, India Shawnand Smooky MarGielaa. Soundcloud will also launch a social media tastemaker series that tells incredible stories using interviews, animations and quotes.

Peaco*ck

Peaco*ck will air programs, films and documentaries from Black creators including the newly rebooted Bel-Air (premiering Feb. 13) and The Sit In: Harry Belafonte Hosts The Tonight Show.The platform will also air fan-favorite sitcoms includingEverybody Hates Chris andThe Bernie Mac Show.Original series Take Noteand The Amber Ruffin Show will premiere Feb. 24 and 25 respectively.

Disney

All month-long, Disney presents Music For The Movement — a music playlist that explores social injustice movements of the past and present with a focus on Black protest songs and anthems. The collection of songs is available for streaming on Spotify, Apple Music, Pandora, YouTube Music, YouTube and Vevo.

Lion Forge Animation

Lion Forge Animation — the publisher behind Matthew A. Cherry’s Academy Award-winningHair Love — has penned a new deal with Tuff Gong Collective, which is a joint venture between Universal Music Group and author Cedella Marley. Through the partnership, Lion Forge Animation and Tuff Gong Collective will develop and produce an animated series based on Marley and co-writer Tracey Baptiste’s new picture book, Marley and the Family Band. The children’s book, which features illustrations by Tiffany Rose, was released on Feb. 1.

Feb. 2

PBS Stations

The life of living legend Irma Thomas will be celebrated in the special documentaryIrma: My Life in Music, set to air on PBS stations nationwide through spring. Produced by Michael Murphy Productions in partnership with the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation and distributed nationally by American Public Television, the 90-minute film will feature performance footage from Thomas, plus an extensive interview with the singer.

Feb. 3

MTV

Grammy-nominated singer and instrumentalist H.E.R., along with fellow musician Jean Dawson and filmmaker Director X, have teamed with MTV to introduce new M-IDs for the network beginning Feb. 3. M-IDs are creative animated renderings of the MTV logo and H.E.R.’s is complete with a special musical touch and a major splash of color. Fans can view H.E.R.’s M-ID on YouTube.

Feb. 4

Meta

Meta’s Quest 2 is offering on-demand, virtual reality musical experiences for Horizon Venues App users. Beginning Feb. 4 with rollouts continuing through the month, the VR festivities include a DJ session with Snoop Dogg (aka DJ Snoopadelic) that is live now, a jam session with The Roots band (Feb. 14-20), an inside look at Young Thug’s celebratory Pink album concert (Feb. 21-28) and a special program with Big Freedia (Feb. 22). In addition to its Black History Month musical offerings, Meta will also provide 360° VR films including The People’s House, which features never-before-seen footage from the White House with narration by former President Barack Obama, plus In Protest: Grassroots Stories from the Front Lines which chronicles the unsung heroes of the Black Lives Matter movement.

Feb. 7

Smithsonian Channel

In partnership with MTV Entertainment Studios, the Smithsonian Channel will premiere the four-part docuseries One Thousand Years of Slavery – The UntoldStoryon Feb. 7 at 8 p.m. ET/PT in the U.S. and Canada. Executive produced by Angela Bassett and husband Courtney B. Vance’s Bassett Vance Productions, the limited docuseries will spotlight previously untold stories about enslavement with special commentary from producer Debbie Allen, Sen. Cory Booker and producer Lorraine Toussaint, among other speakers.

VH1

VH1 has merged Love & Hip Hop and Black Ink Crew to create Love & Hip Hop: Lineage to Legacy, a two-part special that explores African ancestry. Hosted by Dometi Pongo of MTV News, the program will celebrate Africa’s rich history while addressing the aftermath of slavery and stereotypes in Black culture. Part one premieres Feb. 7 on VH1 while part two airs Valentine’s Day, Feb. 14.

Feb. 8

STARZ

STARZ will premiere Maurice Hines: Bring Them Back, a new documentary highlighting the life of Maurice Hines from tap-dancing child prodigy to industry veteran. It will be available for streaming through next year beginning Feb. 8 at 8 p.m. ET. The 92-minute watch, directed by John Carluccio, features firsthand accounts from Hines plus commentary from Debbie Allen, Chita Rivera and Mercedes Ellington.

Feb. 10

PBS

PBS will commemorate the life of Jerry Lawson, lead singer and founder of acapella group The Persuasions, in a documentary titled Just a Mortal Man: The Jerry Lawson Story that premieres Feb. 10. The Persuasions were popularly known for hit songs including “I Really Got It Bad For You” (1974).

Feb. 11

Showtime

Showtime Documentary Films will present the three-part docuseries Everything’s Gonna Be All Whiteon Friday, Feb. 11 at 8 p.m. ET/PT.The limited series explores the history of race and racism in the U.S. from the perspective of people of color. Directed by filmmaker Sacha Jenkins(B—–n’: The Sound and Fury of Rick James), the project includes insights from historians, commentators, actors, activists and artists including Amanda Seales, Jemele Hill, Tamika Mallory and Styles P.

Greenwich Entertainment

Greenwich Entertainment’s Ronnie’s honors late saxophonist Ronnie Scott and his iconic namesake London jazz club, which opened in October 1959. The film debuts in theaters and on-demand on Feb. 11. It includes footage from previously unseen performances captured at the club by a host of groundbreaking Black acts including Miles Davis, Nina Simone, Ella Fitzgerald and Jimi Hendrix.

Recording Academy Grammy Museum

The Grammy Museum officially unveiled its newest “Marley: A Family Legacy” exhibit to celebrate the reggae icon’s career and legacy. Artifacts displayed from the Marley family include a custom Bob Marley tribute edition Gibson guitar, custom-made Catch a Fire clothing outfits by Cedella Marley, and a Ziggy Marley Ovation guitar. Guests can also enjoy an interactive drum lesson dubbed “Learn How to Play Reggae Drums With Santa Davis.” The exhibit will be available through fall.

Feb. 12

Carnegie Hall’s Afrofuturism Festival

Carnegie Hall’s Afrofuturism Festival in New York kicks off Feb. 12 at 8 p.m. ET with a debut headlining performance by rapper-producer Flying Lotus. The two-month long festival will include more than 80 live and virtual events, including musical acts, exhibitions, chats, film screenings and more. Sun Ra Arkestra, Fatoumata Diawara, Theo Croker and Carl Craig are also slated to perform.

Discovery+

From executive producers Tina Knowles-Lawson, Kristen V. Carter and Trell Thomas, four-part docuseries Profiled: The Black Man examines the origins of widespread stereotypes that have impacted the lives of Black men in America for centuries. Premiering Feb. 12 on Discovery+, the project debunks longstanding misjudgments and assumptions and includes commentary from Sway Calloway and Billy Porter.

Feb. 15

Hulu

Directed by renowned filmmaker Barry Avrich, Hulu’s “docu-concert” film Oscar Peterson: Black + White explores the life and legacy of the late Peterson from childhood to fame. Packed with firsthand accounts and interviews from Peterson’s widow Kelly, Billy Joel, Herbie Hanco*ck, Quincy Jones and more, the film will beginn streaming Feb. 15 on Hulu.

Feb. 16

Netflix

Netflix will premiere the highly anticipated three-part seriesJeen-Yuhs: A Kanye Trilogyon Feb. 16. Act 1 of the trilogy is slated to premiere exclusively in U.S. theaters on Feb. 10. The project is directed by duo Coodie & Chike, and delves into Ye’s (formerly known as Kanye West) life and career journey from struggling artist to international sensation. Jeen-Yuhs: A Kanye Trilogyalso boasts never-before-seen footage of Ye during his formative years.

Feb. 18

Amazon Music and Twitch

Summer Walker will perform on Feb. 18 beginning at 9 p.m. ET, and the set will air exclusively via the Amazon Music channel on Twitch. Following the November release of her Billboard chart-topping album Still Over It, the new performance comes as part of Amazon Music’s Black History Month observation. Fellow artists Marvxxl, Alexa Vaughn and NO1-NOAH are set to open.

Feb. 22

VH1

Nick Cannon’s hit seriesWild ‘N Out will celebrate its 300th episode on VH1 Feb. 22 at 8 p.m. ET/PT.As part of Wild ‘N Out’s three-week partnership with Super League Gaming, a live metaverse game experience dubbed Wild ‘N Out: Metaverse Remix will launch immediately after the premiere. Players will be able to use Minehut, a part of Super League’s Minecraft gaming community.

PBSand World Channel

The life of civil rights icon Fannie Lou Hamer is being celebrated in the upcomingFannie Lou Hamer’s America, a documentary that showcases her story, music and battle for voting rights. Directed by Joy Davenport, it premieres Feb. 22 on PBS and airs again on Feb. 24 via the World Channel.

Feb. 23

Disney+

Proud Familyfans can watch Disney+ on Feb. 23 to catch the premiere ofThe Proud Family: Louder and Prouder, a modern spin-off of the early aughts classic. Kyla Pratt returns as the voice of Penny Proud. She’s accompanied by new voiceovers from KeKe Palmer, Billy Porter and more. The show’s reimagined theme song is performed by rising R&B singer Joyce Wrice.

SoFi Stadium

SoFi Stadium and the Kroenke Family Foundation proudly present the award-winningKinsey African American Artand History Collection at the all-new stadium beginning Feb. 23. Complete with more than 70 works of art, sculptures, photographs, rare books, letters and a new interactive experience, the Kinsey African American Artand History Collection marks the first art collection to be displayed at California’s SoFi Stadium located in Inglewood.

Mechanical Licensing Collective

The Mechanical Licensing Collective will host a special Instagram Live series with Black music industry entrepreneurs Gebre Waddell (founder and CEO of Sound Credits), Jarrett Hines (founder and CEO of Music Tech Works) and Tiffany Red (founder of The 100 Percenters) on Feb. 23 at 12 p.m. ET and 3 p.m. ET on the MLC’s official Instagram account @mlc_us.

Feb. 25

SocialWorks

Chance the Rapper announced the fun-filled, Fourth Annual Black History Month Film Festival hosted by his Chicago-based non-profit organization SocialWorks. Fan-favorite films starring Black leads including Ali, Dreamgirls, Akeelah & The Bee and more will play at the ShowPlace Icon Theatres through Feb. 27. The hitmaker shared movie showtimes on his Instagram, writing, “This year the festival will be one weekend long so come celebrate the culmination of Black History Month with us!”

Feb. 26

53rdNAACP Image Awards

Black-ishactor Anthony Anderson returns as host of the NAACP Image Awards for the ninth consecutive year. The ceremony will air Saturday, Feb. 26, at 8 p.m. ET/PT on BET. Due to COVID-19, the two-hour live TV special will be recorded without an in-person audience. With six nominations, H.E.R. leads this year’s contingent of music nominees.

Feb. 27

Zankel Hall

As part of New York City’s Afrofuturism Festival hosted by Carnegie Hall, Zankel Hall invites residents of all ages to show off their original music, art and poetry alongside musical group Mwenso and the Shakes beginning at 7 p.m. ET on Feb. 27. Mwenso and the Shakes will also deliver a night of performances with a nod to jazz, electronic, pop and more genres. The performance will be livestreamed on Carnegie Hall’s website, Facebookand YouTube channels.

TV One

TV One will air a Black History Month tribute to the soundtrack of Black America beginning with music from the ’70s and ’80s on Feb. 27 at 9 p.m. ET. Each episode will spotlight a decade of iconic music by some of the biggest acts in history. From Motown to disco, the special will also address the happenings of Black culture outside of hit music including the Vietnam War, police brutality and more.