Where to celebrate Black History Month in Philly
There is a full month’s worth of events to learn more about and celebrate the accomplishments of Black Philadelphians, from free events to ticketed walking tours.
Black Philadelphians have been shaping the city’s history for centuries.
From founding the nation’s first African Methodist Episcopal (AME) church to serving as a key hub on the Underground Railroad, Philadelphia has long been a center of Black leadership and activism.
The Free African Society, established in the late 1700s, became America’s first independent Black organization, helping to build political identity and community.
That legacy continues today through figures like physician Ala Stanford, cofounder of the Black Doctors COVID-19 Consortium, and Emmy-winning writer and actress Quinta Brunson.
For Black History Month 2025, Philadelphia is hosting a full slate of events celebrating these achievements. From free community gatherings to ticketed walking tours, here’s how to take part.
This list will be updated throughout the month.
Immerse yourself in the literary works by Black writers and creatives from Philadelphia, and around the world, at the Free Library of Philadelphia. Every week there are author conversations, educational workshops, film screenings, cooking classes, and more at library branches across the city.
📅 All of February, 💵 Free to $5,📍Various locations, 🌐 libwww.freelibrary.org/programs/black-history-month
On Saturdays, the Black Journey Philadelphia offers guided walking tours that bring the city’s Black history to life. At 2 p.m., a two-hour historical walking tour at Independence Mall explores key moments and figures — including Martha Washington’s enslaved handmaiden who emancipated herself, the history of Congo Square (now Washington Square) — and follows the footsteps of abolitionists, founding fathers, and prominent Black Philadelphians.
Advance RSVP is required. Tickets for the Original Black History Tour are available online.
📅 Saturdays at 2 p.m., 💵 $20-$35,📍 599 Market St. and 419 S. 6th St., Philadelphia 🌐 blackjourneyphiladelphia.com
The museum is celebrating Black History Month with a lineup of events centered on this year’s theme, “African Americans and Labor.”
The programming explores the vital contributions of Black workers across industries — skilled and unskilled, free and enslaved, voluntary and vocational. Through Feb. 28, the calendar features a variety of events, including a Super Bowl watch party, a brunch with a film screening, a book tour and whiskey tasting, and an art exhibition.
📅 Through Feb. 28, 💵 up to $100,📍 701 Arch St., Philadelphia, 🌐 aampmuseum.org
Cookin’ Black Legacy Pop-Up
On Feb.12, 18, and 25, the Free Library of Philadelphia will be hosting cooking classes that explore the ingredients and flavors of the African diaspora. Learn a new recipe and read excerpts from books like In Bibi’s Kitchen and How Long Til Black Future Month at the Lillian Marrero Library, Wynnefield Library, and Charles L. Durham Library. Register online.
📅 Feb. 12, 18, 25 from 3 p.m., 💵 Free,📍Various locations, 🌐 eventbrite.com
Attend the second annual Black History Month at the Hyatt Centric hotel in Center City, featuring works from five Black Philly-based artists. The exhibit showcases photography, paintings, sculpture, and mixed media pieces and is curated by Ginger Rudolph of Mural Arts Philadelphia. The exhibition is free and runs through mid-March.
On Feb. 26 from 6 to 8 p.m., venture out for the Hear the Makers discussion panel emceed by Inquirer culture reporter Elizabeth Wellington. This event is also free.
📅 Til mid-March, 💵 Free,📍1620 Chancellor St., Philadelphia 🌐 muralarts.org
Meet and play with dolls from StepStitches, a Black-owned small business, through a variety of pretend-play activities. Join Storytime — Abdul’s Story to learn about overcoming obstacles in pursuit of your passions, or take part in the Black History Walk to see Black changemakers on display throughout February and receive a reward upon completing the journey. First Wednesdays of each month from 4 to 7 p.m., admission is $2.
📅 All February, 💵 $22 for general admission,📍4231 Avenue of the Republic, Philadelphia 🌐 pleasetouchmuseum.org/learn/black-history-month
Take a special trolley tour featuring murals of iconic Black figures with Murals Arts Philadelphia on Feb. 8. A guide will walk you through Philly neighborhoods with the murals and share stories behind each piece of art. Tours, limited to groups of 38, depart from the Lenfest Plaza Paint Torch Sculpture outside the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts and return to the same location. Tickets must be purchased in advance — reserve your spot for $28 to $38 online.
📅 Feb. 8 at 10 a.m., 💵 $28 to $38,📍128 N. Broad St., Philadelphia🌐 muralarts.org