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Ways to celebrate Black History Month in Indianapolis

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Posted at 8:37 PM, Feb 01, 2020
and last updated 2022-03-03 13:28:35-05

INDIANAPOLIS — February is Black History Month and there are several events scattered throughout Indianapolis to celebrate Black culture the entire month.

Art & Soul
Feb. 1 - 29
Throughout February, the Arts Council of Indianapolis will once again host a series of free, daily performances downtown at the Indianapolis Artsgarden.

Art & Soul is in its 24th year, and its 2020 celebration seeks to honor African American art and artists in Indiana that honor the right to vote.

Attendees can expect a variance of performances, from dance, spoken word, drum ensembles, choir, and more performances. The Art Council's 2020 featured artists are Manon Voice, Okara Imani, Teneh Karimu, and Josh Betsey.

Click here for the date and times with descriptions of performances.

Eskenazi Health Concert Series
Thursday, Feb. 6

To inaugurate the 'Eskenazi Health Indiana Avenue Music Legacy Series,' Eskenazi Health will host renowned keyboard artist Rodney Stepp and the Stepp Walker Project in recognition of Black History Month.

Stepp will perform for free and open to the public at Noon on Thursday, Feb. in the Eli Lilly and Company Foundation Concourse at Eskenazi Health.

Stepp's performance is part of a series of three concerts celebrating the history of music along Indiana Avenue in Indianapolis.

Indiana Repertory Theatre
Feb. 1 - 25
"The Watsons Go to Birmingham" will be in production all month long at the Indiana Repertory Theatre in Downtown Indianapolis.

The play is about a black family that travels from Michigan to the Jim Crow South in 1963.

Learn more here.

Magic Thread Cabaret
Feb. 7 - 9 & 14 - 16

A trio of dynamic Indianapolis vocalists will be performing on Indy's near west side at the new Fonesca Theatre Company to honor legendary female artists of color.

The production of "Les Chanteuses" is being put on by Klein & Alvarez Productions LLC, in collaboration with the theatre.

Les Chanteuses is part of the third season of "Magic Thread Cabaret." The trio of artists is Pearl Scott, Sarah Daniel and Rayanna Bibbs, who will be performing the greats such as Ella Fitzgerald, Aretha Franklin, Whitney Houston, Tina Turner and more.

Tickets are $25 for general admission, $20 for students and $15 for near west side residents. Tickets can be bought online at magicthreadcabaret.com or by calling 800-838-3006.

Meet the Artists
Jan. 21 - Mar. 29

Explore the works of prominent local African American artists at the Central Indianapolis Public Library.

A variety of artistic mediums are on display for the public throughout the library during regular library business hours.

So Far Sound Indy
Feb. 7, 13, 15, 21, 27


The secretive host of underground live music in Indianapolis says that their next three shows are all about paying tribute to Black artists.

To get a ticket, those interested have to apply on sofarsounds.com and download their app. From there, instructions will be sent to those who get invited to the venue.

MORE | First African-American woman appointed to Southport Police Department's command staff | One size doesn't fit all: The alarming rates of suicide in the black community |

Did we miss one? Contact digital content producer Shakkira Harris at shakkira.harris@wrtv.com.