Celebrate Black History Month throughout Ohio

February is the month that honors black history, history that some try to forget. The county's treatment of minorities, to black people specifically, permeates through our past. This month is to honor the black community's incredible accomplishments, despite the oppression they experienced. The state of Ohio has multiple events and exhibits occurring throughout the month of February in to celebrate the rich history of black Americans. The city of Cleveland also has a full calendar of events for the month. Twinsburg Public Library — Blax Museum: A Tribute to Art & Excellence — 10050 Ravenna Road, Twinsburg 6:30 p.m. today —Blax Museum is a talent showcase that is open to all forms and dedicated to honoring notable black figures in American history and culture. The event features black artists from Northeast Ohio who pay homage through original art and honorary performances and presentations. Main Cleveland Public Library — 325 Superior Ave., Cleveland and the Louis Stokes Wing, 525 Superior Ave., Cleveland Music at Main: The Whitehouse Band — 2 p.m. Saturday in the fine arts department, third-floor lobby, at the main library. A performance by Cleveland jazz group, The Whitehouse Band, in celebration of Black History Month. Let Freedom Sing — 1 p.m. Feb. 22 in the Louis Stokes Wing Auditorium. Tri-C Creative Arts Academy students will perform. "Let Freedom Sing" includes vocal, instrumental and spoken-word selections to celebrate freedom and diversity through arts and culture while showcasing the talents of young performers. Inclusion Refocused: Race Conversations & the Urgency of Now — 2 p.m. Feb. 29 in the Louis Stokes Wing Auditorium. Diversity and inclusion strategist James E. Wright leads a discussion about race, diversity and inclusion. Martin Luther King, Jr. Branch — 1962 Stokes Blvd., Cleveland What They Don't Tell You at the Hair Salon — 2 p.m. Feb. 15 — Author and cosmetologist LaDosha Wright addresses the legalities, racial inequalities as they relate to hair, the democracy of hair and shares the history to demystify what stirs the masses about hair as it relates to race, culture, tradition and fashion. Langston Hughes Branch — 10200 Superior Ave., Cleveland Oberlin Sanctuary Project — 2 p.m. Feb. 22 — An exhibit and program documents the history of Oberlin's efforts to provide sanctuary, safe haven and assistance for those in need. This history includes stories of Oberlin residents and Oberlin College students and faculty members assisting runaway slaves on the Underground Railroad before the American Civil War. A reception will follow. National Afro-American Museum & Cultural Center — Open Wednesday to Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., 1350 Brush Row Road, Wilberforce "African Americans Fighting for a Double Victory" is an exhibit featuring images of drawings by African American muralist Charles Alston, who was commissioned by the Office of War Information during World War II to create a series of drawings to promote the war effort at home and abroad. Unlike the many other war propaganda materials, Alston's work features African Americans and sought to encourage African American support of the war effort. "Behind the Mask: Black Power in Comics" is an exhibit delving into the history of black comic book characters. Black comic book creators now are emerging to establishing superheroes of their own, reflecting a truer self-identity and cultural pride. 2020 Black History Matters film series • "Rigged" — 1 p.m. Saturday — Rating PG, run time 79 minutes — After the film, representatives from League of Women Voters and Common Cause Ohio will participate in a panel discussion. • "Tell Them We Are Rising: Historically Black Colleges and Universities" — 1 p.m. Feb. 15 — Rating PG, run time 82 minutes • "Jubilee Singers" — 1 p.m. Feb. 22 — Rating NR, run time 51 minutes Ohio History Center — Open Wednesday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., 800 E. 17th Ave., Columbus "African American Sports Heroes" is an exhibit at 2 p.m. Saturday and Feb. 22 that features athletes who overcame prejudice. "African American Soldiers in World War I" is an event at noon Sunday discussing the experience of black soldiers in WWI. "Breaking Barriers and Changing the Game" is an event at 2 p.m. Sunday discussing how Ohioans helped to break color barriers in baseball. Echos in Time Theatre presents "African American Women and the Vote" with performances at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. Feb. 15. African American women felt increasingly marginalized even as the Nineteenth Amendment was ratified. In some states, African American women couldn't freely vote until the 1960s. Black History Month 2020 at the Ohio Statehouse — Performances begin at noon,atrium, 1 Capitol Square, Columbus. Performances by We've Known Rivers, a group of storytellers who commemorate the African-American experience in history through first-person presentations. Tuesday — "The Henry Box Brown Show" by Rory Rennick. The enslaved Henry Brown mailed himself to freedom and became a magician. Feb. 18 — "Of Memory and History: An Affrilachian Storyteller Speaks" by Lynette Ford. Humor and heart are rooted in her family's storytelling traditions. Feb. 25 — "Courage in the Skies: The Story of the Tuskegee Airmen" by Anthony Gibbs. The first African-American military pilots served in World War II, and were later stationed near Columbus, Ohio. Toledo Museum of Art — Great Performances: Black History Month Celebration — Performances will be in the Great Gallery, 2445 Monroe St. in Toledo. 2 p.m. Feb. 22 — Conversation and spoken word in celebration of Black History Month and explores this year's theme of African Americans and the vote. 3 p.m. Feb. 23 — Organized by soprano, educator, and community organizer Margaret Barron and visual artist and educator Yusuf Lateef, this two-part program features music in celebration of Black History Month and explores this year's theme of African Americans and the vote. Cleveland History Center — History on Tap: Living Legacy of Leo's Casino — 10825 East Blvd., Cleveland 5 p.m. Feb. 22 — Guests will immerse themselves in 1960's Cleveland and enjoy the sights and sounds of the famous Cleveland R&B and Jazz club. Event features include music and archival images of the Legends that rocked Leo's stage like Otis Redding, Aretha Franklin, and Ray Charles. The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, as well as the R&B Hall of Fame, have partnered with the Cleveland History Center to give a unique one-of-a-kind look at the music scene in 1960s Cleveland. East Cleveland Public Library — Blax Museum: A Tribute to Art & Excellence — 14101 Euclid Ave., East Cleveland 3 p.m. Feb. 22 — Blax Museum is a talent showcase that is open to all forms and dedicated to honoring notable black figures in American history and culture. The event features black artists from Northeast Ohio who pay homage through original art and honorary performances and presentations.