Thursday, February 12
Beat Box 101 Workshop for teens. 4:30 pm. Free. Brentwood Library, 36 Brentwood N. 416-394-5247.
Commemorate! Black History Month Exhibit A visual art exhibit and events run to Mar 4, see website for details and related events. Free. Bluffs Gallery, 1859 Kingston Rd. scarborougharts.com.
Duane Gibson Meet the writer/freestyle artist. 10 am. Free. Albion Library, 1515 Albion. 416-394-5170.
Freedom City: Uncovering Toronto’s Black History Paintings, manuscripts, photos and more with contributions from historians Karolyn Smardz Frost and Afua Cooper. To Mar 28. Reference Library, 789 Yonge. torontopubliclibrary.ca.
Cecil Foster The author talks with Donna Bailey Nurse. 7 pm. Free. Reference Library, 789 Yonge. torontopubliclibrary.ca/ehlist.
Half: The Story Of A Chinese-Jamaican Son Screening and talk. 6:30-8 pm. Free. Yorkville Library, 22 Yorkville. torontopubliclibrary.ca
Hue: A Matter Of Colour Screening of the Vic Sarin film. 6 pm. Free. Palmerston Library, 560 Palmerston. torontopubliclibrary.ca.
TALWST The artist’s Nubians diorama exhibit explores black identity in Western art. Feb 12-Mar 6, reception 6 pm Feb 12. Free. Drake Lab, 1140 Queen W. talwst.com.
Through Generations Art show about narratives of black consciousness in the African Diaspora. To Mar 1. Daniels Spectrum, 585 Dundas. danielsspectrum.ca.
Toronto Black Film Festival To Feb 15. $10, pass $145. Carlton Cinema and other venues (see website). torontoblackfilm.com.
The Unfinished Conversation: Encoding/Decoding Visual art grounded in the work of cultural theorist Stuart Hall. To May 18. Power Plant, 231 Queens Quay W. 416-973-4949.
Friday, February 13
Gumboots Dance Just Aïssi demonstrates the South African dance. 7-8 pm. Free. North York Central Library, 5120 Yonge. 416-395-5639.
Tribute to Fred “The Hammer” Williamson Screening of the film Boss and Q&A with the actor. 6:30 pm. $20. Art Gallery of Ontario, 317 Dundas W. torontoblackfilm.com.
Saturday, February 14
Anansi The Spider Show based on African folk tales. Feb 14-15 at 11 am & 2 pm. $16. Solar Stage Children’s Theatre, 4950 Yonge. solarstage.on.ca.
Black History Month @ Mackenzie House Get a personalized copy of The Provincial Freeman, the first newspaper to be published by a woman of colour in Canada. Sat-Sun in Feb (and Feb 16), noon-5 pm. $3-$7. Mackenzie House, 82 Bond. 416-392-6915.
Music Africa’s BHM Concert Series Nigerian artist Yinka Farinde performs. 9 pm. Free. Gladstone Hotel, 1214 Queen W. afrofest.ca.
A Sense Of Their Own Capacity: Colonel Tye & The Black Loyalists Of New Jersey United Empire Loyalists presentation by Brian Carver. 1 pm. Free. St David’s Anglican Church Community Rm, 49 Donlands. uelgovsimcoe.org.
Spiritual Songs Of Sub-Saharan Africa Katenen Cheka Dioubate, Amadou Kienou, Blandine Mbiya, Ruth Mathiang and others perform. 8 pm. $20-$25. Alliance Française, 24 Spadina Rd. eventbrite.ca/e/6899084347.
Tribute to Bill Cobbs Screening of Una Vida: A Fable Of Music And Mind, presentation of TBFF Lifetime Achievement Award and Q&A with Cobbs. 6:30 pm. $20. Art Gallery of Ontario, 317 Dundas W. torontoblackfilm.com.
The Way To A Man’s Heart Cook off competition, live music and spoken word. Doors 8 pm. $20-$45 (benefits Push Community Empowerment). Ellesmere Community Centre, 20 Canadian. therealsingleladie.wix.com/rslcookoff.
Sunday, February 15
Black Actors In Hollywood, Then & Now Panel discussion with Fred Williamson, Bill Cobbs and Lanette Ware. 5 pm. $20. Jackman Hall. Art Gallery of Ontario, 317 Dundas W. torontoblackfilm.com.
TBFF Blaxploitation Party Festival closing party features a mashup of 70s films and trailers, music by DJs and more. 9 pm. $30-$40. Revival, 783 College. torontoblackfilm.com.
The Underground Comedy Railroad Show Rodney Ramsey, Keesha Brownie, Daniel Woodrow, Andrew Searles and Patrick Haye. 8:30 pm. $20-$25. The Great Hall, 1087 Queen W. undergroundcomedyrailroad.com.
Up From The Roots Open Mic & Poetry Slam Hosted by Dwayne Morgan. 8 pm. $10. Harlem, 67 Richmond E. harlemrestaurant.com.
Monday, February 16
Art House Monday: Black Is Beautiful Art work by Trudi Ferguson, Ricardo McRae and Carl Cassell. 8 pm. Studio C, 745 Queen W. facebook.com/events/769778163102038.
The Nina Project Jackie Richardson, Shakura S’Aida and Kellylee Evans sing the music of Nina Simone. 7:30 pm. $22-$60. Young Centre for the Performing Arts, 50 Tank House Lane. 416-866-8666, soulpepper.ca.
Tuesday, February 17
The International African Inventors Museum: The Real McCoy Travelling museum of inventions from the eggbeater, lawn mower and more. 10 am-4 pm. Free. Jones Library, 118 Jones. torontopubliclibrary.ca.
Wednesday, February 18
Duane Gibson Meet the writer/speaker and freestyle artist. 2 pm. Free. Malvern Library, 30 Sewells. torontopubliclibrary.ca.
Emma Donoghue The author discusses her novel Frog Music. 1:30-3 pm. $25 sugg donation. Women’s Art Association, 23 Prince Arthur. Pre-register 416-504-8222 ext 243.
Season Of Rage: Racial Conflict In A Small Town John Cooper discusses racist attitudes of the 1950s in Dresden, Ontario. 7:30 pm. Free. North York Central Library, 5120 Yonge. torontopubliclibrary.ca.
Voices Of The Diaspora – A Child of Our Time The Nathaniel Dett Chorale performs Sir Michael Tippett’s cantata with African spirituals and readings from poems by Langston Hughes. 8 pm. $45. Trinity St. Paul’s Church, 427 Bloor W. nathanieldettchorale.org.
Thursday, February 19
Father Figure: Exploring Alternate Notions Of Black Fatherhood Artist Zun Lee blends documentary photography and personal visual storytelling. Feb 19-Apr 2. Free. BAND Gallery, 1 Lansdowne. zunlee.com.
Real Talk: Race, Resolutions & Redemption Shadeism and other topics will be discussed. 5 pm. Free. Centennial Library, 578 Finch W. torontopubliclibrary.ca.
