Greetings! Our GBE African-American History Month spotlight begins with “Hallowed Grounds: Sites of African American Memories.” The Association for the Study of African American Life and History has selected this annual theme to bring attention to the centennial celebration of the National Park Service and more than 25 sites and the Underground Railroad that are part of America’s hallowed grounds, including the home of the father of Black history, brilliant educator and suthor Dr. Carter G. Woodson. Visit asalh100.org.
THEATER
“Dare to Be Black: The Jack Johnson Story,” a one-man play written and performed by Tommi J. Moore and directed by Rome Neal, takes place Feb. 4 to 21 (Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m. and on Sundays at 3 p.m.). The opening night celebration takes place Friday, Feb. 5. Theatre for the New City, 155 First Ave., between Ninth and 10th streets. Call 212-254-1109 or visit theaterforthenewcity.org.
Academy Award winner Forest Whitaker stars in Eugene O Neill’s “Hughie” (Tony Award winner). Previews begin Feb. 8 for this strictly limited engagemnt. Visit Telecharge.com or hughiebroadway.com or call 212- 239-6200.
“The Color Purple,” now on Broadway, featuring Jennifer Hudson,Cynthia Erivo and Danielle Brooks, at the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre, 242 W. 45th St. Visit colorpurple.com.
In “Hamilton: An American Musical,” Lin-Manuel Miranda is the unlikely Founding Father at the Richard Rodgers Theatre, 226 W. 46th St. For information, call 800-276-2392 or visit boxoffice.broadway.com
“Sistas” tells of the struggles, the joy and the triumphs of being Black and being a woman in America, Saturdays and Sundays, now at St. Luke’s Theater, 308 W. 46th St., New York City. Call 212-239-6200 or visit telecharge.com.
MUSIC.
“Funky Fat Tuesday” with George Clinton and Parliament-Funkadelic, Tuesday, Feb. 9 at 8 p.m., B.B. King Blues Club & Grill, 237 W. 42nd St. For more information, call 212-997-4144 or visit ticketmaster.com.
Babyface with After 7, Friday, Feb. 12 at 8 p.m., One Center St., Newark, N.J. For information, call 888- 466-5722 or visit njpac.org.
Ladies Night R&B Super Jam featuring Jodeci, Faith Evans, Jagged Edge, SWV, the Lox, Carl Thomas, Blackstreet, Total and Black Rob, Friday, Feb. 12 at 8 p.m., Barclays Center, 620 Atlantic Ave., Brooklyn, N.Y. For information, visit barclayscenter.com.
The ’70s Soul Jam Valentine’s Concert with the Stylistics, Dramatics, New Birth, Ray, Goodman and Brown and Enchantment, Saturday, Feb. 13 at 8 p.m., Beacon Theater, 2124 Broadway at 79th Street, New York City. For information, call 212-247-4777 or visit ticketmaster.com.
“An Evening of Love: Valentine’s Show With Stephanie Mills and Will Downing,” Sunday, Feb. 14 at 8 p.m., Beacon Theater, 2124 Broadway. For information, call 212-247-4777 or visit ticketmaster.com.
Maxwell and Nas, Sunday, Feb. 14 at 8p.m., Barclays Center, 620 Atlantic Ave., Brooklyn, N.Y. For information, call 917-618-6700 or visit ticketmaster.com.
Maxwell and Nas, Monday, Feb. 15 at 8 p.m., Prudential Center, 25 Lafayette St., Newark, N.J. For information, call 973-757-6600 or visit prucenter.com.
“An Evening With Chaka Khan” with special guest Vivian Green, Friday, Feb. 19 at 9 p.m., Kings Theatre, 1027 Flatbush Ave., Brooklyn, N.Y. For information, call 718-856-5464 or visit kingstheatre.com.eatre, 1027 Flatbush Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11226, For information, Call (718) 856-5464 or Visit: kingstheatre.com
COMEDY
Mike Epps: “Don’t Take It Personal,” Friday, Feb. 5 at 8 p.m., the Theater at Madison Square Garden,
Seventh Avenue and 32nd Street, New York City. For information, call 212-465-MSG1 or visit ticketmasster.com.
Valentine’s All-Star Comedy Show, Sunday, Feb. 14 at 7 p.m., featuring Adele Givens, Bill Bellamy, George Wallace, Tony Woods, Smokey Suarez and host Ray DeJon, NJPAC, One Center St., Newark, N.J. For information, call 888-GO-NJPAC or visit njpac.org.
FILM
“Concussion” features Will Smith as accomplished pathologist Dr. Bennet Omalu uncovering the truth about brain damage in football players who suffer repeated concussions in the course of normal play. Check local listings.
Spike Lee’s “Chiraq,” featuring Samuel L. Jackson and more, is now in theaters. Check local listings.
COMMUNITY
The world famous Apollo Theater presents “Say It Loud,” a Black Hstory Month open house weekend showcasing the Apollo’s consistent Black advocacy, beginning Saturday, Feb. 6 at 2 p.m. with “Arts & Advocacy.” Co-hosted by WBLS and WLIB’s Imhotep Gary Byrd and Bob Slade, along with Apollo’s Tour Director Billy Mitchell, the event features a day of film and music presentations honoring legendary Apollo artists such as James Brown, Nina Simone and Bob Marley who championed Black pride and equality. Performances by rising stars carrying the baton include “Amateur Night” winner King Solomon Hicks, musicians Mysonne, Mavis SWAN Poole, Steff Reed, Chris Rob and Lynette Williams and poet NeNe Ali. No RSVPs required for this day.
Also, Sunday, Feb 7 at 2 p.m. at the Apollo Theater, it’s “The Black Panthers: Vanguard of the Revolution,” followed by a discussion with fdirector Stanley Nelson; former Black Panthers Kathleen Cleaver, Ericka Huggins and David Lemieux; journalist Jamilah Lemieux (Ebony); activist Dante Barry; and music by the IMPACT Repertory Theatre Performance Company. Moderated by WNET’s Metro Focus host Rafael Pi Roman. To register, visit apollotheater.org/event/open-house-weekend-2016-02-07.
The Schomberg Center presents ”Between The Lines: The Black Presidency: Barack Obama and the Politics of Race in America” with author, educator and radio host Michael Eric Dyson in conversation with MSNBC correspondent and author Joy Reid. A book signing will follow. The event takes place, Wednesday, Feb. 17 at 6:30 p.m. at 515 Malcolm X Blvd., New York City. Call 917-275-6975 or visit nypl.org/locations/schomburg for more information. The event is free and on a first come, first seated basis.
Hear Imhotep Gary Byrd on 107.5 WBLS-FM weekly with “Express Yourself,” Sunday evenings from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. and simulcast over WLIB 1190AM. The full show can also be heard on HD radio at WBLS-HD2 and at WBLS.com.WLIB.com and iHeartRadio. IGB is also heard on WBAI-FM 99.5 with Radio GBE: “The Global Black Experience” and “The Global Beat Experience,” Fridays 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Both shows are archived online at www.wbai.org. To contact us for bookings or to reach us about your event or for comments, email igbexp@gmail.com, find us at Imhotep Gary Byrd on Facebook or follow us on Twitter @GBELIFE or call 212-592-3279.
