Celebrate Black History Month

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Grand Cinema

Celebrating Black Film at the Grand Cinema


Weekends in February
The Grand Cinema in Tacoma will show a variety of films showcasing Black filmmakers, storytellers and performers. Take a look at the films and buy your tickets online.

Event Details
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City Club of Tacoma

Celebrating Black History Month


Dinner Program on Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2023 at 6 p.m. 
Come and celebrate Black History Month with the City Club of Tacoma’s Dinner Program. Hear from local leaders in the Black community who represent non-profit, academic, entrepreneurial, and elected leaders in the community. Doors open at 6 p.m. with the program beginning at 6:45 at the University of Puget Sound’s Upper Marshal Hall. Buy your tickets!

Event Details
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The Outlet Collection

Black History Month Vendor Market


Shop local Black-owned businesses, and enjoy local entertainment and education displays at the Outlet Collection in Auburn over two weekends in February. The market will be set up between Burlington and the food court every Saturday and Sunday starting Feb. 18 through Feb. 26, 2023. 

Event Details
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Black-Owned Business Excellence (WA)

Fourth Annual Black-Owned Business Excellence Symposium


Wednesday, Feb. 1, 9 a.m. at University of Washington Tacoma 
Calling all Black-owned businesses! This all-day symposium celebrates, educates, and inspires Black business owners who have been historically underserved. Sessions during the event will include workshops and training, business coaching, marketing, and networking opportunities. The event will be held in person and virtually. 

Event Details
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University of Puget Sound

Reparations and Decolonization: Land and the Search for Reparatory Justice


Thursday, Feb. 9, 6 p.m. at Wyatt Hall, Room 101 and via Zoom Webinar 
Kyle T. Mays, Ph.D who will be discussing the discourse on reparations and landback are often talked about side by side but rarely intersect. This talk explores the contradictions and possibilities embedded on Black freedom and Indigenous sovereignty, why it matters, and dreams about the potential of collective resistance. 

Event Details
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Karshner Museum and Center for Culture & Arts

Black History Month Culture & Arts Event


Saturday, Feb. 11 2023, 12 (noon) – 5 p.m. 
Stop by the Karshner Museum and Center for Culture & Arts in Puyallup on Saturday, Feb. 11 from 12 – 5 p.m. for an event jam packed with wonderful arts and performances including Tiara’s Hat Parade by Seattle Book It Theatre, Rhapsody Project Songsters, Zambuko Marimba Ensemble and Massive Monkees. 

Event Details
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Metro Parks Tacoma

Black History Month at People’s Community Center


Throughout the month, stop by the People’s Community Center in downtown Tacoma for free offers, family activities and more, including the Hilltop Healthy Kids and Family Carnival on Feb. 11.

 Learn more from Metro Parks
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The Tacoma Family History Center

A Proud Heritage – An African American Family History Event


Saturday, Feb. 25, 2023, 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. 
The Tacoma Family History Center is hosting a FREE genealogy workshop designed specifically for individuals with African American ancestry. The workshop will offer step-by-step guidance on how to find your roots and trace your family tree. 

Event Details
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Key Center Pierce County Library

Stories of Racism Project


Monday, Feb. 6, 2023, 5 p.m. – 7 p.m. 
Key Center Pierce County Library at 8905 Key Peninsula HWY NW, Lakebay WA 98349. Event sponsored by Gig Harbor for Racial Justice, Indivisible Gig Harbor, and the South Sound Anti-Racist Project.
Black History month at Tacoma Public Libary
Tacoma Public Library

Black History Month Events


Join Tacoma Public Library in celebrating Black History Month with curated events, booklists, and online resources. Highlighted events include Black History Month Scavenger Hunt at multiple branches, family story times featuring Black/African American authors, movie screenings of award-winning films, a panel discussion on racial equity and social justice, and more.



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Spotlight 

Buffalo Soldiers Museum

Based the Hilltop neighborhood of Tacoma, The Buffalo Soldiers Museum is one of only two museums in the country dedicated solely to bringing recognition to the Buffalo Soldiers. The six-room museum showcases accomplishments of the men (and one woman) of the all-black U.S. Army regiments formed in 1866. 

The museum itself dates back to 2000, when former Buffalo Solider William Jones, who served in the 10th Cavalry Regiment of the U.S. Army during WWII, decided to organize and display the memorabilia he and his comrades-in-arms had collected during their service. With Jones’ passing in 2009, his daughter Jackie Jones-Hook took over the role of executive director and in 2012, she guided the museum into its new Hilltop location.

Visit the site
MLK visits Seattle
Washington State Historical Society 

Martin Luther King Jr. 

Take a look at the permanent exhibition of Dr. Martin Luther King Dr. at the Washington State Historical Society.

This free and online exhibit takes a deep dive at Dr. King's visit to the Pacific Northwest In November 1961. Explore his first visit to Seattle through photos, videos, and meet some of the people who shaped his visit.

Learn about the exhibit
Black business owner
Tacoma Urban League

Support Local Black-Owned Businesses

Discover amazing Black-owned businesses right here in Pierce County!

Thanks to the Tacoma Urban League for putting together a search tool where you can look for Black-owned businesses by category, and then find contact information to support them.

View the directory
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Pierce County Data 

Race/Ethnicity in Pierce County Government

Pierce County is a diverse community, and we strive to foster a workforce and workplace culture that reflects the community in which we serve and live. In 2019, Pierce County launched a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiative. Led by the Human Resources Department and County employees, the initiative will utilize input and resources from the community to promote a workplace culture that embraces, demonstrates, and celebrates the principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion.

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Harold Moss
Pierce County Profile

Harold Moss

Harold was a trail blazer who persevered against injustice and made history by becoming the first Black man on the Tacoma City Council in 1970, the first Black mayor of Tacoma in 1994 and the first Black member of the Pierce County Council in 1996, where he served as chair from 2002 to 2004. While serving in these elected capacities Harold held various leadership positions with numerous external agencies ranging from public transit and public health, to law enforcement, public safety and youth-focused organizations. 

Harold helped establish the Tacoma Urban League, the Black Collective and volunteered countless hours to mentor and support up and coming Black leaders in our community and across the region, helping them continue what he started so many decades ago.
Council Black History Month Proclamation
Pierce County Council 

February is Black History Month

A Resolution of the Pierce County Council Proclaiming the Month of February 2023 as "Black History Month" in Pierce County, Washington. 

View the resolution
BlackHistoryMonth
Pierce County Executive Blog Post

Tomorrow's icons today


"I’ve had the privilege of writing in this blog about important African American Pierce County residents that have made powerful contributions to our lives close to home and beyond. I have shared the fascinating story of Dr. Nettie Asberry who founded the local chapter of the NAACP in 1913, the beginning of a long and illustrious civil rights legacy. She was also an accomplished musician and earned her doctorate in an era when advanced degrees were unusual for women, especially women of color. Another icon in Pierce County is Harold Moss. I’ve written about him a couple of times, including last fall when we sadly lost him at the age of 93. He made his mark in so many ways, but he was especially relevant to us as the Pierce…"

Read the blog post