Black History Month 2022: Industry Celebrations
Since 1976, Black History Month — aka African American History Month — has been observed each February to celebrate the far-reaching achievements of Black people and illuminate their instrumental role in U.S. history. As part of Billboard’s 2022 Black History Month observance, here’s a roundup of industry events, special programming and other projects that are happening. This list will be updated throughout the month.
Feb. 1
ASCAP
ASCAP’s Black History Month Instagram campaign will feature daily posts at 3 p.m. ET via the organization’s @ASCAP and @ASCAPUrban accounts. Each post will include fun facts, photos and reels about Black artists, songwriters and composers including Stevie Wonder, Charley Pride, Mary J. Blige and Whitney Houston.
Samsung TV Plus
Samsung TV Plus’ more than 200 free channels will offer live, on-demand content including sports, news and entertainment ranging from critically acclaimed documentaries and popular film marathons to news and entertainment programs. Vevo’s music video channels will feature genre-specific visuals by fan-favorite Black artists and Afro-Latino artists. Fuse Backstage will air All in With Black History Month, which will delve into the stories behind R&B/hip-hop’s most notable acts including Nicki Minaj, Tupac Shakur, Kanye West, Dr. Dre and Rihanna.
Amazon Music
As part of the newly announced Black Culture Is…, Amazon Music will offer a monthlong collection of live streams, Amazon Original songs, playlists and more featuring outstanding Black artists and creators including Summer Walker, Cordae, Wayno, Muni Long, Unusual Demont and more. Fans can catch the latter’s never-before-heard cover of Outkast’s hit song “Prototype.” New episodes of CONNECTED With Wayno and Group Thread will also air throughout the month.
Feb. 2
PBS Stations
The life of living legend Irma Thomas will be celebrated in the special documentary Irma: My Life in Music, set to air on PBS stations nationwide through spring. Produced by Michael Murphy Productions in partnership with the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation and distributed nationally by American Public Television, the 90-minute film will feature performance footage from Thomas, plus an extensive interview with the singer.
Feb. 7
Smithsonian Channel
In partnership with MTV Entertainment Studios, the Smithsonian Channel will premiere the four-part docuseries One Thousand Years of Slavery – The Untold Story on Feb. 7 at 8 p.m. ET/PT in the U.S. and Canada. Executive produced by Angela Bassett and husband Courtney B. Vance’s Bassett Vance Productions, the limited docuseries will spotlight previously untold stories about enslavement with special commentary from producer Debbie Allen, Sen. Cory Booker and producer Lorraine Toussaint, among other speakers.
Feb. 11
Showtime
Showtime Documentary Films will present the three-part docuseries Everything’s Gonna Be All White on Friday, Feb. 11 at 8 p.m. ET/PT. The limited series explores the history of race and racism in the U.S. from the perspective of people of color. Directed by filmmaker Sacha Jenkins (B—–n’: The Sound and Fury of Rick James), the project includes insights from historians, commentators, actors, activists and artists including Amanda Seales, Jemele Hill, Tamika Mallory and Styles P.
Greenwich Entertainment
Greenwich Entertainment’s Ronnie’s honors late saxophonist Ronnie Scott and his iconic namesake London jazz club, which opened in October 1959. The film debuts in theaters and on-demand on Feb. 11. It includes footage from previously unseen performances captured at the club by a host of groundbreaking Black acts including Miles Davis, Nina Simone, Ella Fitzgerald and Jimi Hendrix.
Feb. 12
Carnegie Hall’s Afrofuturism Festival
Carnegie Hall’s Afrofuturism Festival in New York kicks off Feb. 12 at 8 p.m. ET with a debut headlining performance by rapper-producer Flying Lotus. The two-month long festival will include more than 80 live and virtual events, including musical acts, exhibitions, chats, film screenings and more. Sun Ra Arkestra, Fatoumata Diawara, Theo Croker and Carl Craig are also slated to perform.
Feb. 16
Netflix
Netflix will premiere the highly anticipated three-part series Jeen-Yuhs: A Kanye Trilogy on Feb. 16. Act 1 of the trilogy is slated to premiere exclusively in U.S. theaters on Feb. 10. The project is directed by duo Coodie & Chike, and delves into Ye’s (formerly known as Kanye West) life and career journey from struggling artist to international sensation. Jeen-Yuhs: A Kanye Trilogy also boasts never-before-seen footage of Ye during his formative years.
Feb. 22
VH1
Nick Cannon’s hit series Wild ‘N Out will celebrate its 300th episode on VH1 Feb. 22 at 8 p.m. ET/PT. As part of Wild ‘N Out’s three-week partnership with Super League Gaming, a live metaverse game experience dubbed Wild ‘N Out: Metaverse Remix will launch immediately after the premiere. Players will be able to use Minehut, a part of Super League’s Minecraft gaming community.
PBS and World Channel
The life of civil rights icon Fannie Lou Hamer is being celebrated in the upcoming Fannie Lou Hamer’s America, a documentary that showcases her story, music and battle for voting rights. Directed by Joy Davenport, it premieres Feb. 22 on PBS and airs again on Feb. 24 via the World Channel.
Feb. 23
Disney+
Proud Family fans can watch Disney+ on Feb. 23 to catch the premiere of The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder, a modern spin-off of the early aughts classic. Kyla Pratt returns as the voice of Penny Proud. She’s accompanied by new voiceovers from KeKe Palmer, Billy Porter and more. The show’s reimagined theme song is performed by rising R&B singer Joyce Wrice.
Feb. 26
53rd NAACP Image Awards
Black-ish actor Anthony Anderson returns as host of the NAACP Image Awards for the ninth consecutive year. The ceremony will air Saturday, Feb. 26, at 8 p.m. ET/PT on BET. Due to COVID-19, the two-hour live TV special will be recorded without an in-person audience. With six nominations, H.E.R. leads this year’s contingent of music nominees.
