Activism

Black History Month in the Bay Features, Parades, Festivals and Speakers

Black History Month did not begin as Black History Month. In 1915 after the 13th Amendment was passed Carter G. Woodson and Jesse E. Moorland founded the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History (ASNLH). This organization sponsored the initiation of a national Negro History Week, which took place in February, the same week as Frederick Douglass’ birthday. During the Civil Rights Movement this transformed into the Black History Month we still celebrate today.

Published

3 months ago

February 1, 2025

Oakland Post

The choir performs at the 2023 Black Joy Parade. Courtesy photo By Daisha Williams.

By Daisha Williams

Black History Month is a month that is centered in teaching, learning, and honoring the journey of Black people in America. Black people in America have faced discrimination, abuse, and every kind of mistreatment. Black History Month is about recognizing not only that history, but how far the community has come despite it, and celebrating Black joy.

Black History Month did not begin as Black History Month. In 1915 after the 13th Amendment was passed Carter G. Woodson and Jesse E. Moorland founded the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History (ASNLH). This organization sponsored the initiation of a national Negro History Week, which took place in February, the same week as Frederick Douglas’ birthday. During the Civil Rights Movement, this transformed into the Black History Month we still celebrate today.

There are many ways that people celebrate Black History Month and as always, the Bay Area has a little bit of everything.

Most popularly, the Eighth Annual Black Joy Parade will be taking place in Downtown Oakland on Feb. 23. The parade will begin at 14th and Franklin Streets at 12:30 p.m. There will be a festival after the parade ends lasting until 7 p.m. This is the largest Black Joy Parade and sure to be a fun time. Schools, community organizations, and performers can sign up to be in the parade by Feb. 6 on the Black Joy Parade website.

In line with the spirit of the month “From Black History to Black Futures” will take place on Feb. 23 from 2-5 p.m. in Vallejo. This event will show the breadth and beauty of Black life through showcasing speakers, artistic performances, and community booths. This free celebration is hosted by a community organization, Vallejo Building Black Power and Leadership, at 4380 Sonoma Blvd suite 224. The organizers ask that attendees register on Eventbrite because of limited space.

Similar events will be happening in San Francisco and San Leandro.

In San Francisco, Thrive City is hosting a free community event that includes performances of all kinds, from music to spoken word, with the headliner being August Lee Stevens. This event will take place at the Dance Mission Theater on Feb. 1 from 12-3 p.m. Though it is free, priority will be given to people who registered on Eventbrite.

In San Leandro, there will be the Black History Month RnB Day Market at 222 Davis St. This family-friendly event will be put on by the Downtown San Leandro Community Benefit District and include live music, dance performances and a fashion show. This free event will be on Feb. 15 from 12-6 p.m.

There are other ways to celebrate this month other than community festivals and block parties. For example, the College of Marin’s Umoja group is putting together a Black History Month Poetry Reading. This event will be free and take place on Feb. 19 from 12:40 to 1:30 p.m.

At the North Berkeley Senior Center there will be a Black History Month celebration hosted by the City of Berkeley, Health, Housing and Community Services, Mental Health Division. Keynote speaker Gigi Crowder, CEO of the Contra Costa County branch of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) will be giving a talk on Feb 11 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

A Black History Month celebration with line dancing, music, and food will be in the Richmond Memorial Auditorium on Feb. 22 1-3 p.m. with doors opening at 12:30. This event will be hosted by the City of Richmond and attendees must register in advance. Tickets are $15 and for more details contact 510-620-6793.

Musical expression has always been a vital part of Black culture, and Black people have contributed largely to the development of many music genres. Stockton Soul is honoring Black History Month with an ensemble created to highlight the legacy of Black music with influences like Curtis Mayfield and Isaac Hayes. The concert will be held on Feb. 15 with tickets for only $8 for adults.

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Newsom Fights Back as AmeriCorps Shutdown Threatens Vital Services in Black Communities

“When wildfires devastated L.A. earlier this year, it was AmeriCorps members out there helping families recover,” Gov. Newsom said when he announced the lawsuit on April 17. “And now the federal government wants to pull the plug? We’re not having it.”

Published

33 minutes ago

April 28, 2025

Oakland Post

California for All College Corps.

By Bo Tefu
California Black Media

Gov. Gavin Newsom is suing the federal government over its decision to dismantle AmeriCorps, a move that puts essential frontline services in Black and Brown communities across California at risk, the Governor’s office said.

From tutoring students and mentoring foster youth to disaster recovery and community rebuilding, AmeriCorps has been a backbone of support for many communities across California.

“When wildfires devastated L.A. earlier this year, it was AmeriCorps members out there helping families recover,” Newsom said when he announced the lawsuit on April 17. “And now the federal government wants to pull the plug? We’re not having it.”

The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) under the Trump administration is behind the rollback, which Newsom calls “a middle finger to volunteers.”

Meanwhile, Newsom’s office announced that the state is expanding the California Service Corps, the nation’s largest state-run service program.

AmeriCorps has provided pathways for thousands of young people to gain job experience, give back, and uplift underserved neighborhoods. Last year alone, over 6,000 members across the state logged 4.4 million hours, tutoring more than 73,000 students, planting trees, supporting foster youth, and helping fire-impacted families.

The California Service Corps includes four paid branches: the #CaliforniansForAll College Corps, Youth Service Corps, California Climate Action Corps, and AmeriCorps California. Together, they’re larger than the Peace Corps and are working on everything from academic recovery to climate justice.

“DOGE’s actions aren’t about making government work better. They are about making communities weaker,” said GO-Serve Director Josh Fryday.

“These actions will dismantle vital lifelines in communities across California. AmeriCorps members are out in the field teaching children to read, supporting seniors and helping families recover after disasters. AmeriCorps is not bureaucracy; it’s boots on the ground,” he said.

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Four Bills Focus on Financial Compensation for Descendants of Enslaved People

This week, CBM examines four more bills in the package — each offering ways for Black Californians to receive restitution for past injustices — from housing assistance and reclamation of loss property to fairer pay and the establishment of a state agency charged with determining eligibility for reparations.

Published

1 hour ago

April 28, 2025

Oakland Post

iStock.

Edward Henderson
California Black Media

Last week, California Black Media (CBM) provided an update on four bills in the California Legislative Black Caucus (CLBC) 2025 Road to Repair package.

The 16 bills in the Black Caucus’s 2025 “Road to Repair” package focus on “repairing the generational harms caused by the cruel treatment of African American slaves in the United States and decades of systemic deprivation and injustice inflicted upon Black Californians,” said the CLBC in a release.

This week, CBM examines four more bills in the package — each offering ways for Black Californians to receive restitution for past injustices — from housing assistance and reclamation of lost property to fairer pay and the establishment of a state agency charged with determining eligibility for reparations.

Here are summaries of these bills, information about their authors, and updates on how far each one has advanced in the legislative process.

Assembly Bill (AB) 57

AB 57, introduced by Assemblymember Tina McKinnor (D-Inglewood), would require that at least 10% of the monies in the state’s home purchase assistance fund be made available to applicants who meet the requirements for a loan under the home purchase assistance program and are descendants of formerly enslaved people.

The Assembly Judiciary Committee is currently reviewing the legislation.

Assembly Bill (AB) 62

AB 62, also introduced by McKinnor, would require the Office of Legal Affairs to review, investigate, and make specific determinations regarding applications from people who claim they are the dispossessed owners of property seized from them because of racially motivated eminent domain. The bill would define “racially motivated eminent domain” to mean when the state acquires private property for public use and does not provide just compensation to the owner, due in whole or in part, to the owner’s race.

AB 62 is currently under review in the Judiciary Committee.

Senate Bill (SB) 464

SB 464, introduced by Sen. Lola Smallwood-Cuevas (D-Los Angeles), aims to strengthen the existing civil rights laws in California concerning employer pay data reporting. The bill mandates that private employers with 100 or more employees submit annual pay data reports to the Civil Rights Department. These reports must include detailed demographic information — including race, ethnicity, sex, and sexual orientation — pertaining to their workforce distribution and compensation across different job categories. Furthermore, beginning in 2027, public employers will also be required to comply with these reporting requirements.

The Senate Committee on Labor, Public Employment, and Rules is currently reviewing SB 464. A hearing is expected to be held on April 23.

Senate Bill (SB) 518

SB 518, introduced by Sen. Akilah Weber Pierson (D-San Diego), establishes the Bureau for Descendants of American Slavery to address and remedy the lasting harms of slavery and the Jim Crow laws suffered by Black Californians.

SB 518 is under review in the Senate Judiciary Committee. A hearing is expected to be held on April 22.

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Faces Around the Bay: Author Karen Lewis Took the ‘Detour to Straight Street’

“My life has been a roller-coaster with an unlimited ride wristband! I was raised in Berkeley during the time of Ron Dellums, the Black Panthers, and People’s Park. I was a Hippie kid, my Auntie cut off all our hair so we could wear the natural styles like her and Angela Davis.

Published

2 hours ago

April 28, 2025

Oakland Post

Karen Lewis. Courtesy photo.

By Barbara Fluhrer

I met Karen Lewis on a park bench in Berkeley. She wrote her story on the spot.

I got married young, then ended up getting divorced, raising two boys into men. After my divorce, I had a stroke that left me blind and paralyzed. I was homeless, lost in a fog with blurred vision.

Jesus healed me! I now have two beautiful grandkids. At 61, this age and this stage, I am finally free indeed. Our Lord Jesus Christ saved my soul. I now know how to be still. I lay at his feet. I surrender and just rest. My life and every step on my path have already been ordered. So, I have learned in this life…it’s nice to be nice. No stressing, just blessings. Pray for the best and deal with the rest.

Nobody is perfect, so forgive quickly and love easily!”

Lewis’ book “Detour to Straight Street” is available on Amazon.