Happy Black History Month, San Diego! This February, we honor and celebrate the achievements and contributions of African Americans who have shaped our history and culture.
The Wave is dedicated to promoting inclusivity, equity, and positivity and we encourage fans to join us in taking this opportunity to learn, reflect, and engage with the rich history and contributions made within our San Diego community.
We’ve compiled a guide of local events, organizations, and national initiatives to explore and support throughout Black History Month. If there are additional resources you’d like us to highlight, please email [email protected]. Let’s celebrate this February while also continuing to carry this energy throughout the year.
San Diego’s Black History Month Events:
SD Clippers Black History Night – San Diego Clippers will host Black History Night on Saturday, Feb. 8 at 7 p.m. to celebrate Black culture with dance performances, pregame networking and community activations alongside an exciting matchup against the South Bay Lakers.
Black Com!x Day – February 15-16 from 10 a.m. through 6 p.m.; The Black Com!x Day is a Black History Month event that celebrates comic book artists and writers of African Descent. The event is free for everyone and will take place at Worldbeat Cultural Center in San Diego, featuring panels, meet & greets, and more.
DayGo Eatz – Black San Diego presents DayGo Eatz on Sunday, February 16 from 12-5 p.m. at Synergy Center in San Diego. The event will feature a variety of vendors and events throughout the Black Arts & Culture District from live music, games, yoga, food booths and trucks and an art walk.
Shop The B.L.A.C SD (Black Arts & Culture District) — This event happening on Sunday, Feb. 16 at The Mental Bar – Coffee, Tea & Wellness. Join in to celebrate and appreciate Black arts and culture by browsing through a variety of unique artworks, crafts, clothing, and more. This is a great opportunity to support and connect with local Black businesses and artists.
School Yard Rap at Balboa Theatre – A must see production on Wednesday, Feb. 19 at 6:30 p.m from the mind music of Griot B and School Yard Rap at the Balboa Theatre. This is a celebration of Black History through a dynamic musical experience through an uplifting production that will educate and enlighten audiences about the remarkable achievements of Black Americans and the African Diaspora.
The Muse – A Black History Month Edition of an archival series of San Diego’s current fashion, art, and music in one unified community. The event will feature a high-quality production and foster community in an open, safe, and free-flowing space on Thursday, Feb. 20 from 6-9 p.m. at the Quartyard in San Diego.
Stories that Celebrate Culture and Tradition – The Black Storytellers of San Diego will host a virtual event with AARP on Friday, Feb, 21 from 11 a.m. – 12 p.m. via zoom. Participants can experience the richness of African and African American culture in this engaging virtual storytelling session.
Keepers of the Culture Program – The San Diego African American Museum of Fine Art will honor its 2025 Keepers of the Culture recipients on Saturday, Feb. 22 from 5:00-7:30 p.m at the San Diego History Center. The event will honor true cultural icons and feature Grammy Award-winning record producer Kamau Kenyatta.
Lakewood with Megan Giddings – San Diego Public Library and the University of San Diego Copley Library present Lakewood, with Megan Giddings, part of an annual Black History Month author series. Join them on Monday, Feb. 24 at 6 p.m. at the New Central Library for a talk with Megan Giddings on her debut novel, Lakewood (2020), which received critical acclaim.
Pathway to Success: A Black History Month Panel – Join the University Club, in collaboration with High Tech High (HTH) students, on Tuesday, Feb. 25 from 5:30-8 p.m. for an inspiring and educational event designed to empower and uplift future leaders. This special occasion will shine a spotlight on the transformative power of entrepreneurship and leadership within the Black community.
San Diego and Southern California-Based Organizations:
Movement BE — Located at 6787 El Cajon Blvd, Movement BE strives to create a safe and nurturing environment for youth to explore and express their unique creative spirit. Their goal is to foster a creative community and cultivate a passion for the arts and its potential to enrich lives.
The Blue Heart Foundation — A 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that provides mentorship to underserved African-American males ages 13-18 of San Diego County. This programming helps facilitate positive interactions, education, empowerment and emotional well-being.
County of San Diego Black Chamber of Commerce — Utilizing innovative programs, networking opportunities, and business partnerships to advance and strengthen Inclusive Economic Development throughout the City and County of San Diego with the mission to create generational wealth through business enterprise, education, employment, and investing.
Jack and Jill of San Diego — A membership organization of mothers with children ages 2 -19, dedicated to nurturing future African American leaders by strengthening children through leadership development, volunteer service, philanthropic giving, and civic duty.
Urban League of San Diego County — A civil rights and direct service 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization, founded in 1953, whose mission is to assist African Americans and other underserved people in San Diego County to achieve social and economic equality through advocacy, bridge building, program services, and research.
LISC San Diego — The organization’s San Diego Black Homebuyers Program (SDBHP) aims to eradicate the racial wealth gap in San Diego County through investment in wealth-building opportunity through Black homeownership.
NAACP San Diego — San Diego’s branch of the nation’s largest civil rights organization committed to social justice.
North County African American Women’s Association — Dedicated to providing a support network through education, health awareness, and life skills programs for women and girls in San Diego North County to increase their self-sufficiency. NCAAWA has provided over $300,000 to young women and girls to further their education.
United Women of East Africa — A San Diego nonprofit providing health services, education, and advocacy for the well-being of the East African community, women, and families. In 2022, Wave FC and Naomi Girma, in collaboration with the NWSL, partnered with the organization as part of the Nationwide Community Impact Program.
SD Black Artist Collective — Committed to helping Black Artists in San Diego produce work that is unapologetic, authentic, and healing to the Black experience.
Somali Family Services of San Diego — A community-based social service organization that provides culturally and linguistically appropriate programs and services to refugee and immigrant communities of San Diego.
RISE San Diego — Elevating and advancing urban leadership through dialogue-based civic engagement, dynamic nonprofit partnerships, and direct training and support to increase the capacity of urban residents to effect meaningful community change.
Textured Waves — Created to propagate the culture and sport of women’s surfing towards women of color and underrepresented demographics through representation, community, and sisterly camaraderie.
Common Ground Theatre – Their mission is “to produce classics and new works by and about people of African descent that entertain, educate, and connect with audiences of all ages, cultures, and backgrounds.” As the premier San Diego Black theatre, they aim to produce high-quality theatrical productions that provide a “common ground” for people of all ages, cultures, and backgrounds to participate, interact, connect, and share their love of theatre. As they continue the legacy of their founders and the late great Dr. Floyd Gaffney, they hope that you will support their endeavors.
San Diego Central Black Chamber of Commerce – A 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that utilizes innovative programs, networking opportunities, and business partnerships to advance and strengthen Inclusive Economic Development throughout the City and County of San Diego. Their mission is to create generational wealth through business enterprise, education, employment, and investing.
The Links, Incorporated, San Diego Chapter – The Links, Incorporated is an international, not-for-profit corporation, established in 1946. The membership consists of more than 17,000 professional women of color in 302 chapters located in 41 states, the District of Columbia, The Commonwealth of the Bahamas, and the United Kingdom. It is one of the nation’s oldest and largest volunteer service organizations of extraordinary women who are committed to enriching, sustaining, and ensuring the culture and economic survival of African Americans and other persons of African ancestry.
Black-Owned Business in San Diego:
Check out the following links for various lists of Black-owned businesses throughout our community. According to Lending Tree, only 2.4% of U.S. businesses are Black-owned, while Black people account for 12.8% of the U.S. population.
National Support and Education:
The African American Policy Forum (AAPF) – Founded in 1996, is an innovative think tank that connects academics, activists and policy-makers to promote efforts to dismantle structural inequality. They utilize new ideas and innovative perspectives to transform public discourse and policy.
Association for the Study of African American Life and History — Promoting greater knowledge of African American history through a program of education, research, and publishing.
Black Veteran’s Project — Furthering research and storytelling to advance racial equity in and out of uniform. Leading a movement for racial inclusion and justice across the United States military while ensuring the welfare of all Black veterans who’ve served.
Black Women’s Blueprint — Providing services and spaces for healing, reconciliation and human connection with the natural world. Dedicated to working towards a world where women, girls, and all people experiencing gender-based oppression are valued, everyone is given the opportunity to rise to their potential, and resources are leveraged for the influence of restoration and reconciliation.
Black Women for Wellness — Advancing the health and well-being of Black women and girls through education, empowerment and advocacy.
BlackHistoryMonth.gov Exhibits, Collections, and Teaching Resources — The Library of Congress, National Archives and Records Administration, National Endowment for the Humanities, National Gallery of Art, National Park Service, Smithsonian Institution and United States Holocaust Memorial Museum join in paying tribute to the generations of African Americans who struggled with adversity to achieve full citizenship in American society. Discover interactive activities such as Analyzing a Letter from Jackie Robinson: “Fair Play and Justice”, The Impact of Bloody Sunday in Selma, We Shall Overcome: March on Washington, and Examining Where Rosa Parks Sat.
Center for Racial Justice in Education — Fighting for the idea that unless Black history is taught throughout the year, it perpetuates an “othering” of Black Lives and Black students, and is also a manifestation of anti-blackness. Ensuring the ongoing integration of Black history and experiences throughout all curriculum is imperative as educators continue to uplift every student and reinforce that Black Lives Matter everyday.
Common Goal — Rooted in the belief that the world’s most popular sport is one of the few cultural forces strong enough to help shift society towards a more sustainable and equitable future for all. One of the organization’s initiatives is the Anti-Racist Project, which strives to end racism in football on the field, on the sideline, in the front office and across our communities.
CommonSense.org — Resources, including videos, texts, lessons, podcasts, and more, about activists, art and culture, inventors, engineers, historical events, and beyond.
DuSable Black History Museum and Education Center — The first non-profit museum dedicated to the collection, documentation, preservation, study and the dissemination of the history and culture of Africans and African Americans.
EDSITEment — A teacher’s guide offering a collection of lessons and resources for K-12 social studies, literature, and arts classrooms that center around the achievements, perspectives, and experiences of African Americans across U.S. history.
Learning for Justice — Go beyond trauma and struggle to examine the liberation, civic engagement, creativity and intersecting identities of Black people.
NAACP Legal Defense Fund — America’s premier legal organization fighting for racial justice. Using the power of law, narrative, research, and people, we defend and advance the full dignity and citizenship of Black people in America.
National Archives — A wealth of material documenting the Black experience in the U.S., from public programs to online exhibits. Featured sections include a keynote speech from congresswoman Barbara Jordan, exploring the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and Black college life in the New Deal.
National Black Child Development Institute (NBCDI) — A national organization that works to improve the quality of life for Black children and their families. NBCDI’s mission is to ensure that every Black child has the opportunity to live a joyful and prosperous life.
National Black Justice Coalition — America’s leading national civil rights organization dedicated to the empowerment of Black lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer+, and same gender loving (LGBTQ+/SGL) people, including people living with HIV/AIDS through coalition building, federal policy change, research, and education.
National Education Association — Resources to protect honesty in education and learning more about your rights to teach the truth.
The National Urban League (NUL) – A nonpartisan historic civil rights organization based in New York City that advocates on behalf of economic and social justice for African Americans and against racial discrimination in the United States. It is the oldest and largest community-based organization of its kind in the nation.
Police Brutality Center – Exists to bring awareness to the growing epidemic of police brutality, racial profiling, and excessive force.
Public Broadcasting Service — Lesson plans and resources that cover topics ranging from civil rights events to discussions about race in current events.
Trans Women of Color Collective — Seeks to shift the narrative of surviving to thriving in our communities. Striving to build economic empowerment and global networks that connect rural communities with suburban enclaves, inner city youth with elders, donors with Black trans entrepreneurs, healers with those seeking to be whole and collaborators with agitators.