Feb. 1 | Black History Mural Project Kick-off (near Tempe)

ASU’s Media and Immersive eXperience (MIX) Center | 50 N. Centennial Way Mesa, AZ 85201

Join ASU for a celebration of the Sidney Poitier Mural unveiling from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Feb. 1. The event will spotlight alumna Gizette Knight of Shining Light Foundation, who has been commissioning mural projects all over the Phoenix metro area celebrating Black history. This mural is part of the foundation’s 2023 Black History Mural Project to highlight Black history and leaders throughout the Valley. The event will include an overview of the other murals being completed, musical performers and speakers, including the first African American president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, Cheryl Boone Isaacs, the Founding Director of the Sidney Poitier New American Film School.

February 1 | ASU’s Black History Month Kickoff Breakfast

ASU Tempe Campus, Memorial Union, 220 Turquoise Room, 301 E. Orange St., Tempe, AZ 85281
Join the ASU community in kicking off Black History Month 2023 at this annual breakfast from 8 to 10 a.m. Feb. 1. The event will include a keynote speech, “The Role of the Public Intellectual,” by Dr. Kenja Hassan, a Black History Month overview by Dr. Kira Gatewood and Black History Month Activity by LaToya Grigler.

Feb. 3 | “I AM: A Document of the Black Lives Matter Movement in Phoenix”

Arizona Heritage Center’s new exhibit, “I AM: A Document of the Black Lives Matter Movement in Phoenix,” features photos and statements from more than 100 local activists and allies of the Black Lives Matter Movement. The exhibit unveiling, which takes place from 5:50 to 7:30 p.m. February 3, is a free, public event that will feature live performances from dancers, spoken word poets and hip-hop artists. Additionally, photographer Eric Elmore and some of the artists featured in the exhibit will discuss their participation in the project and how their art reflects their lives in Arizona. 

February 3 | Faith in Action Prayer Breakfast

Wyndham Phoenix Airport/Tempe, 1600 S. 52nd St., Tempe, AZ 85281 | (480) 967-6600
Mark your calendars for the 2023 Faith in Action Prayer Breakfast, taking place from 9 to 11 a.m. on Friday, February 3, 2023, at the Wyndham Phoenix Airport/Tempe Hotel. Presented by the African American Advisory Committee (Tempe), this event marks “faith and civic leaders uniting for the good of our city,” and this year’s theme is “Inspired by the Past, a Vision for the Future.”

February 5 | Soulful Sunday A Celebration of African Diaspora (near Tempe)

7430 S. 48th St., Suite 108, Phoenix, AZ 85042
Soulful Sundays are fun community events that invite you to shop, eat, fellowship and listen to live music. February’s Soulful Sunday is all about celebrating the African Diaspora in celebration of Black History Month. From Jollof rice to Afro beats, join is celebrating the many flavors, sounds and colors that make the African Diaspora great. Tickets are $28.43 and include a delicious Nigerian culinary experience with flavors from Lasgidi Café. The menu includes peppered beef, chicken suya, Jollof rice, cabbage with red sauce and puff puff for dessert. A limited number of plates will be sold at the door, so attendees are encouraged to pre-order soul food plates for pick up. Tickets.

February 8 | Chic Chef 77 Bistro & Wine Bar

1221 E. Apache Blvd., Tempe, AZ 85281
Renowned throughout the Valley of the Sun for her olive oils, vinegars, spices and celebrity clients, chef Nik Fields is making the move from her midtown Phoenix marketplace concept to Tempe with her very own twist on a wine bar.

Set to open February 8, Chic Chef 77 Bistro & Wine Bar promises a 200-bottle list, a dinner menu that will rotate monthly based on the creations by select chefs, charcuterie boards, private wine tastings, live music, poetry, and all the flavor we’ve come to know and love from this Chic Chef. Stay tuned on Instagram and Facebook for the latest from chef Nik. 

February 11 | Black History Month Family Program at Tempe History Museum

809 E. Southern Ave., Tempe, AZ 85282 | (480) 350-5100
Join the African American Advisory Committee of Tempe History Museum for a fun, interactive program celebrating Black History Month. The free, family friendly event will kick off at 2 p.m. with an African dance and drum performance by Kawambe Omowale, and then keep on dancing with a basic ballet and hip-hop class. Children are invited to participate in a colorful magazine bead craft.

February 16 | African Futures and Urban Imaginaries

Ross-Blakley Hall 196 (RBHL196), 1102 S. McAllister Ave., Tempe, AZ 85281
Presented by the Institute for Humanities Research, African Futures and Urban Imaginaries invites you to a free and dynamic interdisciplinary panel composed of artists, writers, and intellectuals explore the roles that arts and the imagination play in envisioning global futures. Focusing on African-centered perspectives of worldmaking and non-Western futures, specifically in the context of urban spaces, this panel conversation investigates the intersections of fiction and creative endeavors for questioning, critiquing and re-envisioning developmental paradigms associated with modern metropolitan geographies. By placing an emphasis on indigenous and non-Western knowledge systems as vehicles for sustainable ecological and cultural futures, the panel will deliberate how different creative mediums can deepen African agency in re-imagining future cities.

February 17-19 | Space2Inspire Weekend at ASU with Dr. Sian Proctor

Sun Devil Stadium, 500 E. Veterans Way, Tempe, AZ 85281
In 2021, at age 51, Sian Proctor became the first Black woman to pilot a spacecraft when she served on Inspiration4, a mission that marked several historic milestones for human space exploration. Today, she’s an artist- and explorer-in-residence at the university. ASU’s Space2Inspire Weekend, a celebration of Black History Month, will include a poetry reading by Sian Proctor, an Afro-Futurism panel discussion, a screening of “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” Engaging STEM and STEAM activities on the stadium concourse, Astronaut VIP meet and greet opportunities, and the unveiling of a giant Black History Month inspired art mosaic on the field of Sun Devil Stadium that will be photographed from a satellite in outer space.

February 28 | Arizona Coyotes Black Excellence Celebration
The Arizona Coyotes will commemorate Black History Month as they host the Chicago Blackhawks at Mullett Arena. In honor of the Black Excellence Celebration, the Coyotes partnered with Modern Rockstars on the team’s limited-edition warm-up jerseys as well as shirts fans can get here.

Additionally, the NHL released the first episode of “NHL Bound” in February 2022. This original content series (available on YouTube) follows Duante’ Abercrombie and Nathaniel Brooks, two Black hockey coaches chasing their dream of working in the NHL. The weekly series chronicles their participation in the Arizona Coyotes’ first-ever coaching internship program, dedicated to creating a deeper pool of diverse talent. Viewers will get a behind-the-scenes look at the Coyotes’ management and coaching staff operations as well as Abercrombie’s and Brooks’ personal dedication, sacrifices, and passion to shatter stereotypes and earn their place behind an NHL bench.

Additional efforts being made by the NHL organization can be found here.

January 9, 2023 | MLK Diversity Awards

Each year, the City of Tempe and the Human Relations Commission host an MLK Diversity Awards breakfast to honor and recognize community members and organizations demonstrating a commitment to diversity, inclusion, and who exemplify the spirit of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. This year’s program honors people and organizations, including students, who work to make Dr. King’s dream a reality. Meet the 2023 award recipients here.

January 29, 2023 | Regional Unity Walk

For 17 years, hundreds of residents from Chandler, Gilbert, Guadalupe, Mesa, Phoenix, Scottsdale and Tempe have gathered at Tempe Town Lake to celebrate coming together at the Diversity Festival and followed by participation in the Regional Unity Walk. For 2023, the event takes place at Tempe Town Lake on Saturday, Jan. 28. Festivities, including music, food and fun, kick off at 4:30 p.m. Then, the one-mile walk starts at 6 p.m. Participation is free, and all walkers will receive a free t-shirt commemorating this walk for unity, mutual respect and understanding.

Participation is open to the public, and families, schools, community groups, scout troops, and church groups are encouraged to attend.  Walkers are welcome to carry signs celebrating our community’s diversity and unity.

Beginning March 25, 2023 | Rep Your Brand Monthly Market

Head to Arizona Mills on select Saturdays from March through December for Rep Your Brand Market, a Black-led effort to amplify small, local businesses. Shop fresh produce, flowers, candles, food, music and more from 2 to 9 p.m. in the Arizona Mills parking lot between Marshalls and Ross on the following dates:

March 25 | April 22 | May 20 | June 10 | July 22 | August 19 | September 30 | October 21 | November 25 | December 22

Vendor opportunities can be found here.

May 16-21 | A Soldier’s Play at ASU Gammage

A Soldier’s Play, the 1982 Pulitzer Prize-winning thriller by Charles Fuller, has rocketed back into the spotlight, thanks to this 2020 Tony Award-winning Best Revival from Roundabout Theatre Company. “This is a play that deserves to be staged regularly all over America — though it’s hard to imagine that it will ever be done better than this. It keeps you guessing all the way to the final curtain,” –The Wall Street Journal.

In 1944, on a Louisiana Army base, two shots ring out. A Black sergeant is murdered. And a series of interrogations triggers a gripping barrage of questions about sacrifice, service, and identity in America. Broadway’s Norm Lewis leads a powerhouse cast in the show Variety calls “a knock-your-socks-off-drama,” directed by two-time Tony winner Kenny Leon.

September 21 | Samara Joy at Tempe Center for the Arts
Tempe Center for the Arts announced that “once-in-a-generation” vocalist Samara Joy will kick-off its 2023 fall season. The 23-year-old winner of Best New Artist and Best Jazz Vocal Album at 65th Annual GRAMMY Awards will perform one night only.

September 1 & 2, 2023 | Arizona Black Rodeo (near Tempe)
One of the largest and most popular African-American cultural and educational events in the Grand Canyon State, the Arizona Black Rodeo has attracted as many as 9,000 rodeo fans through this annual weekend of fun and exciting Western experiences designed for the entire family. Mark your calendar for Labor Day weekend at WestWorld of Scottsdale.

Through March 2024 | “Opportunity (reflection)” by Hank Willis Thomas

After making a few stops throughout Greater Phoenix as part of the Super Bowl LVII festivities, “Opportunity (reflection)” by Brooklyn-based activist artist Hank Willis Thomas arrived at ASU Art Museum on February 15, where it will remain for the year ahead. The 10-foot, stainless steel sculpture draws from Thomas’ 2015 sculpture “Opportunity,” which was inspired by the NFL — and his interest in photographic history, popular culture, and sports as a metaphor for individual and collective struggle or hope — but adds a finish reminiscent of the Vince Lombardi Trophy. In January, Thomas unveiled “The Embrace,” his tribute to Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King in Boston.

Jayarr | Muralist

Widely known by simply his Instagram handle and his singular message of positivity, Jayarr has been beautifying everything from restaurant interiors to residential block walls — and everything in between — across the Valley of the Sun for the past few years. His signature, “YOU ARE AMAZING” tag line, combined with the ultra-vibrant color schemes and geometric shapes, never gets old. See for yourself by heading to Beck Avenue, south of University Drive (at the corner of Beck Avenue and Laird Street) for one of his large-scale piece. Then head over to Daily Jam and check out his interior work. To find out where his art will show up next, check him out on Instagram.

Aaron Allen Marner | Mixed-Media Artist, Painter & Muralist

While this talented painter calls Phoenix home, his works celebrating Black History and the Black experience can be found dotting the streets of Downtown Tempe. These boxes are a vibrant addition to the city’s streetscape and perfectly showcase Marner’s versatility, while staying true to the faces, figures, social issues and personal experiences that define his work. Last February, ASU’s ArtSpace West featured “Aaron Allen Marner: Life Beyond Measure,” and he opened a new show at the Children’s Museum of Phoenix in January 2023.

Philip Gabriel Steverson | Artist, Poet & Designer

Philip Gabriel Steverson is a multi-talented artist attending Arizona State University, double majoring in Fashion Design and Creative Writing with a focus on Poetry. In 2022, he was also one of Artlink’s three recipients of The Artist Forward Fund (TAFF). Additionally, the Phoenix Institute of Contemporary Art (phICA) launched a virtual exhibition showcasing the works in his “Abide by Struggle, Die by Defeat” series (view here).

According to Steverson, the goal for his art is to inspire his peers, individuals who encounter his work, and the youth that follow him to unlock their creativity to their fullest capacities. So, keep an eye out, because his work seems to be popping up everywhere!

Colleen Jennings-Roggensack | ASU Gammage Executive Director

Serving as ASU’s vice president for Cultural Affairs and executive director of ASU Gammage are only two of the hats that Colleen Jennings-Roggensack wears (though she is best-known for her signature beret). Among many other titles, she is Arizona’s only Tony voter. Which means she represents our city and state on the awards show’s red carpet each year — and she’s also represents several local designers there, too. In 2019, Loren Aragon, CEO and designer of Phoenix-based ACONAV, a Native American fashion brand, created her stunning red and black gown. The year prior, she wore a two-piece gown made out of a floral Spanish brocade, by Esteban Osuna, an emerging designer out of Tucson.

Walt Richardson | Musician

Walt Richardson is a celebrated Tempe performer and music legend. Starting as a solo performer on Mill Avenue, he went on to tour the U.S. extensively as part of the band Morning Star in the ’90s. Today, he still regularly performs here in Tempe, continues to host Walk-In Wednesdays open mic night at Tempe Center for the Arts and devotes time to the local community. In 2014, he was inducted into the Arizona Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame, and also became the inaugural musician enshrined on Tempe’s Music Walk — you can see his plaque on the southwest corner of Mill Avenue and 4th Street.

On January 12, Mayor Woods announced the 27 recipients of Tempe’s BIPOC Micro-manufacturing Grants during the MLK Diversity Awards Breakfast. Only 11% of our country’s businesses are owned by People of Color. Entrepreneurship is one way that people can create financial prosperity for themselves and their families. Recognizing that gap, the City of Tempe set aside $300,000 and partnered with Rep. Greg Stanton to secure $500,000 in federal funding. This $800,000 fund is providing up to $25,000 stipends to BIPOC-owned businesses that they can use for rent, supplies, tools, anything they need to succeed. They also receive a Tempe Chamber of Commerce membership. 

Grant recipients include:

• The Molecules Company
• Big Red Hot Sauce
• White Hawk Industries
• Simply Wick
• Alpha Manufacturing Solutions
• Black Russian Label
• Pastiche La Femme
• RecoFit
• LaMark Cole, LLC
• Heights Apparel
• Technoir Candy
• We Kingz Bro Apparel
• Ms. Martha’s Caribbean Kitchen
• Yhorlife
• Conscious Gear
• Pure Juice N’Joy Smoothie & Juice 
• Skate Forty8
• OXDX
• Midge Chocolate
• Goldstar Shea Butter
• Sassy Cones
• RPH Beauty
• Fresh Peak
• Salad Sistah
• * R Spa and Wellness Center
• * Sugar Puffs
• * Satiete

*No website at this time

For additional information on Black-owned businesses and restaurants, please visit our blog here.

Among the best-known stories from Tempe’s history may very well be Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s speech entitled “Religious Witness for Human Dignity,” which he delivered at presented at Arizona State University’s Goodwin Stadium on June 3, 1964. Although the land this event took place on has been transformed for new uses in the years that followed, visitors to the site will find landmark commemorating that occasion still standing today.

And, thanks to the archival efforts of ASU, photos and audio of that day can be found here.

Today, ASU celebrates Black History Month by honoring the rich culture and history through a variety of student-led educational and engaging programs. In addition to the events listed above, you’ll find other happenings, from book clubs to film festivals, taking place across all the university campuses, and beyond, here.