KANSAS CITY, Missouri — De geschiedenis, creativiteit en leiderschap van de zwarte gemeenschap hebben hun stempel gedrukt op elk aspect van het leven in Kansas City, van sport en muziek tot politiek en onderwijs. Tegenwoordig zijn deze sporen voor toekomstige generaties vastgelegd in kunstateliers, bibliotheken, museumtentoonstellingen en nog veel meer.

De inwoners van Kansas City erkennen en omarmen dit essentiële onderdeel van onze identiteit het hele jaar door, maar tijdens Black History Month is er een bijzondere gelegenheid om stil te staan bij en hulde te brengen aan de mensen, plaatsen en verhalen die verweven zijn met het weefsel van de gemeenschap. Hier zijn acht lokale bezienswaardigheden en evenementen om Black History Month in Kansas City te vieren.

Negro Leagues Honkbalmuseum

For the fifth year, the Kansas City Royals Foundation will provide free admission to the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum throughout February. Since this partnership began, over 50,000 people have visited the museum during Black History Month. The Negro Leagues Baseball Museum is the world’s only museum dedicated to African American baseball and its impact on American history, earning it a spot on the US Civil Rights Trail. It’s located just two blocks from the YMCA where the Negro National League was established in 1920.

Amerikaans Jazzmuseum

With its roots in Black culture, jazz is infused in America’s DNA, playing a large part in many social movements, developments and events for over 100 years. Explore it all – including how famous Black musicians like Charlie Parker and Ella Fitzgerald led the way and how jazz has impacted Kansas City – at the American Jazz Museum in KC’s historic 18th and Vine District.

Zwarte archieven van Midden-Amerika

Also located in the 18th and Vine District, the Black Archives of Mid-America holds one of the largest collections of Midwestern Black memorabilia. Visitors can browse exhibits filled with artifacts, oral histories and business records featuring local leaders, organizations and neighborhoods at this free museum. The Black Archives will also host its annual Black History Luncheon on Saturday, Feb. 21.

Openbare Bibliotheek van Kansas City

All nine branches of the Kansas City Public Library will host a slew of events during February, including movie and documentary screenings at the Central Library’s Film Vault, an author talk with National Book Award winner Imani Perry, special exhibits, children’s activities and more.

Zhou B Kunstcentrum

Kansas City artists will come together for “Reclaiming the Canvas: A Tribute to 100 Years of Black History Month” on Saturday, Feb. 7 at the Zhou B Art Center in the historic 18th and Vine District. Poets, singers, dancers, artists and more will collaborate for this program that honors the past but also looks ahead to the next 100 years of Black history.

Reel Black Filmfestival

Kansas City PBS will host its annual Reel Black Film Festival in the historic Gem Theater and the American Jazz Museum, Feb. 20-21. The festival will include the premiere of the Kansas City PBS film “Aunt Sister: The Legacy of Sarah Rector,” as well as multiple feature and short film screenings and a Black-owned vendor market.

Stichting Onderlinge Muzikanten

Brush up on local jazz history during museum hours or enjoy a jam session on the weekend at the Mutual Musicians Foundation. It was once home to the Black Musicians Union Local 627 and was the center of the development of the “Kansas City style” of jazz. Musicians regularly gathered at the Local 627 after their gigs to exchange ideas and play together. Today, those late-night jam sessions continue every weekend from 1:30-5 a.m. With over 100 years of history, the Mutual Musicians Foundation holds the distinction as the longest-running jazz venue in the world.

Kansas City Vrienden van Alvin Ailey

Famed dancer, choreographer and activist Alvin Ailey created the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater to support Black artists and share the African American experience through dance. His company’s second home is located here in Kansas City, where leaders work to make dance accessible to all people. This Black History Month, KC Friends of Alvin Ailey will present “Setting the Stage: A Journey Through African American Dance” on Thursday, Feb. 26 at the Gem Theater.

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Over Bezoek KC     

Attracting millions of visitors to the Kansas City area annually, Visit KC is the internationally accredited chief hospitality sales and marketing organization for the region. With a mission of creating global passion for Kansas City, Visit KC collaborates with nearly 1,000 community partners to drive the marketing, sales and service of the destination’s convention and tourism industry—a sector that supports more than 128,000 local jobs and generates millions of dollars in community spending and sales tax revenue. For more information about Kansas City, please visit the official Visit KC website. Travelers planning their next trip to Kansas City can also find inspiration and local insights in the 2026 Visit KC Visitors Guide.