For more than 50 years, February has served as a tribute to the rich history and invaluable contributions of Black Americans. In Greater Fort Lauderdale, the Black community has played a pivotal role in shaping our history and continues to be a vital part of our future. Here are a few events happening during Black History Month, along with museums and landmarks you can visit year-round.
Places to Go
Built in 1907, the Old Dillard Museum was the first public school for Black children in Fort Lauderdale. Named for Dr. James Hardy Dillard, a respected local philanthropist and educator, the building now serves as a museum. It features a jazz-themed exhibition space that doubles as a venue for live performances and hosts exhibitions and cultural activities to preserve the community’s history and heritage.
History Fort Lauderdale—formerly the 1905 New River Inn—chronicles Fort Lauderdale’s past with memorabilia and artifacts from the Seminole people and European settlers and photos of the city’s oldest Black community from the 1930s and ’40s. The museum is collaborating with local groups to create a permanent exhibit dedicated to the city’s Black history.
Along Fort Lauderdale beach, an unassuming historical marker sits across the street from the Elbo Room, and it’s worth stopping to read. It commemorates the 1961 wade-ins led by local NAACP President Eula Johnson—the first Black woman to vote in Broward County—and activist Dr. Von D. Mizell. At the time, Black people were not allowed to use the beach, but the protests eventually led to its desegregation. In 2016, a state park in Hollywood was renamed Dr. Von D. Mizell-Eula Johnson State Park in their honor.
Greater Fort Lauderdale is fortunate to have the African American Research Library and Cultural Center (AARLCC) in the community. Open since 2002, the center hosts exhibits, cultural programs, and international speakers. Even more impressive, the institution houses more than one million items in its special collection, including rare books, artifacts, artwork, manuscripts, and reference materials.
Want to learn about more culturally significant places in Greater Fort Lauderdale? Broward County Transit and the AARLCC partnered to create Threads, an interactive map showcasing historic landmarks throughout Broward County that played a significant role in local Black history. The map highlights schools, places of worship, homes, and gathering spaces.
Things to Do
Kicking off Black History Month, the Main Library in downtown Fort Lauderdale will host “Celebrate Black History Month: Black History Trivia!” on Feb. 1. The event is open to patrons of all ages and will include trivia, crossword puzzles, activity sheets, and other fun activities.
Also on Feb. 1 is the Cultural Festival hosted by the Urban League of Broward County. The organization invites the public to its Fort Lauderdale headquarters for a family-friendly gathering with food trucks, live entertainment, community vendors and resources, and more.
The generations who came before us will be honored on Saturday, February 1, 2025 with the Remembering Our Roots event at Riverland Park. This gathering ensures that the next generation doesn’t forget the contributions, resilience, and achievements of the people who came before them.
In honor of Black History Month, the Pompano Beach Cultural Center has a host of events planned, namely “Timeless Divas” on Feb. 7. The musical event, performed by Ebony Carlson, pays tribute to powerhouse Black female vocalists, including Tina Turner, Whitney Houston, Billie Holiday, Etta James, and more. All year long, the Ali Cultural Arts Center serves as a cultural hub for the African American community.
The community comes together on Feb. 15 in Lincoln Park in Fort Lauderdale for Kijiji Moja, which means “one village” in Swahili. All are invited to the free event, which will feature tribal storytelling, live entertainment, arts and crafts, vendors, a bounce house, and other fun.
On Feb. 22, the Sistrunk Parade & Festival returns to Fort Lauderdale with marching bands, step teams, classic cars, floats from community groups, and other fun. The parade begins at Lincoln Park and ends with a free street festival on Sistrunk Boulevard from Northwest Ninth Avenue to Northwest 13th Avenue. Historic Sistrunk is home to the city’s oldest Black community and honors Dr. James Franklin Sistrunk, who founded the county’s first Black hospital.
Over at The Parker, That Motown Band takes the stage on Feb. 22. This talented group of 10 singers and musicians will perform music by Black legends such as Aretha Franklin, Smokey Robinson, The Temptations, The Supremes, The Four Tops, and more. The Motown record label played a pivotal role in desegregating radio waves and bringing Black music to the mainstream.
Supporting Black-Owned Restaurants
From American soul food and Caribbean flavor to unique fusion cuisine, Black chefs have left a lasting mark on Greater Fort Lauderdale’s culinary scene.
Timon Balloo, a James Beard Award semifinalist, teamed up with his wife to open The Katherine in downtown Fort Lauderdale.
In Miramar, Cleveland Smith has been serving scoops of ice cream at Cleveland’s Old Fashion Ice Cream for decades. The Rabbit Hole in Pompano Beach has become a hub for vegans, with Samuel Woods creating plant-based Southern favorites.
And for your caffeine fix, head to Circle House Coffee, founded by NFL linebacker Stephen Tulloch.
Known for his innovative approach to comfort food, Dwight Bernard Witherspoon Jr., chef and owner of Just Spoons in Plantation, wows diners with dishes like red velvet French toast and fried chicken, finished with cream cheese glaze, praline pecans, and two eggs.
This only scratches the surface of Black-owned offerings in Greater Fort Lauderdale. Don’t wait for Black History Month—these are restaurants you and your taste buds will want to support year-round.