{"id":197204,"date":"2026-02-27T23:27:18","date_gmt":"2026-02-27T23:27:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/197204\/"},"modified":"2026-02-27T23:27:18","modified_gmt":"2026-02-27T23:27:18","slug":"oakland-celebrates-100-years-of-black-history-month","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/197204\/","title":{"rendered":"Oakland celebrates 100 years of Black History Month"},"content":{"rendered":"

Oakland elected officials celebrated the centennial of Black History Month with a bash at the newly reopened Henry J. Kaiser Center for the Arts on Thursday evening. Many of the attendees dressed in colorful patterned African textiles. Attendees enjoyed soul food by local chefs, and wine by African American vintners.\u00a0<\/p>\n

What was then called \u201cNegro History Week\u201d<\/a> was created in 1926 by American historian, author, and journalist Carter G. Woodson. That celebration evolved into what is now known as Black History Month, which was first recognized by President Gerald Ford<\/a> in 1976.<\/p>\n

The event, called \u201cBlack History in Motion: Culture, Community & the Future We Build,\u201d was hosted by City Council President Kevin Jenkins and Oakland\u2019s three other Black councilmembers \u2014\u00a0District 3\u2019s Carrol Fife, District 7\u2019s Ken Houston, and at-large council member Rowena Brown, who each gave remarks and presented awards to Black artists.<\/p>\n

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Spoken word artist RyanNicole, Oakland singer and \u201cAmerica\u2019s Got Talent\u201d top 10 finalist Dee Dee Simon, cultural ambassador Queen Iminah, and DJ Yaddos were among the night\u2019s performers. Oscar Grant\u2019s mother, Wanda Johnson, was on-site selling and signing copies of her 2024 book \u201cFrom Tragedy To Triumph: Life After Loss,\u201d about losing her son to police violence.<\/p>\n

The night\u2019s honorees included David Roach, founder of the Oakland International Film Fest<\/a>. Also, filmmaking duo Derrick Williams and Adriane Hopper Williams. They are best known for their 2025 film, \u201cSarah\u2019s Oil,\u201d<\/a> based on the true story of\u00a0 eleven year old Sarah Rector who became the country\u2019s first Black child millionaires in 1913 after being granted 160 acres of what was deemed useless land and ended up having oil.<\/p>\n

Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee was also in attendance.<\/p>\n

The event was backed by an array of organizations, including some companies that have had business with the city, such as Becker Boards, which last year won a city contract<\/a> to place billboards across Oakland. Foster Interstate, a competitor, is also listed as a sponsor. Airbnb, which lobbied councilmembers<\/a> last year on potential short-term rental regulations for Oakland, contributed, as did Marina Security Services, a company that bid last year on a lucrative contract<\/a> to guard City Hall, and the Kos Read Group, a lobbying firm that represents Becker and Marina.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s important for us here in Oakland to remember and work in concert with our allies, making sure that the Black community is included in every single aspect of city government,\u201d Mayor Barbara Lee told the crowd. \u201cWe have to do the work of justice, of freedom and inclusion here, right here in our beautiful city.\u201d<\/p>\n

Photographer Estefany Gonzalez<\/a> was on site to capture it all for The Oaklandside.<\/p>\n

\"20260226_100yearCentennial_33\"\/Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee made the rounds at the event. Credit: Estefany Gonzalez for The Oaklandside<\/p>\n

\"20260226_100yearCentennial_03\"\/Queen Iminah performs during Oakland\u2019s Centennial Black History Month celebration. Credit: Estefany Gonzalez for The Oaklandside<\/p>\n

\"20260226_100yearCentennial_12\"\/City council president Kevin Jenkins speaks during the centennial celebration, which he co-hosted with other councilmembers. Credit: Estefany Gonzalez for The Oaklandside<\/p>\n

\u201cFor the first time in history, we have four Black councilmembers. We have a Black mayor, a Black city administrator. We are represented in Oakland, but we need to do more. I want to make sure that you guys are on the front lines aspiring to make a more equitable Oakland for Black folks.\u201d<\/p>\n

District 6 councilmember and city council president, Kevin Jenkins<\/p>\n

\"20260226_100yearCentennial_30\"\/Wanda Johnson, Oscar Grant\u2019s mother was on-site to sign copies of her book \u201cFrom Tragedy to Triumph.\u201d Credit: Estefany Gonzalez for The Oaklandside<\/p>\n

\"20260226_100yearCentennial_32\"\/Marla Gee wears a custom made dress for the event. Credit: Estefany Gonzalez for The Oaklandside<\/p>\n

\"20260226_100yearCentennial_23\"\/District 3 councilmember Carroll Fife (middle), an event co-host, with Nola Turnage (left) presented David Roach, the founder of the Oakland International Film Fest, with an award at the event. Credit: Estefany Gonzalez for The Oaklandside<\/p>\n

\u201cBlack Oakland is in a serious situation right now. The percentage of the Black population is consistently decreasing in Oakland. You have to demand what you want to see in this particular time, because we don\u2019t know how long it\u2019s going to last, and we need to be unapologetic about these demands, because there was a time where we couldn\u2019t lift our voices and have them be heard in the way that they are heard today. And we\u2019re able to do that because of the legacy and the history and the shoulders on which we stand.\u201d<\/p>\n

District 3 councilmember Carroll Fife<\/p>\n

\"20260226_100yearCentennial_08\"\/Oakland singer Dee Dee Simon performs the Black National Anthem. Credit: Estefany Gonzalez for The Oaklandside<\/p>\n

\"20260226_100yearCentennial_31\"\/Candi Martinez wears bold and artisanal accessories. Credit: Estefany Gonzalez for The Oaklandside<\/p>\n

\"20260226_100yearCentennial_15\"\/At-large councilmember Rowena Brown, an event co-host, speaks during Oakland\u2019s centennial Black History Month celebration. Credit: Estefany Gonzalez for The Oaklandside<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is such a joy to be here with all of you tonight as we celebrate 100 years of Black History, and more importantly, the living legacy that is right here in the Town. What I see every day is that Black history isn\u2019t just something that we commemorate, it\u2019s something that we experience. It\u2019s in our neighborhoods, and it\u2019s in our small businesses.\u201d<\/p>\n

At-large councilmember Rowena Brown<\/p>\n

\"20260226_100yearCentennial_26\"\/Oakland spoken word artist RyanNicole recites a poem to commemorate the centennial celebration of Black History Month. Credit: Estefany Gonzalez for The Oaklandside<\/p>\n

\"20260226_100yearCentennial_38\"\/Yovanda Dixon and her husband Shawn Dixon dress in \u201cAfrican swag,\u201d as the event\u2019s invite suggested. Credit: Estefany Gonzalez for The Oaklandside<\/p>\n

\"20260226_100yearCentennial_17\"\/District 7 councilmember Ken Houston, an event co-host, addresses the crowd. Credit: Estefany Gonzalez for The Oaklandside<\/p>\n

\u201cMy mom is Black and my father is Latino. I touch both worlds. This city right now is built on both of those. Oakland is celebrating the 100th year, but also we celebrate the history in Oakland.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

District 7 councilmember Ken Houston<\/p>\n

\"20260226_100yearCentennial_36\"\/O\u2019Lanre Owoborode wears a custom made attire to celebrate Black History Month\u2019s centennial celebration in Oakland.Credit: Estefany Gonzalez for The Oaklandside<\/p>\n

\"20260226_100yearCentennial_27\"\/Around 300 peopke were in attendance at the centennial celebration at the Henry J. Kaiser Center for the Arts. Credit: Esefany Gonzalez for The Oaklandside<\/p>\n

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