Get your planner and a pen out. February in San Francisco is teeming with events honoring Black History Month, and much of the action will unfold right here in the Yerba Buena district, home to the Museum of the African Diaspora (MoAD).
Kick off the month with some fun on the neighborhood’s outskirts at Mezzanine, where the multi-talented musician and creative genius Reggie Watts will perform with comedy-folk duo Garfunkel and Oates. SPIN magazine recently called Watts “favorite Afro’d absurdist” and named him best new comedian of 2010.
Throughout the rest of the month, you won’t want to miss out on visiting MoAD, which has an expansive range of programming lined up next month, starting with the screening of “Everyday Sunshine: The Story of Fishbone,” a film about the Black punk rock band from South-Central Los Angeles, and the social and cultural forces that brought it to life, “from the shifting faultiness of Hollywood fantasies and the economic and racial tensions of Reagan’s America.” The film, narrated by the iconic Laurence Fishburne, will be followed by a discussion with Fishbone frontman Angelo Moore, and filmmakers Lev Anderson and Chris Metzler.
MoAD’s also hosting a special lecture presentation on February 4 by the renowned Rev. Dr. Jeremiah A. Wright, Jr., who’ll talk about the formation of the first American black churches in the 1800s to their present day roles in fostering community organization, political leadership, and religious fellowship.
For Valentine’s Day, February 14, soul music sensation Martin Luther will be at MoAD for an intimate, unplugged evening of behind-the-music storytelling, accompanied with wine, cocktails, and appetizers. You’ll need to buy your tickets ahead of time for this one.
That’s just a quick preview. Check out MoAD’s full list of February events here: http://www.moadsf.org/visit/calendar.html?month=2&year=2012
Get the full scoop on Reggie Watts at Mezzanine here: http://www.voiceplaces.com/s-f-sketchfest-reggie-watts-garfunkel-and-oates-san-francisco-bay-area-2932223-e/
Discover more Black History Month events around the city at SF Gate: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/01/28/PKTU1HD2KQ.DTL