City of Lawton Black History Month
Black History Month, originating from "Negro History Week" created by Carter G. Woodson and other notable African Americans, honors the achievements of African Americans and their significant role in U.S. history. President Gerald Ford officially recognized it in 1976, urging the public to honor Black Americans' accomplishments. Since then, every U.S. president has designated February as Black History Month. Additionally, countries like Canada and the United Kingdom also dedicate a month to celebrating Black history.
Today, Black History Month is a time to honor the contributions and legacy of African Americans across U.S. history and society—from activists and civil rights pioneers such as Harriet Tubman, Sojourner Truth, Marcus Garvey, Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X and Rosa Parks to leaders in industry, politics, science, culture and more.
The City of Lawton Arts & Humanities is proud to host the City of Lawton Black History Art Show in February. Professional or amateur artists in Southwest Oklahoma are encouraged to participate and display their artwork of Notable African American figures, lifestyles, or cultures. Artists can choose whether to have their pieces for sale or for display only. You can find the PDF linked above to read the complete list of guidelines.
Each year the City of Lawton partners with the Lawton Fort-Sill Chamber of Commerce to host other monthly Black History Month events in Lawton. In 2023, McMahon Memorial Auditorium hosted Fredrick Williams to discuss African Americans in business. In 2024, the Fort-Sill Chamber of Commerce and McMahon Auditorium Authority hosted “Doing the Unthinkable.” This program was a free and open-to-the-public event. A part of that program was a business discussion panel of local African American business owners giving insight and valuable tools to others getting started. To finish off the program the world-renowned dance company The Dallas Black Dance Theatre was brought in to close us out with a breathtaking performance.
We are motivated by the positive response we’ve received from the community and we are already looking forward to 2025 “African Americans and Labor”
“This project is generously funded by Mid-America Arts Alliance, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the state arts agencies of Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Texas.”
