Celebrate Black History & Black Futures
Special Event at Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation®
- February 1-29, 2024
- Time: 9:30 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
Presented by:
Join us at Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation during Black History Month to reflect on the past, celebrate the present and commit to creating a more just future.
2024’s national Black History Month theme focuses on African Americans and the Arts. We invite you to weekend celebrations featuring musicians, dancers, poets and plays. From the Harlem Renaissance of the 1920s to the Black Arts Movement of the 1960s to the passionate performers of today, art holds a mirror to our society, lifts us up and challenges us to create change.
History also calls us to action. 2024 marks the 60th anniversary of the landmark 1964 Civil Rights Act. Debuting February 22 is the first installation in a three-part pop-up exhibit reflecting on why the act was needed. In future months, return to discover what the act achieved and explore work left to do. Throughout February, and throughout this year, take time — as President Lyndon Johnson encouraged when announcing the act’s passage on July 2, 1964 — to “... go to work in our communities and our states, in our homes and in our hearts, to eliminate the last vestiges of injustice in our country.”
Celebrate at the Museum:
Featured Tours and Experiences
Curator ConversationPostponed - More Details to ComeExplore our upcoming pop-up marking the 60th anniversary of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, and dig deeper with curators Amber N. Mitchell and Heather Bruegl. |
Celebrate Black History Guided TourDaily, 1 p.m., starts in Museum PlazaJoin this 30-minute guided tour celebrating key African American trailblazers throughout the museum. From agriculture to manufacturing and beyond, learn how these African American innovators have left an impact on our world. |
“Stories of Black Empowerment” Mobile App TourDownload the free THF Connect app to take the “Stories of Black Empowerment” audio tour through the museum. |
Experiment with History: Take a Stand for a #MoreJustWorld Selfie StationDaily, 10 a.m.-noon, With Liberty and Justice for AllWhat stand are you committed to taking to create a more just world? Write it out, take a selfie and share it on social media with the hashtag #MoreJustWorld. |
Story StrollDaily, starts in Heroes of the SkyCombine movement and literacy, all while you explore the museum. February’s featured story is Above the Rim: How Elgin Baylor Changed Basketball, by Jen Bryant. |
Featured Artifacts and Exhibits
Exhibit | With Liberty and Justice for AllExplore the proud and often painful evolution of American freedom, from the Revolutionary War through the struggle for civil rights. Visit the Rosa Barks Bus nearly 70 years after Parks’ courageous act of defiance sparked the Montgomery bus boycott. |
Pop-Up | “To Establish the Rule of Justice”: 60 Years of the 1964 Civil Rights ActNow open near With Liberty and Justice for All2024 marks 60 years since the passage of the 1964 Civil Rights Act. The culmination of decades-long activism from people of all colors and backgrounds, the act countered the racism of Jim Crow laws and made integration the word of law. This evolving, temporary pop-up will be installed in three parts, with each adding another chapter of the story. Having opened on February 22, Part I will explore the origins of the act that changed the course of America. |
Artifact | “March on Washington: The Official Album,” 1963More than 250,000 civil rights advocates showed up at this peaceful march on August 28, 1963, to support unity, jobs and a new civil rights bill proposed by President John F. Kennedy. This LP record includes speeches by 10 civil rights leaders heard at the Lincoln Memorial that day. |
Artifact | 1961 Lincoln Continental Presidential Limousine Used by John F. KennedyRevisit this iconic artifact with a fresh question: How did Kennedy’s assassination influence the passage of the 1964 Civil Rights Act? How can you see this object through the lens of Black history? |
Ticket Prices
Parking is $9 per vehicle for nonmembers; free for members.
Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation
| Member | Nonmember | |
|---|---|---|
| Senior (62+) | Free | $30.50 |
| General Admission (12-61) | Free | $34.00 |
| Youth (5-11) | Free | $25.50 |
| Children (4 & Under) | Free | Free |
* Seasonal pricing will be in effect throughout the year. The pricing chart reflects the online discount price. There is an additional charge per ticket for purchases made on-site.
