Where are the best art museum exhibits, new books, concerts and performances highlighting African-American and black culture this October? Here are our top picks of 16 perfect ways to celebrate black culture in the month of October 2019. ‘Cause why wait for February, when there’s brilliant work being done all year ’round?
16 Perfect Ways to Celebrate Black Culture in October 2019
So many options, so little time. To lend a hand as you plan your October calendar, we’re sharing happenings in London, New York, Minneapolis and Philadelphia that highlight and celebrate the best of black culture. Plus three new books from notable authors.
If you live in one of these cities, or have the chance to travel there, be sure to visit. We wish would could see and do them all! Here’s what’s on our Sweet Sixteen list of the best ways to celebrate black culture during in the month of October 2019.
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1.
A family is thrown for a loop when their young son begins to demonstrate supernatural abilities in Raising Dion, a 10-episode Netflix adaptation of Dennis Liu’s comic book. Alisha Wainwright, Ja’Siah Young, Michael B. Jordan and Jason Ritter star – October 4, 2019
Great ways to celebrate black culture in October 2019: Raising Dion on Netflix. Courtesy Photo.
2.
Death of a Salesman, Arthur Miller’s iconic play, has been reinterpreted through the eyes of an African-American family in a critically-acclaimed London production. After a sold-out run at the Young Vic, the production transfers for a limited run to the Piccadilly Theater in the West End. Directed by Marianne Elliott, and starring Sharon D Clarke and Wendell Pierce. – October 24, 2019 – January 4, 2020
The best plays and concerts celebrating black culture in October 2019: Death of a Salesman in London. Courtesy Photo.
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3.
Mixtape Potluck Cookbook: A Dinner Party for Friends, Their Recipes, and the Songs They Inspire by Questlove. What if Questlove threw a potluck dinner, and everybody came? He picked the guests. The guests picked the recipes. The result is the ultimate potluck cookbook. How. Much. Fun. – Publication Date: October 15, 2019
4.
The Beautiful Ones by Prince. One of the most-anticipated books of October 2019 is from Prince himself. Posthumously, his estate has published the memoir he began writing before his tragic death. It’s the brilliant coming-of-age story of one of the greatest artists of all time, featuring never-before-seen photos, original scrapbooks and lyric sheets. It’s how Prince Rogers Nelson became Prince. – Publication date: October 29, 2019
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5.
Grand Union by Zadie Smith. The stories in Smith’s first collection range from historic to vividly current and slyly dystopian. There are eleven new and unpublished stories included, along with some of her best-loved pieces from The New Yorker and elsewhere – Publication Date: October 8, 2019
Great ways to celebrate black culture in October 2019: three new book releases from black authors. Courtesy Photos.
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6.
Tina Turner gets her own Broadway bio-musical in Tina. Adrienne Warren reprises her performance from the West End in London, along with Daniel J. Watts as Ike, Dawnn Lewis as Zelma and Myra Lucretia Taylor as Gran Georgeanna – Previews October 12 for an opening on November 7, 2019
Great ways to celebrate black culture in October 2019: Adrienne Warren plays Tina Turner on Broadway. Photo Courtesy.
7.
Cameroonian singer-songwriter Laetitia Tamko aka Vagabon will drop her new album, entitled Vagabon – October 18
Best events in pop music in October 2019: Vagabond. Courtesy Photo.
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London
8.
Welcoming 45 leading galleries from across Africa is the 1-54 London Contemporary African Art Fair returns for its 7th edition at Somerset House. The event welcomes 45 leading galleries from across Africa this year – October 3 – 6, 2019
The 1:54 Contemporary African Art Fair in London
9.
Frieze London is one of the most important contemporary art shows of the year, and Frieze Focus is one of the best places to see the work of artists on the rise. This year, a highlight is the presentation of plaster sculptures by Los Angeles-based artist Karon Davis together with paintings by Californian artist Gary Lang. – October 3 – 6, 2019
Museum exhibits celebrating black culture in October 2019: LA-based artist Karon Davis will be showing work at this year’s Frieze Focus art fair in London. Photo Credit: LA Times.
10.
As part of the program for Frieze Week in London, Kara Walker has filled the central hall of Tate Modern with her urgent and provocative meditations on American violence toward African-Americans. And her work is already the talk of the town.
New books and museum exhibits celebrating black culture in October 2019: Kara Walker at the Tate Modern.
Walker is best known for her use of black cut-paper silhouetted figures, referencing the history of slavery and the antebellum South in the US through provocative and elaborate installations. Her new monumental installation, “Fons Americanus,” takes her art to an entirely new level – October 2, 2019 – April 5, 2020
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New York
11.
James Robinson’s stylish new production of the Gershwins’ American classic Porgy and Bess at the Metropolitan Opera in New York is garnering rave reviews. Sixty black singers form a chorus of participants and observers to the goings-on at Catfish Row on the Charleston waterfront. Eric Owens and Angel Blue star in the title roles – September 23 – October 16, 2019 and January 8 – February 1, 2020
Eric Owens and Angel Blue in the Metropolitan Opera’s new production of “Porgy and Bess.” Photo Credit: Sara Krulwich/The New York Times.
12.
Fall for Dance, New York City Center’s beloved annual festival, celebrates its 16th anniversary this month. Highlights include a pair of commissions: Kyle Abraham’s new work for Misty Copeland, and Kim Brandstrup’s for Sara Mearns and Taylor Stanley – Oct 1 – 13
Concerts and dance performances celebrating black culture in October 2019: Misty Copeland of the American Ballet Theater.
13.
Likely the biggest event of the fall art season is the reopening of the Museum of Modern Art in New York after a comprehensive renovation. On view will be a solo presentations from Betye Saar and Pope.L. We can’t wait to check it out and stop by one of our favorite restaurants in a museum, The Modern – Oct 21
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Philadelphia
14.
Philadelphia’s Barnes Foundation hosts 30 Americans, an exhibit of works by 30 African-American artists, including Kehinde Wiley, Jean-Michel Basquiat and Kara Walker – October 27, 2019 – January 12, 2020
Museum exhibits celebrating black culture in October 2019: Kehinde Wiley is one of the artists featured in the Barnes Foundation’s 30 Americans exhibit in Philadelphia.
15.
The Theaster Gates exhibit “Assembly Hall” continues at the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis. In four immersive rooms, the artist curates selections from slides of art and architectural history from the University of Chicago; books, furniture, and other ephemera from the 15,000-piece Johnson Publishing Company Collection; a range of objects from the Ana J. and Edward J. Williams Collection of “negrobilia”; and ceramic pots and other wares that the artist has made or collected over the past decade. It’s an astounding and important exhibit to experience in person – through January 12, 2020.
View of the exhibition Theaster Gates: Assembly Hall, 2019. Photo: Bobby Rogers, Walker Art Center.
16.
“Rumors of War,” a monumental sculpture by Kehinde Wiley inspired by the heroic, equestrian statues of Confederate generals in Richmond, Virginia, has been unveiled in Times Square. The bronze sculpture on limestone is the first public work by the artist, who is best known for his aristocratic portraits of African-American men, including the portrait of former President Barack Obama in the National Portrait Gallery.
Rumors of War by Kehinde Wiley. Photo Credit: Rachel Papo for The New York Times.
he sculpture will be on display in Times Square through December 2019. After that, it will be permanently installed in Richmond, Virginia. On Arthur Ashe Boulevard.
celebrate black culture in October 2019
Those are our top picks for cultural events and other ways to celebrate African-American and black culture in October 2019. The art museum exhibits, new books, concerts and performances that highlight black culture in the month of October. What’s on your list?
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