Unique Things to Do for Black History Month in Atlanta
Last Updated January 9, 2026
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In January, we celebrate the birthday and contributions of Atlanta native Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. with MLK Jr. Day on Jan. 19. Then in February, we celebrate Black History Month. Here are a few ideas of things to do during Black History Month in Atlanta.
Stroll Down Auburn Avenue
The Sweet Auburn neighborhood once was the center of cultural, spiritual and business life for Black Atlanta, and Auburn Avenue once was known as “the richest Negro Street in the world.” Visit Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park. Walk in the footsteps of those who came before us on Auburn Avenue, and see the Black- and brown-owned businesses that are helping to revitalize the area. Use this Auburn Avenue itinerary as a guide.
Where: Start at the Auburn Avenue Research Library at 101 Auburn Ave. NE, head across the street to the APEX Museum, then make your way down to For Keeps Bookstore before heading to the MLK birth home.
Celebrate at the Children’s Museum of Atlanta
Children’s Museum of Atlanta celebrates Black history. Learn all about Black American historical figures from Harriet Tubman to Garrett Morgan. At Jane’s Innovation Station, learn about the principles of engineering while celebrating Black astronauts such as Michael Anderson, Yvonne Darlene Cagle and Mae C. Jemison. Head to the art studio and celebrate Black collage artists throughout history.
Where: 275 Centennial Olympic Park Drive NW
Hammonds House Presents Beau McCall: Divas, Blues & Memories
Hammonds House Museum launches its 2026 exhibition season with “Beau McCall: Divas, Blues & Memories.” The exhibition is set to open on Friday, Feb. 13. McCall is known for using buttons (lots of buttons) to make wearable art.
Where: 503 Peeples St. SW
Dine at a Black-owned Restaurant
Atlanta is home to lots of popular Black-owned restaurants. Black History Month is the perfect time to try one or more.
Immerse Yourself in Attractions
For more glimpses into Black history, visit the Madam CJ Walker Museum/WERD Radio, which celebrates both America’s first female self-made millionaire (who inspired the Netflix series “Self Made,” starring Octavia Spencer) and the first Black-owned radio station. The museum is a stop on the U.S. Civil Rights Tour. Visit the APEX Museum to learn about the people of the African Diaspora. See works by artists of African descent at the Hammonds House Museum.
The Auburn Avenue Research Library on African American Culture and History is a special library of the Fulton County Library System, the first public library in the Southeast to offer specialized reference and archival collections dedicated to the study and research of African American culture and history and of other peoples of African descent.
The Wren’s Nest is the former home of author and journalist Joel Chandler Harris, creator of the Uncle Remus stories.
The city’s Trap Music Museum centers around the Trap Music culture and features a collection of one-of-a-kind pieces in honor of some of hip-hop’s most iconic Trap Music stars.
Where: Madame CJ Walker/WERD Radio, 54 Hilliard St. NE
APEX Museum, 135 Auburn Ave. NE
Hammonds House Museum, 503 Peeples St. SW
Auburn Avenue Research Library, 101 Auburn Ave. NE
Trap Music Museum, 630 Travis St. NW
Wren’s Nest, 1050 Ralph David Abernathy Blvd. SW
Support Black-owned Businesses
The Village Retail at Ponce City Market features goods from Black entrepreneurs. Shop for jewelry, clothing, home decor, accessories, and health and wellness items. Find more Black-owned Businesses in Atlanta.
Where: The Village Retail is inside Ponce City Market at 675 Ponce de Leon Ave. NE
Explore African American Stories at Oakland Cemetery
Historic Oakland Foundation offers tours of Oakland’s historic African American Burial Grounds this February. From the inception of Atlanta’s municipal cemetery in 1850, the burial grounds for enslaved and free African Americans were, by custom and by law, separate from the other sections of the cemetery. In 1852, soon after Oakland was established, the Atlanta City Council ruled that the enslaved were to be buried on the eastern extremity of the property, apart from the public burial grounds, and this area became known as Slave Square. As the cemetery expanded over the years, the eastern boundary line moved further east and consequently, the graves of many African Americans were exhumed and moved, some of them twice, to where they now lie in an area adjacent to Paupers Grounds.
Where: 248 Oakland Ave SE
Experience Author Talks at Atlanta History Center
Atlanta History Center features Author Talks every month, where guests get the opportunity to dive into the minds of some of the most prominent authors.
On Feb. 10, Atlanta History Center will be in conversation with Kenja McCray, author of “Essential Soldiers: Women Activists and Black Power Movement Leadership.” The book follows various women who were Pan-African nationalists and recounts their experiences fighting for freedom and equality.
On Feb. 20, Atlanta History Center welcomes Sadeqa Johnson, the author of “Keeper of Lost Children,” which follows one American woman’s vision in post-World War II Germany that ties together three people in an unanticipated way.
Where: 130 West Paces Ferry Road NW
Visit the National Center for Civil and Human Rights
Explore various exhibitions at the National Center for Civil and Human Rights centered around the legacy and stories of America’s civil rights activists and heroes. Immerse yourself in the library of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., which features his handwritten sermons, speeches and notes from “A Committed Life: The Morehouse College Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Collection.”
“Broken Promises: The Legacy of Reconstruction” follows the timeline of the Reconstruction Era. “Rolls Down Like Water: The American Civil Rights Movement” gives visitors an inside look at the Freedom Riders’ journey, with an expanded lunch-counter experience, immersive storytelling, interactive displays, and more.
Where: 100 Ivan Allen Jr Blvd. NW
Browse a Bookstore
For Keeps Bookstore on Auburn Avenue is your stop for Black rare and classic books. The store also sells merchandise, including shirts and bags. The inventory at 44th & 3rd Bookseller is curated to bring customers books that represent the richness, diversity, and genius of Black expression and the collective and individual histories of the Black experience.
Where: For Keeps Bookstore, 171 Auburn Ave.; 44th & 3rd Bookseller, 451 Lee St. SW
See Exhibits at Atlanta Airport
If you are traveling by air, leave some time before your departure or after your arrival to tour the civil rights exhibits at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. Find “Good Trouble: A Tribute to Congressman John Lewis” in the Domestic Terminal atrium. There is a display about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. near the escalators on Concourse E.
A 400-foot-long display between concourses B and C is titled “A Walk Through Atlanta History.” It uses graphics, videos and 3D exhibits, and includes eight videos, all covering the city’s history starting with the pre-colonial era and the Native Americans who called this section of Georgia home, the Civil War including the Battle of Atlanta and the burning of Atlanta; Reconstruction; the rise of the Black Sweet Auburn District; segregation; and Atlanta’s appearance on the global stage as the host of the 1996 Summer Olympics.
Where: 6000 North Terminal Parkway
Planning a trip to Atlanta? Take a look at our 2-Day Itinerary for Exploring Black-owned Atlanta.
Originally Published January 16, 2025
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