Celebrate Black History Month in NYC with FREE screenings of films and TV shows featuring African-American performers, including a tribute to Ella Fitzgerald, classic comedy programs, a Scandal marathon, and previews of two new documentaries.
The screenings are Saturdays and Sundays in February, including special programs for families on Saturdays.
All the screenings are at the Paley Center for the Media, in Midtown, a museum of broadcasting, founded by William S. Paley, who founded CBS. There is also a branch in Los Angeles, with a similar schedule.
There also are two ticketed events – panel discussions on late night TV and the role of news in a digital age.
Here’s the FREE screening schedule, to put on your calendar.
There are no tickets. Seats are first come first served, and preference is given to museum members.
Black History Month: Ella Fitzgerald Centennial Celebration
Saturday and Sunday
February 3 & 4 , 2018; Starting at 12:15 pm
The Paley Center celebrates the centennial of “The First Lady of Song,” the beloved American jazz singer Ella Fitzgerald (who was born on April 25, 1917, and died on June 15, 1996) with screenings of rare television programs from the Paley Archive.
At the First Annual Grammy Awards in 1959, which honored musical accomplishments for 1958, Fitzgerald became the first African-American woman to win a Grammy and the first woman to win multiple Grammys—receiving awards for Best Female Vocal Performance for Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Irving Berlin Song Book and Best Individual Jazz Performance for Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Duke Ellington Song Book.
Black History Month: Comedy
Saturday and Sunday
February 10 & 11, 2018; Starting at 12:15 pm
A celebration of some of the great African-American pioneers in the field of comedy features a quartet of rarely seen programs, including two all-star specials and episodes from some 1970s variety shows, featuring Dick Gregory, Redd Foxx, Richard Pryor, and more.
Black History Month: Scandal Marathon
Saturday and Sunday
February 17 & 18, 2018; Starting at 12:15 pm
Gladiators, rejoice: two days of Scandal screenings! Join us to celebrate “Olivia’s Swan Song,” as creator Shonda Rhimes has labeled this seventh and final season, with these ten episodes beloved by fans.
Black History Month: News/Documentary
Saturday and Sunday
February 24 & 25, 2018; Starting at 2:00 pm
The Paley Center previews two significant new documentaries that dramatically immerse the viewer into 1970 school life in Harlem and pivotal moments in Malcolm X’s life.
Black History Month: Family Screenings
Saturdays
February 3, 10, 17, and 24, 2018; Starting at 12:15 pm
We all know how powerful media portrayals can be for young audiences. In honor of Black History Month, join us for screenings that celebrate the African-American experience through the historical figures, characters, and performers who inspire us!
Black History Month Ticketed Events
BET’s The Rundown with Robin Thede: Anatomy of a Female-Driven Late Night Talk Show
Tuesday, February 27, 2018; 6:30 pm
In Person:
Robin Thede, Creator, Executive Producer, Host
Brittany Scott Smith, Coexecutive Producer
Kristen Everman, Coexecutive Producer
Jo Honig, Coexecutive Producer
Lauren Ashley Smith, Head Writer
Doug Abeles, Writer
Alex English, Writer
Ziwe Fumudoh, Writer
Cody Wilkins, Writer
More Info and Tickets
Lester Holt: Anchoring News in the Digital Age
Wednesday, February 28, 2018; 8:00 pm
In Person:
Lester Holt
Moderator: Andrea Mitchell
More Info and Tickets
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