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2026 Africana Arts & Humanities Festival

We, Too, Sing America: Reflections on 250 Years

The Africana Arts & Humanities Festival (AAHF) is the signature annual cultural and intellectual convening.

The Africana Arts & Humanities Festival (AAHF) is the signature annual cultural and intellectual convening of the African-American Research Library & Cultural Center (AARLCC), a nationally recognized institution dedicated to preserving, celebrating, and advancing the global Black experience through research, scholarship, arts, and community engagement.

AAHF brings together authors, scholars, artists, performers, and families for a multi-day celebration of Black culture, history, creativity, and storytelling. The festival blends lectures, literary events, performances, youth activations, family programming, and curated cultural installations that illuminate the richness of the African diaspora.

The 2026 theme, “We, Too, Sing America: 250 Years of Black Life and Culture,” draws inspiration from Langston Hughes’ “I, Too,” affirming the dignity, resilience, and rightful presence of Black voices in the American narrative. This year’s programming will highlight historical perspectives, contemporary scholarship, artistic excellence, and intergenerational learning.

For a complete schedule and to register, visit Eventbrite.

FEATURED SPEAKERS: 

Dr. Karsonya "Kaye" Whitehead, President, Association for the Study of African American Life and History, Inc.

Dr. Karsonya (Kaye) Wise Whitehead: President, Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH) Dr. Whitehead is a nationally respected public historian, cultural critic, and educator whose work centers Black public memory, racial justice, and social transformation. As President of the Association for the Study of African American Life and History. (ASALH)—the organization founded by Carter G. Woodson—she plays a leading role in shaping national discourse around Black history and its public interpretation. She is also a professor at Loyola University Maryland and a widely sought-after speaker on equity, heritage, and storytelling.

Dr. Kellie Carter-Jackson, Historian and Author

Dr. Kellie Carter-Jackson, Historian & Author of We Refuse: A Forceful History of Black Resistance (Seal Press) Historian & Author, Dr. Carter-Jackson is an award-winning historian specializing in Black resistance, freedom movements, and 19th-century African American history. Her book, We Refuse: A Forceful History of Black Resistance, reframes traditional narratives of nonviolence by powerfully documenting the many ways Black communities resisted enslavement, segregation, and racial violence. We Refuse has received widespread national acclaim, including recognition as a New York Times Editors’ Pick, a Kirkus Best Book of the Year, and a finalist or winner on multiple “Best of” and social justice book lists. Dr. Carter-Jackson is also a frequent national media commentator and a leading public voice on the history of resistance and liberation.

Friday, March 27, 2026

• Student-focused morning programming
• Evening keynote conversation & reception

Saturday, March 28, 2026

• Family Day & Youth Activations
• Children’s readings, storytelling, and hands-on cultural activities
• Author showcase sessions
• Bookstore Activation with Pyramid Books featuring books, signings, and literary vendors

Upcoming Events