AFRICANA ARTS & HUMANITIES FESTIVAL To Explore 250 Years Of Black Life And Culture In Fort Lauderdale

The 2026 Africana Arts & Humanities Festival (AAHF) will take place March 27–28 at the African-American Research Library and Cultural Center (AARLCC) in Fort Lauderdale. The two-day event will bring together scholars, authors, artists, performers, and community members for programs exploring 250 years of Black life, culture, and resistance through scholarship, literature, music, and family activities.

AAHF is the flagship annual gathering of AARLCC, a nationally recognized institution dedicated to preserving and promoting the global Black experience through research, scholarship, the arts, and community engagement. The festival transforms the library into a hub for cultural exchange with lectures, literary discussions, performances, youth programs, and curated exhibits highlighting the diversity of the African diaspora.

Inspired by Langston Hughes’ poem “I, Too,” the 2026 theme, “We, Too, Sing America: 250 Years of Black Life and Culture,” reflects on the contributions of Black communities across U.S. history. The program focuses on historical perspectives, contemporary scholarship, and artistic expression while encouraging intergenerational learning.

“For 250 years, Black life, culture, art, and resistance have shaped the story of America,” said Tameka Hobbs, historian and regional library manager at AARLCC. “We invite the community to experience powerful conversations and performances that explore where we've been and where we're going. Through music, literature, scholarship, and storytelling, we celebrate the richness of the African diaspora. This is more than a festival — it's culture, history, and community.”

Featured Speakers

Featured speakers include Karsonya Wise Whitehead, Ph.D., President of the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH) and a professor at Loyola University Maryland whose work examines Black public memory, racial justice, and social change.

Historian Kellie Carter-Jackson, Ph.D., author of We Refuse: A Forceful History of Black Resistance, will also participate. Her research focuses on African American resistance movements and nineteenth-century freedom struggles, and her book has been recognized as a New York Times Editors’ Pick and a Kirkus Best Book of the Year.

Randal Maurice Jelks, Ph.D., a professor, documentary producer, and author of My America: Langston Hughes on Democracy, will discuss Hughes’ vision of democracy and the writer’s journey through American and global cultural life.

Festival Highlights

Programming will include a keynote conversation and reception on Friday evening, followed by Family Day activities on Saturday featuring youth programming, children’s storytelling, author showcases, and hands-on cultural experiences. Pyramid Books will host a bookstore event with author signings and literary vendors.

Event Information

The Africana Arts & Humanities Festival will take place at the African-American Research Library and Cultural Center, 2650 Sistrunk Boulevard in Fort Lauderdale.

The event is free and open to the public. Books will be available for purchase and signing. For the complete schedule and registration information, visit broward.org/Library/Events/Pages/AfricanaFestival.aspx or call 954-357-6282.