Black History Month 2022 | Spirit
For this year’s Black History Month theme, we turn our attention to the importance of health and wellness in the Black community, and honor the legacy of Black scholars, medical practitioners, and wellness experts. Each week in February, a new facet of Black health and wellness will be highlighted to showcase Black-owned businesses, organizations, and grassroots efforts whose goal is to lift up the mind, body, spirit, and community of Black people everywhere.
This week’s highlight focuses on the spirit by honoring Black joy, inspiration, and ingenuity. From music, literature, performance art and beyond, these organizations are founded and led by Black creatives across Chicago, and offer a myriad of educational programs, public resources, scholarships, and creative residence programs. These beloved and vital institutions are integral in nourishing the spirit through celebration of the arts, culture and community.
Semicolon
Chicago’s only Black Woman-owned bookstore, located in West Town, Semicolon serves as a community space and gallery for featuring local artists. As a hub for creatives of all walks of life to find common ground, Semicolon brings personal touches and community heart into each visit. Semicolon’s founder, DL Mullen, also created National Black Literacy Day, a February 14th day of awareness for literacy initiatives in Black communities and continued support for Black students.
Follow on Instagram: @semicolonchi
Arts + Public Life
As an initiative of UChicago Arts, Arts + Public Life is a hub for Black and Brown creatives in Washington Park that offers residences and fellowships, education, and public art programs to support artists and art lovers on the South Side. It is also the home of rotating exhibitions from young creatives, and public performance and musical sessions taking place live and virtually.
Follow on Instagram: @artspubliclife
Black Ensemble Theater
Black Ensemble Theater, founded in 1976 by actress, producer, and playwright Jackie Taylor, has grown from a small community arts organization to a vibrant nationally and internationally renowned arts institution and is recognized as one of the most diverse theaters in the country. The mission of the Black Ensemble Theater is to eradicate racism and its damaging effects upon our society through the utilization of theater arts and educational outreach programs. BE has formed a racially diverse community which embraces similarities and fosters dialogue, understanding and acceptance.
Follow on Instagram: @blackensemble
Gallery Guichard
Located in the Bronzeville community, in the largest Black art district in the country, owners Andre Guichard, Frances Guichard and Stephen Mitchell opened the gallery in 2005 with the mission to expose patrons to multicultural artists specializing in the art of the African Diaspora, thus creating platforms for artists and collectors to meet. Through fine art exhibitions, experiential events, and art tours, Gallery Guichard gives emerging underrepresented talent and mid-career artists an opportunity to develop their imagination and creativity.
Follow on Instagram: @gallery_guichard
Chicago West Community Music Center
Chicago West Community Music Center was formed by Howard Sandifer with a goal to provide high-quality music instruction and community performances that would help reduce the music-related achievement gap between minority and non-minority students and between economically disadvantaged students and their more advantaged peers. Through scholarships and public music programs, CWCMC has strengthened the community it supports and provides benefits that go far beyond music education and unique performance opportunities.
Follow on Instagram: @chicagowestcommusiccenter
Check back all month long for more upcoming installments in this series on Black health and wellness.
Be sure to follow and support the organizations and resources we have highlighted in this series in addition to staying engaged and educated on Black history and current events all year long.