Fort Lauderdale Festival Celebrates Black Culture
The Africana Arts & Humanities Festival is set to explore 250 years of Black life and culture in Fort Lauderdale. The major cultural event will feature art exhibitions, performances, and historical presentations, offering a significant local activity for residents and visitors.
The festival's theme, "We, Too, Sing America: 250 Years of Black Life and Culture," is inspired by the iconic Langston Hughes poem "I, Too." This theme aims to affirm the dignity, resilience, and significant contributions of Black voices within the broader American narrative. The event is the flagship annual gathering for the African-American Research Library and Cultural Center (AARLCC), a nationally recognized institution dedicated to preserving the global Black experience. Scheduled for March 27–28, 2026, the two-day festival will transform the AARLCC into a vibrant hub for cultural exchange. Programming includes a keynote conversation, author showcases, a bookstore event hosted by Pyramid Books, and musical performances. A ticketed evening reception and fundraiser will feature vocalist LaVie. The festival is a collaboration with key community partners, including financial support from Wayne and Lucretia Weiner, The Friends of AARLCC, and the Broward Cultural Division. The Broward Cultural Division is the county's designated local arts agency, which actively supports artists and cultural organizations through grants and programs like the Public Art & Design Program. The event's location in Fort Lauderdale is significant, as the city is home to Historic Sistrunk, the oldest African American community in Broward County. This neighborhood was established in the early 20th century by Black settlers from Georgia, South Carolina, and the Bahamas who were instrumental in building the railroad. The 250-year retrospective connects to deep local history, including the establishment of the first school for African-American students, which is now the Old Dillard Museum. This museum, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, preserves the heritage of a community that built its own essential institutions in a segregated South. The festival also honors pioneering figures like Dr. James Sistrunk, one of Broward County's first Black physicians, who co-founded the area's first Black hospital. The main thoroughfare in the historic neighborhood, Sistrunk Boulevard, is named in his honor.
