Note: Authored by David Menconi, this piece has been produced in partnership with Raleigh Arts. Menconi's latest book, "Oh, Didn't They Ramble: Rounder Records and the Transformation of American Roots Music," was published in the fall of 2023 by University of North Carolina Press. His podcast, Carolina Calling, explores the history of the Tar Heel State through music.

Even though the North Carolina Museum of History is closed for renovations, it’s still actively programming events elsewhere. One of its key annual festivals, the African American Cultural Celebration, will go on this year with an adjusted location—most activities will take place inside the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences in downtown Raleigh, with some activities spilling outside onto Bicentennial Plaza (the plaza between the two museums).

Scheduled for Sat., Jan. 25, 2025, the African American Cultural Celebration is a day-long event that is free and family-friendly. It kicks off Black History Month in North Carolina with a showcase of history, culture and artistry through performances, workshops, demonstrations and more. This year’s model will be the 24th annual edition.

“It’s a big milestone we’re looking forward to, over two decades,” says Kaya Littleturtle, cultural festival coordinator for the museum. “A variety of things will be different about this year’s event because we’re having it at the science building, a couple of structural changes to accommodate the different space. We’re having the panel discussions in the lobby-level auditorium on a variety of important topics--education and heritage, food, health, beauty, film.”

Highlights include an opening procession in which singer Corey Leak will lead a sing-along version of “Lift Every Voice and Sing”; workshops, talks and presentations that cover everything from the history of Negro League baseball to African American pottery; performance narrations by the North Carolina Association of Black Storytellers; percussion music by The Magic of African Rhythm; author presentations; and hands-on artisan demonstrations with craftspeople showing how to make quilts, baskets, pottery, jewelry and other items.

One recently added feature of the African American Cultural Celebration actually happens a day earlier, a Virtual Education Day on Fri., Jan. 24. It’s a preview that the museum first offered three years ago.

“We added this day-before education day event in 2022, as a virtual program to bring parts of the celebration to classrooms and learning spaces across the state,” says Jessica Pratt, the museum’s education section chief. “Last year we reached over 14,000 students in 66 counties.”

Meanwhile, work is still continuing on the long-in-the-works renovation and reinvention of the North Carolina Museum of History, which closed in October for that work to begin. It will resume its long-time role as permanent home of the African American Cultural Celebration when it reopens, which should happen sometime in 2028.

“Things are really bustling behind the scenes right now,” says Mary Huntley, director of communications and marketing for the museum. “If you were to walk in, you would see a lot of work going on, curators breaking down current exhibits and carefully storing artifacts while we figure out what will come next. We’re thinking transformatively about the museum’s next iteration. While our physical building is closed, we’ll stay active with programming elsewhere.”

The 24th annual African American Cultural Celebration is 10:30am to 4:30pm on Sat., Jan. 25, 2025, at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, 11 W. Jones St. in Raleigh. Admission is free. For details, see ncmuseumofhistory.org.