Hays County Black History Month celebrations

The month of February kicks off Black History Month, which was first established and recognized in the United States in 1970. In Hays County, there will be a variety of special events and opportunities to celebrate and join in community and conversation. 

In Buda, there will be the third annual Buda Black History Celebration (BBHC) event on Saturday, Feb. 19 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Buda Amphitheater and City Park.

With the theme of 2022 being “Mental Health and Wellness,” there will be a panel of speakers to further discuss those topics, including Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Kettra Priestly and Resident Chef and Food-way Leader, Jennifer Rodriguez, along with several others. 

There will also be local food vendors at the event including Hurryback Catering, Lil’ Red Lunchbox, 3 Small Plates Catering and Dessert Kart. 

Attendees will be able to participate in a yoga session with instructor Rashidah Alshams and Zumba with Heather Henry. 

The City of Kyle will host a fifth edition Dialogue for Peace and Progress to celebrate Black History Month at Kyle City Hall on Friday, Feb. 18 from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m.  

According to the City of Kyle website, “A group of panelists from a multitude of perspectives and backgrounds have been recruited to speak during the discussion, including Pastor Jonafa Banbury, Michelle Benziger Winn, Sheila Henderson, Vanessa Westbrook, Anthony Davis, Micheal Moore and Naissa Bayo. 

The panel will be moderated by Kyle City Council Member Dex Ellison. 

In San Marcos, the Dunbar Heritage Association (DHA) will host “Soul Praise,” a historical exploration of African American hymns and spirituals on Sunday, Feb. 27 at the San Marcos Public Library from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.

The event flyer mentions, “Join DHA as we bring this book ‘Soul Praise: Amazing Stories Behind the Great African American Hymns and Negro Spirituals,’ to life through song.”

For additional details and updates on county events and more information, visit the Dunbar Heritage Association website at https://dhasmtx.com/category/black-history-month/.