Portsmouth events feature local artists
Activities scheduled throughout the city this month
The city of Portsmouth, Portsmouth Museums and the Home Studios production company, are presenting a monthlong Black History Month series of events presented by
Black artists, filmmakers and musicians, mostly with local ties.
Today includes the “Art that Changes the World” program with activist and illustrator Nikkolas Smith. The Hampton University graduate has created work for movies including Oscar-winners “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” and “Judas and the Black Messiah.” He’s illustrated children’s books, including the New York Times bestseller “The 1619 Project: Born on the Water.”
The following weeks include the screening of the award-winning documentary “Bad Things Happen in
Philadelphia.” NBA Hall of Famer and Hampton native Allen Iverson is the executive director along with Hampton Roads Home Studios co-founder Mark Mims.
Additional workshops and discussions about music and fashion are scheduled for the end of February. Alexander Benitez, Portsmouth’s director of the Department of Museums and Tourism, said in an email that the program began with a discussion between Home Studios and museum staff. The Portsmouth Colored Community Library Museum has an exhibition, “Art is Revolutionary,” which focuses on 18 regional artists.
“We are highlighting a variety of art forms and celebrating the immense talent Hampton Roads has produced over the last 100-plus years,” Benitez wrote. “We could create an entire museum based just on this theme.”
Mims said in an email that even though “Bad Things Happen in Philadelphia” discusses gun violence he believes the film deserves a place in a program that’s built around celebrating history and progress.
“Including the film within Black History Month events acknowledges the painful realities faced by our communities while simultaneously celebrating their resilience, strength, and unwavering fight for a better tomorrow. It’s a reminder that Black history is not just about triumph over past injustices, but also about ongoing struggles and the collective pursuit of a more just and equitable future.”