Black History Month 2026 on WPSU-FM

Join us to hear these specials for Black History Month on WPSU-FM:

Library of Congress

Whispers in Wilmington
Thursday, February 5, 3:00 p.m.

We’re used to recognizing someone powerful with a statue. But what happens when there’s no statue or memorial to a traumatic event? Whoever lives with the impact of that painful history has to confront the kind of power it takes to keep it hidden for so long. In this episode of the public radio series, “Monumental,” we uncover the story of a successful coup d’etat on American soil. This act of racial violence was designed to eliminate all memory of a highly successful Black community in Wilmington, North Carolina, back in 1898. That suppression involved mobs engaged in racial violence, as well as historians, city planners, journalists and countless others.

The Choral Hour Black History Month Special
Friday, February 13, 11:00 a.m.

Join Kathlene Ritch, host of the public radio show, “The Choral Hour,” as she celebrates Black History Month. We’ll hear music by African American composers William Dawson and Moses Hogan. Kathlene chats with composer and conductor Dr. Andre Thomas, as they discuss how concert spirituals and their performance practice have evolved over the 20th century through the present day. 

WNYC

Martin Luther King 2026: The Pan-Africanist Restitution & Reconciliation in a Global State of Emergency 
Thursday, February 19, 3:00 p.m.

Anchored in the historic moment of Dr. King’s 1957 journey to Ghana, the program traces King’s vision and commitment to global liberation to the modern-day call for justice. Through conversation, performance and reflection, it connects the struggle against colonialism and segregation to today’s fights for equity, freedom and dignity across the African Diaspora. Together, we examine restitution and reconciliation not as lofty ideals, but as urgent imperatives, linking Accra to Atlanta, the global past to our shared present. This program was recorded live on MLK Day, January 19, 2026.

In Performance at Penn State
Friday, February 20, 11:00 a.m. and Monday, February 23, 8:00 p.m.

This month on “In Performance at Penn State,” we’ll celebrate Black History Month with music by two African American composers. The Penn State Glee Club sings “Ain’a That Good News!” by William L. Dawson; and we’ll hear the student musicians of the Penn State Philharmonic, led by faculty conductor Gerardo Edelstein, in the Symphony No. 3 in C Minor by Florence Price. We’ll also hear Penn State faculty pianist Christopher Guzman playing the English Suite No. 3 in G Minor by Bach.

Afropop Worldwide

Black History Month: Gospel Live from South Africa to Alabama
Friday, February 27, 8:00 p.m. and Saturday, February 28, 7:00 p.m.

This joyful celebration of gospel music greats brings together Africa and America. Ladysmith Black Mambazo is the South African male a cappella choral group singing in the local vocal styles of isicathamiya and mbube. They became known internationally after singing with American Paul Simon on his Grammy Award winning 1986 album, “Graceland.” The Fairfield Four, started over 100 years ago, won a Grammy for the Best Roots Gospel Album. The Four Eagle Gospel Singers are a historic a cappella gospel group from Bessemer, Alabama, known as one of the state's oldest gospel groups. The Gospel Harmonettes were a pivotal 1950s female gospel group, fronted by the legendary Dorothy Love Coates, known for their powerful vocals, civil rights activism, and intense performances that influenced soul and R&B. Also featured are The Birmingham Sunlights who are distinctive for using no instruments in their church services.