County Superintendent Garth Lewis speaks at the Black History Month Kickoff Celebration earlier this month. Photo courtesy of Yolo County Office of Education

WOODLAND, CA (MPG) - Yolo County is celebrating Black History Month throughout February with a month-long series of events and activities designed to engage, educate and inspire the community.

This year’s celebration has been a collaboration between local agencies, schools and organizations, featuring quilt exhibits, a special launch event and other community activities.

The theme for this year’s celebration is “Stitching Together Stories: Celebrating Black History through Quilts, Education, and Engagement.” The theme highlights how quilts have preserved cultural heritage, told powerful stories and sparked important conversations. The planning committee hopes that Black History Month will provide the community an opportunity to deepen its understanding of Black history through creative expression and meaningful dialogue.

This year marks the first official countywide celebration of Black History Month. The Yolo County Office of Education formed a planning committee of volunteers, who plan to continue the countywide celebration annually.