Black History Month 2026

BLACK HISTORY MONTH

Celebrate Black Innovation!
January 19 – February 25 | 3 Bethesda Metro Center

From Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day through the end of February, KID will be honoring and celebrating Black innovators both past and present. Join us every Sunday for hands-on activities and fun workshops with local organizations, scientists, musicians, and makers of all kinds!

TICKETS

A science educator from Swaliga explains the physics of sound using a tuning fork. Two warmly-dressed Black boys listen attentively.

Featured Activities

All Month Long: Typography Advocacy!

January 19 - March 29 | Materials Bar

Make Your Voice Heard

In honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Day, Black History Month, and Women’s History Month, KID Museum will be exploring a crafty method for change: advocacy signs! Advocacy signs — also called “protest,” “demonstration,” or “picket” signs — can be powerful tools for social change, helping us express what matters most and inspire others to take action. Dr. King and other Black American activists showed us that when we use our voices, creativity, and courage, we can help build a more just and loving world.

Join us at the Materials Bar to explore how typography and design can amplify important messages. Advocates-in-training can experiment with buttons, pipe cleaners, adhesives, and other materials as they answer the question:

What would you advocate for to make the world a better place?

Meet A Maker: LaKisha Greenwade, Founder of Wearable Tech Ventures

February 1 | 1:30 - 3:30 PM

Meet our friend LaKisha Greenwade, the award-winning founder of Wearable Tech Ventures!

How do you invent something new? #HistoryMaker LaKisha Greenwade believes that the best innovation comes from facing your fears head-on — and challenging yourself to develop solutions. That’s why she supports her fellow wearable tech entrepreneurs with Wearable Tech Ventures! Join LaKisha to explore wearable tech — watches, glasses, and more — and design and build a prototype of your wearable tech invention.

From Vibrations to Beats: Experiencing Sound with the Swaliga Foundation

February 1 | 1:30 - 3:30 PM

Our friends from the Swaliga Foundation are back for another mind-blowing music engineering workshop!

Get hands-on with the invisible as you test out the science behind vibrations and sound waves using tuning forks and other instruments. Once you’ve gotten familiar with the physics, take the next step and create your own composition with cutting-edge software. Are you ready to engineer music’s next big hit?

The Josiah Henson Museum & Park

February 8 | 10:30 AM - 12:30 PM

Our friends from the Josiah Henson Museum and Park are back for another woodworking workshop!

Discover the art and history of woodworking! Explore historical and modern woodworking tools like hand drills, planers, rasps, and files as you learn all about this timeless craft. In partnership with our friends at the Josiah Henson Museum & Park, KID Museum will showcase woodworking techniques that reflect #HistoryMaker Josiah Henson’s commitment to empowering individuals through skilled craftsmanship.

Can’t get enough? Neither can we! Join KID at the Josiah Henson Museum and Park Black History Month Celebration on Saturday, February 28 from 12 – 2 PM.

Meet A Maker: Katrika Shaw, Cosmetic Scientist

February 8 | 1:30 - 3:30 PM

How can you make a smell?

Katrika Shaw used to love science class, especially the hands-on experiments where she could mix different ingredients together. She was also passionate about the cosmetics industry — so she decided to study the science behind soap! Katrika mixed a major in chemistry with graduate studies in cosmetic science and business to become a Senior Product Development Specialist with Target Corporation. She and her team develop personal care products like body wash, body lotion, and hand soap, making sure that everyone’s skin feels as good as it smells.

Join Katrika for a hands-on lesson in chemistry and fragrance as you make your own body spray!

Celebrating Black #HistoryMakers

KID Museum #HistoryMakers are people whose invention, innovation, or impact inspires us. We celebrate these incredible individuals as part of our larger mission to diversify STEM and maker communities.

Whenever possible, we strive to partner with local #HistoryMakers for on-site appearances. These #HistoryMakers will be marked in orange.

Afua Bruce

Computer Engineer

Growing up, Afua Bruce’s parents often told her and her sisters to study hard and see what they could do to help other people. She soon realized that she could use her passion for technology to change the world for the better. It all started with a simple database to help a local nonprofit organization stay on top of their goals. Nowadays, Afua thinks of tech as her superpower. With computer engineering, she assists organizations that keep children out of jail, help low-income families access benefits, and ensure all kids have safe homes. She’s even worked with the White House.

Afua Bruce
Computer Engineer

Javon Ford

Cosmetic Chemist & Science Communicator

Everyone’s skin is a little bit different — but we all need to take care of it. After seeing how much misinformation is spread about skincare on social media, cosmetic chemist Javon Ford decided to start creating and sharing educational videos about what actually goes into the products people use every day. He breaks down soaps, face washes, sunscreens, and other products, explaining the ingredients in simple, straightforward terms so that the average person can take better care of themselves.

Javon Ford
Cosmetic Chemist & Science Communicator

Dr. Ronald S. Gamble, Jr.

Theoretical Astrophysicist

How much do we really know about the universe? Theoretical astrophysicists, like NASA’s Dr. Ronald S. Gamble, Jr., are constantly stretching the boundaries of the imagination to research the invisible parts of our existence. Dr. Gamble specializes in the way energy moves through the universe, particularly around supermassive black holes. But he’s not just a scientist; he’s also been an artist, painter, and illustrator for 15 years.

Dr. Ronald S. Gamble, Jr.
Theoretical Astrophysicist

LaKisha Greenwade

Inventor, Author, & Founder of Wearable Tech

LaKisha Greenwade believes that innovation comes from overcoming your fears and challenges by developing solutions. She is an award-winning innovator and the founder of Wearable Tech Ventures, a company that supports underrepresented entrepreneurs in creating exciting and purpose focused wearable tech solutions. For many years, LaKisha led innovation efforts for corporations and the Federal Government. She earned a B.S. from Ohio State University, an MBA from the University of Maryland College Park, and a Design Thinking certification at MIT. She has inspired and empowered people from four continents to activate their ingenious nature to improve the world around them.Pronouns: They, them, theirs.

LaKisha Greenwade
Inventor, Author, & Founder of Wearable Tech Ventures

Matthew Goins

Creator of Puzzle Huddle

Matthew Goins is the creative force behind the DC family-run jigsaw puzzle company Puzzle Huddle. Matthew and his wife, Marnel, created Puzzle Huddle after they felt there was a lack of diverse representation of children in toys — particularly puzzles. Matthew used his knowledge of arts and crafts and started to make his first puzzles for his own children using cardboard, printed high-res images, glue, and scissors. Since then, Puzzle Huddle’s mission has spread far beyond their home, making it onto shelves in big box stores like Target. Even Oprah featured them in her Gift Guide. Puzzle Huddle is changing the way kids play and learn and has made a significant impact on the toy industry.Pronouns: She, her, hers.

Matthew Goins
Creator of Puzzle Huddle

Jessica Hebron AKA Culture Queen

Award-Winning Performer, Artist, Author, & Educator

Jessica "Culture Queen" Smith is a Grammy-nominated teaching artist, children's musician, author, and curator, who creates empowering entertainment for children! She is the founder of Culture Kingdom Kids, LLC, where since 2010, Culture Queen has produced innovative Black History-themed children's performances and festivals at museums, theaters, schools, libraries, restaurants, and malls across the country, including the Smithsonian National Museum of African-American History and Culture and the Reginald Lewis Museum of African American History and Culture. Her children's album, I Like the Me I See!, released in 2016 along with her 2019 children's book by the same title, hits all the right notes for families and educators, bringing up confident, culturally aware, and curious children.

Culture Queen has been a featured speaker on TedXRVA, and her TED-ED video entitled "Mansa Musa: One of the Wealthiest People Who Ever Lived" has received over 6 million views. She's also an award-winning playwright whose children's musical, Bone Soup: A Kwanzaa Story, is published by Pioneer Drama Service and produced nationwide. The "Kwanzaa Slide" line dance she co-created has gone viral and reached the top of Sirius XM's Kids Place Live charts.

As the Chief Arts Officer of Arts For Learning Maryland - a nonprofit working to transform learning through the arts for more than 250,000 Maryland students annually, Culture Queen founded and produced "Blacktastic: A Virtual Children's Festival," which was attended by over 59,000 students across the State of Maryland. Jessica holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theatre Education from Virginia Commonwealth University and is pursuing a master's at Morgan State University. Jessica received the PGCPS's 2015 Alumnus of the Year Award and was voted Top 40 Under 40 by the Prince George's Social Innovation Fund in 2011. She's the proud cat mom of two Black Baltimore City kitties, Nubia and Onyx, and enjoys playing Uno, eating cupcakes, and dancing to Stevie Wonder tunes.Pronouns: She, her, hers.

Jessica Hebron AKA Culture Queen
Performer, Author, Artist, & Educator

Josiah Henson

Author, Master Woodworker, Minister, & Abolitionist

Josiah Henson is an important figure in the fight against slavery. Born into an enslaved family in Port Tobacco, Maryland, in 1789, he was determined to escape — and in 1830, Josiah took his family north, founding the Dawn settlement in Canada to support other emancipated people. As a woodworker and minister, he led vocational training and provided stability for his community. His commitment to empowering others through craftsmanship and education reflected his vision for a society free of oppression. Josiah’s legacy extends to his autobiography, “The Life of Josiah Henson, Formerly a Slave, Now an Inhabitant of Canada, as Narrated by Himself.” This work shed light on the harsh realities of slavery and helped strengthen the abolitionist movement. Josiah’s contributions as a liberator, maker, and author are a testament to his impact on accomplishing justice and equality. Learn more about Josiah Henson by visiting the Josiah Henson Museum and Park, which preserves the house where Josiah was enslaved when a child and young adult, located in Bethesda, Maryland.

Josiah Henson
Author, Master Woodworker, Minister, & Abolitionist

Dr. Shanika Hope

Director of Computer Science Education at Google

Can a great teacher change your life? Dr. Shanika Hope knows firsthand the power that teachers have to inspire kids to do great things. Growing up in foster care, she often felt that the world was "too much" and says she sought refuge in school. Today, she says she owes her thirst for knowledge to one of her favorite teachers. As a tech educator at Google, Dr. Hope has dedicated her career to ensuring that all children have access to technology and computing. Her job is to create programming and products that support widespread access to tech education, especially in the kinds of communities where she herself grew up and, for years, was a classroom teacher.

Dr. Shanika Hope
Director of Computer Science Education at Google

Sharon Caples McDougle

Spacesuit Technician & Author

Picture an astronaut: what are they wearing? If you said an orange spacesuit, you can thank Sharon Caples McDougle, a retired spacesuit technician who worked to ensure the safety of NASA astronauts for many years. Sharon was both the first woman and first Black person to manage the Crew Escape Equipment department. She and her team were responsible for suiting up the astronauts, testing their equipment, strapping them into the space shuttles, and recovering the crew upon landing — all critical roles to ensure missions go smoothly. Since retiring, Sharon has written a children’s book about her experiences: Suit Up for Launch with Shay!

Sharon Caples McDougle
Spacesuit Technician & Author

Murjoni Merriweather

Artist

Since graduating from the Maryland Institute College of Art, Maryland artist Murjoni Merriweather has been working in clay and ceramics to talk about and celebrate Black culture. Tired of seeing Black stereotypes, Murjoni began to push back on European standards of “beauty” by producing sculptures based on real people and real experiences. These sculptures stand tall and proud, unapologetically taking up space and highlighting style niches like grillz and nail culture within Black American experiences.

Murjoni Merriweather
Artist

Dasia Taylor

Inventor

As inventor Dasia Taylor likes to say, “Age by no means defines when you can and cannot invent.” Dasia’s path to invention began in 11th grade at Iowa City West High School, where she developed low-cost “smart” sutures to help detect infections. She experimented with using beet juice to coat her cotton stitches and discovered that this allowed them to change color as they reacted to the Ph of a wound that is infected. Currently, she is a college student at the University of Iowa, as well as an entrepreneur and STEM advocate. Dasia is aspiring to obtain a patent for her "smart stitches."

Dasia Taylor
Inventor

Access for Every Maker

KID Museum is dedicated to expanding access to STEM and maker learning opportunities for all by providing free and reduced-cost opportunities to participate in our programming.

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