February is Black History Month, and while certain autocrats in power would like to undo that celebration, the Brooklyn Museum is honoring BHM in the return of “First Saturdays,” a free after-hours series begun in 1998, held on the first Saturday of select months. Starting off the 2026 series on February 7 is “Imitate No One,” a phrase taken from the poem “I Am New York City,” by the late Black poet Jayne Cortez (1934–2012): “i am new york city / never-change-never-sleep-never-melt / my shoes are incognito.” The evening will include a tribute to Cortez and a performance by Firespitters, the band formed by Cortez and her son with husband Ornette Coleman, jazz drummer Denardo Coleman, to mesh with her poetry. The lineup also includes DJs (Auntie Spice and Monday Blue); the Brooklyn Ecumenical Choir; magician Nicole Cardoza, with a performance centering on Black and women magicians, and other festivities (signature cocktails!).
Another inspiration for the evening is the exhibition Seydou Keïta: A Tactile Lens, dedicated to the self-taught Malian portrait photographer (1921-2001); take a tour with art historian and curator Catherine E. McKinley. To save money, Keïta took only a single shot for each picture, and once said, “It’s easy to take a photo, but what really made a difference was that I always knew how to find the right position, and I never was wrong.” Then, if you’re so inspired, experiment with Polaroids in a Hands-On Art session.
Next up, March 7, will be ”Freedom Is an Everyday Struggle,” in celebration of Women’s History Month and the exhibition Everyday Rebellions: Collection Conversations. Free tickets are first come, first served, released on a rolling basis, with the next ticket drop February 2; registration includes general admission to the museum. Also good to know for your everyday viewing: Although the general admission price for adults is $20 (seniors and students, $14), the Brooklyn Museum still maintains a pay-what-you-can policy if you pay in person at the admissions desk. So we can all afford to invite some art, music, and poetry into our lives right now, and right now it might really help. ❖
First Saturday: Imitate No One
February 7, 5–10 p.m.
The Brooklyn Museum
200 Eastern Parkway
