Beyoncé Madame Tussauds wax figure
Key Lime Photography/Courtesy of Madame TussaudsSince 1976, Black History Month — aka African American History Month — has been observed each February to celebrate the far-reaching achievements of Black people and illuminate their instrumental role in U.S. history. Updated weekly as part of Billboard’s 2022 Black History Month observance, here’s a roundup of industry events, special programming and other projects happening this month. This week’s update includes new entries from PBS, Hulu, Madame Tussauds, Soundcloud and more.
ASCAP
ASCAP’s Black History Month Instagram campaign will feature daily posts at 3 p.m. ET via the organization’s @ASCAP and @ASCAPUrban accounts. Each post will include fun facts, photos and reels about Black artists, songwriters and composers including Stevie Wonder, Charley Pride, Mary J. Blige and Whitney Houston.
Samsung TV Plus
Samsung TV Plus’ more than 200 free channels will offer live, on-demand content including sports, news and entertainment ranging from critically acclaimed documentaries and popular film marathons to news and entertainment programs. Vevo’s music video channels will feature genre-specific visuals by fan-favorite Black artists and Afro-Latino artists. Fuse Backstage will air All in With Black History Month, which will delve into the stories behind R&B/hip-hop’s most notable acts including Nicki Minaj, Tupac Shakur, Kanye West, Dr. Dre and Rihanna.
Amazon Music
As part of the newly announced Black Culture Is…, Amazon Music will offer a monthlong collection of live streams, Amazon Original songs, playlists and more featuring outstanding Black artists and creators including Summer Walker, Cordae, Wayno, Muni Long, Unusual Demont and more. Fans can catch the latter’s never-before-heard cover of Outkast’s hit song “Prototype.” New episodes of CONNECTED With Wayno and Group Thread will also air throughout the month.
Madame Tussauds
Madame Tussauds will continue honoring some of the most successful music artists of all-time this Black History Month. Stunning wax figures of music greats including Beyoncé, Snoop Dogg, Jennifer Hudson and the late Billie Holiday will be displayed at multiple Madame Tussauds location including Las Vegas, New York, and California’s bustling Hollywood through February. Other icons including Maya Angelou, Serena Williams and Angela Bassett will also be honored.
Soundcloud
Soundcloud is celebrating “Black Health and Wellness” this Black History Month with curated content and playlists that spotlight Black excellence and creativity. Playlists were created by rising artists including Jalen Santoy, India Shawn and Smooky MarGielaa. Soundcloud will also launch a social media tastemaker series that tells incredible stories using interviews, animations and quotes.
Peacock
Peacock will air programs, films and documentaries from Black creators including the newly rebooted Bel-Air (premiering Feb. 13) and The Sit In: Harry Belafonte Hosts The Tonight Show. The platform will also air fan-favorite sitcoms including Everybody Hates Chris and The Bernie Mac Show. Original series Take Note and The Amber Ruffin Show will premiere Feb. 24 and 25 respectively.
Disney
All month-long, Disney presents Music For The Movement — a music playlist that explores social injustice movements of the past and present with a focus on Black protest songs and anthems. The collection of songs is available for streaming on Spotify, Apple Music, Pandora, YouTube Music, YouTube and Vevo.
PBS Stations
The life of living legend Irma Thomas will be celebrated in the special documentary Irma: My Life in Music, set to air on PBS stations nationwide through spring. Produced by Michael Murphy Productions in partnership with the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Foundation and distributed nationally by American Public Television, the 90-minute film will feature performance footage from Thomas, plus an extensive interview with the singer.
Meta
Meta’s Quest 2 is offering on-demand, virtual reality musical experiences for Horizon Venues App users. Beginning Feb. 4 with rollouts continuing through the month, the VR festivities include a DJ session with Snoop Dogg (aka DJ Snoopadelic) that is live now, a jam session with The Roots band (Feb. 14-20), an inside look at Young Thug’s celebratory Pink album concert (Feb. 21-28) and a special program with Big Freedia (Feb. 22). In addition to its Black History Month musical offerings, Meta will also provide 360° VR films including The People’s House, which features never-before-seen footage from the White House with narration by former President Barack Obama, plus In Protest: Grassroots Stories from the Front Lines which chronicles the unsung heroes of the Black Lives Matter movement.
Smithsonian Channel
In partnership with MTV Entertainment Studios, the Smithsonian Channel will premiere the four-part docuseries One Thousand Years of Slavery – The Untold Story on Feb. 7 at 8 p.m. ET/PT in the U.S. and Canada. Executive produced by Angela Bassett and husband Courtney B. Vance’s Bassett Vance Productions, the limited docuseries will spotlight previously untold stories about enslavement with special commentary from producer Debbie Allen, Sen. Cory Booker and producer Lorraine Toussaint, among other speakers.
VH1
VH1 has merged Love & Hip Hop and Black Ink Crew to create Love & Hip Hop: Lineage to Legacy, a two-part special that explores African ancestry. Hosted by Dometi Pongo of MTV News, the program will celebrate Africa’s rich history while addressing the aftermath of slavery and stereotypes in Black culture. Part one premieres Feb. 7 on VH1 while part two airs Valentine’s Day, Feb. 14.
STARZ
STARZ will premiere Maurice Hines: Bring Them Back, a new documentary highlighting the life of Maurice Hines from tap-dancing child prodigy to industry veteran. It will be available for streaming through next year beginning Feb. 8 at 8 p.m. ET. The 92-minute watch, directed by John Carluccio, features firsthand accounts from Hines plus commentary from Debbie Allen, Chita Rivera and Mercedes Ellington.
PBS
PBS will commemorate the life of Jerry Lawson, lead singer and founder of acapella group The Persuasions, in a documentary titled Just a Mortal Man: The Jerry Lawson Story that premieres Feb. 10. The Persuasions were popularly known for hit songs including “I Really Got It Bad For You” (1974).
Showtime
Showtime Documentary Films will present the three-part docuseries Everything’s Gonna Be All White on Friday, Feb. 11 at 8 p.m. ET/PT. The limited series explores the history of race and racism in the U.S. from the perspective of people of color. Directed by filmmaker Sacha Jenkins (B—–n’: The Sound and Fury of Rick James), the project includes insights from historians, commentators, actors, activists and artists including Amanda Seales, Jemele Hill, Tamika Mallory and Styles P.
Greenwich Entertainment
Greenwich Entertainment’s Ronnie’s honors late saxophonist Ronnie Scott and his iconic namesake London jazz club, which opened in October 1959. The film debuts in theaters and on-demand on Feb. 11. It includes footage from previously unseen performances captured at the club by a host of groundbreaking Black acts including Miles Davis, Nina Simone, Ella Fitzgerald and Jimi Hendrix.
Carnegie Hall’s Afrofuturism Festival
Carnegie Hall’s Afrofuturism Festival in New York kicks off Feb. 12 at 8 p.m. ET with a debut headlining performance by rapper-producer Flying Lotus. The two-month long festival will include more than 80 live and virtual events, including musical acts, exhibitions, chats, film screenings and more. Sun Ra Arkestra, Fatoumata Diawara, Theo Croker and Carl Craig are also slated to perform.
Discovery+
From executive producers Tina Knowles-Lawson, Kristen V. Carter and Trell Thomas, four-part docuseries Profiled: The Black Man examines the origins of widespread stereotypes that have impacted the lives of Black men in America for centuries. Premiering Feb. 12 on Discovery+, the project debunks longstanding misjudgments and assumptions and includes commentary from Sway Calloway and Billy Porter.
Hulu
Directed by renowned filmmaker Barry Avrich, Hulu’s “docu-concert” film Oscar Peterson: Black + White explores the life and legacy of the late Peterson from childhood to fame. Packed with firsthand accounts and interviews from Peterson’s widow Kelly, Billy Joel, Herbie Hancock, Quincy Jones and more, the film will beginn streaming Feb. 15 on Hulu.
Netflix
Netflix will premiere the highly anticipated three-part series Jeen-Yuhs: A Kanye Trilogy on Feb. 16. Act 1 of the trilogy is slated to premiere exclusively in U.S. theaters on Feb. 10. The project is directed by duo Coodie & Chike, and delves into Ye’s (formerly known as Kanye West) life and career journey from struggling artist to international sensation. Jeen-Yuhs: A Kanye Trilogy also boasts never-before-seen footage of Ye during his formative years.
VH1
Nick Cannon’s hit series Wild ‘N Out will celebrate its 300th episode on VH1 Feb. 22 at 8 p.m. ET/PT. As part of Wild ‘N Out’s three-week partnership with Super League Gaming, a live metaverse game experience dubbed Wild ‘N Out: Metaverse Remix will launch immediately after the premiere. Players will be able to use Minehut, a part of Super League’s Minecraft gaming community.
PBS and World Channel
The life of civil rights icon Fannie Lou Hamer is being celebrated in the upcoming Fannie Lou Hamer’s America, a documentary that showcases her story, music and battle for voting rights. Directed by Joy Davenport, it premieres Feb. 22 on PBS and airs again on Feb. 24 via the World Channel.
Disney+
Proud Family fans can watch Disney+ on Feb. 23 to catch the premiere of The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder, a modern spin-off of the early aughts classic. Kyla Pratt returns as the voice of Penny Proud. She’s accompanied by new voiceovers from KeKe Palmer, Billy Porter and more. The show’s reimagined theme song is performed by rising R&B singer Joyce Wrice.
53rd NAACP Image Awards
Black-ish actor Anthony Anderson returns as host of the NAACP Image Awards for the ninth consecutive year. The ceremony will air Saturday, Feb. 26, at 8 p.m. ET/PT on BET. Due to COVID-19, the two-hour live TV special will be recorded without an in-person audience. With six nominations, H.E.R. leads this year’s contingent of music nominees.
NEWS
It has been just over seven months since Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce revealed their engagement through an Instagram post that quickly went viral.
Since that announcement, both stars have stayed extremely busy with their careers. Swift dropped her 15th No. 1 album on the Billboard 200, The Life of a Showgirl, in October, selling an impressive 4 million equivalent album units. Around the same time, Kelce confirmed he would return to the Kansas City Chiefs for his 14th NFL season earlier this month.
Even though they have both expressed excitement about organizing their wedding, their current focus remains on their professional commitments.
“I’m just doing the album thing now,” Swift shared during an October interview on The Graham Norton Show after Norton asked whether wedding preparations had started. “And then I think the wedding is after that.”
After Swift and Kelce made their first joint awards show appearance at the iHeartRadio Music Awards on March 26, curiosity about their wedding plans has started building again.
People close to the couple, often referred to as the Tayvis circle, have mostly stayed quiet about any confirmed plans. Kelce’s mother Donna Kelce declined to comment when approached by a photographer at LAX about whether she would help with the planning. “I’m just happy. I’m so happy for them,” she said.
At the same time, Swift’s future sister in law Kylie Kelce, who is married to Travis’ brother Jason, asked listeners on her Not Gonna Lie podcast on April 2 to stop asking for insider information. “Quit asking me and my mother in law [Donna] about upcoming nuptials,” she said directly to viewers. “Nobody’s f—ing telling you anything.” She continued by saying, “I don’t have any details. I have no details. I have none. Look at that. That’s how many details I have. None. None.”
While Donna and Kylie have chosen to stay private, a handful of people within the couple’s inner circle, including Taylor and Travis themselves, have occasionally shared small insights about the wedding.
Here is what has been revealed so far about the Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce wedding.
Swift is interested in having the ceremony in another location
During an interview on BBC Radio 1, host Greg James thanked Swift for supposedly inviting him to the celebration, joking that although he usually avoids destination weddings, he would gladly attend hers. When he asked where she might hold the event, Swift kept things mysterious, replying, “I’m going to let you know at a different time.”
The guest list could be very large
If you are hoping to receive an invitation to the Tayvis wedding, there might actually be a chance.
During an October 2025 appearance on The Graham Norton Show, Swift joked that Norton would eventually find out when he asked whether the wedding might take place in 2026. She clarified that she plans to invite him along with practically everyone she has spent time with.
“I know it’s going to be fun to plan because I think the only stressful weddings are the ones where you have a small amount, and people are on the bubble,” Swift said. “And you have to evaluate or assess your relationship with them to see if they should be there. I’m not going to do that.”
She added, “Anyone I’ve ever talked to.”
Watch the full clip below.
A live band will probably provide the music
It appears the couple is leaning toward live performers rather than a DJ.
On a September episode of the Kelce brothers’ New Heights podcast, guest Jimmy Fallon asked Travis whether they had begun thinking about wedding details.
“Are you gonna do DJ or band? Are you thinking about all this stuff?” Fallon asked.
Kelce answered by sharing their preference, saying, “Yeah, I think we’re live music kind of people, you know?”
Although he likely would not be the only performer, Swift hinted in an October interview with Hits Radio that her close friend and collaborator Ed Sheeran could perform during the celebration.
“It’s like, ‘Ed, if there’s a stage, you know that you’ll be on it,” Swift said. “He knows what people want and he wants to give people what they want.”
The wedding could happen before summer ends
Fans hoping for an autumn themed ceremony might be disappointed, as the couple may be considering a summer timeframe.
During a January 2025 episode of New Heights, recorded months before the engagement, Kelce explained why fall weddings can be difficult due to the football season.
“I actually don’t know people who have gotten married in the fall,” he said. “All the weddings I’ve been to, and all my friends do it in the summer.”
If they do move forward with a wedding this year, it may happen before the end of the summer. Kelce recently confirmed he would return to the Chiefs for another season, partly inspired by Swift’s dedication to her work. ESPN reporter Nate Taylor also mentioned that Kelce “plans to marry [Swift] before training camp,” which begins July 22. If they want to avoid conflicts with football, the ceremony would likely need to happen before that date.
Invitations may not have been sent yet
Even with speculation pointing toward a summer ceremony, no confirmed date has been publicly shared, and even people close to them say they are unsure.
In a September interview on SiriusXM’s Small Stage Series, Ed Sheeran said he had not yet received a save the date. He also mentioned that he found out about their engagement through Instagram just like everyone else.
“You didn’t even get a DM in advance?” host Andy Cohen asked.
“No,” Sheeran responded.
More recently, Kylie Kelce said during a January appearance on Today with Savannah Guthrie that she had no idea whether the wedding would happen this year.
“I’m not gonna lie,” Kylie admitted when discussing how little she knows about the plans.
Kylie also repeated that she has no inside information during an appearance on the podcast Conversations With Cam. “I would love to give you all the details. I don’t have them,” she said after host Cam Rogers asked what fans should expect from the wedding.
