Black History Month Walking Tours
Fridays | Feb. 6, 13, 20 | 1 pm
The Town of Wake Forest and the Wake Forest Historical Museum are partnering to offer free Black History Month Walking Tours of the Northeast Community the first three Fridays in February at 1 p.m.
Pre-registration is required. Space is limited to the first 15 participants to sign up for each tour.
Led by staff from Historic Preservation Planning and the Wake Forest Historical Museum, the tours will include Olive Branch Baptist Church, Alston-Massenburg Center, the newly restored Ailey Young House, the African American Cemetery, and more. Along the way, each group will discuss the developmental and architectural history of the area, along with the significant men and women who shaped the Northeast Community. Tours are outside only and will not include the inside of individual homes or buildings.
Each tour is approximately 90 minutes and will begin at Taylor Street Park, 416 N. Taylor St., proceed west along East Juniper Avenue, south on North White Street, east on East Spring Street, and north along North Taylor Street back to Taylor Street Park.
For complete details, visit our website or contact Michelle Michael at 919-435-9516.
Ailey Young House Tour
Friday, Feb. 27 | 1-4 pm
The Ailey Young House, located in the 300 block of North White Street, will be open 1-4 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 27. No registration is required.
The Ailey Young House may be the oldest remaining African-American historic building in Wake Forest. It has historical significance as a rare example of Reconstruction-era African American architecture, the home of Ailey and Henry Young, and childhood home of Allen Young, a significant citizen and educator in Wake Forest. It is believed that the house was constructed as rental housing by Wake Forest College Professor William G. Simmons and was one of a number of houses along a stretch of N. White Street known as "Simmons Row." These houses appear on the 1915 to 1936 Sanborn Fire Insurance map. After Professor Simmons' death in 1889, his widow, Mary Elizabeth subdivided his land and sold most of it to African American families.
Freedom Songs: The Music of Black History
Saturday, Feb 21 | 11 am
Alston-Massenburg Center, 416 N. Taylor St.
Bright Star Touring Theatre, a national professional touring theatre company based in Asheville, NC, will offer a free performance of “Freedom Songs: The Music of Black History” on Saturday, Feb. 21, at 11 a.m. at the Alston-Massenburg Center, 416 N. Taylor St.
From the soulful work songs sung in the fields during slavery, through the rhythms of Ragtime and Jazz, to the powerful voices of R&B and the spirituals that fueled the Civil Rights movement- this play traces the vital role of music in the journey of Black Americans. It's a moving story of resilience, resistance, and hope, told through the soundscape of history. No cost to attend. First-come, first-seated. This event is supported by a grant from the United Arts Council of Raleigh and Wake County.
For more information, email Debra Horton.
Minority & Women-Owned Business Expo
Saturday, Feb 28 | 1-4 pm
Wake Forest Renaissance Centre, 405 S. Brooks St.
The Wake Forest Human Relations Council will host the 2026 Minority & Women-Owned Business Expo on Saturday, Feb. 28, from 1-4 p.m. at the Wake Forest Renaissance Centre, 405 S. Brooks St.
Free to the public, the event will bring enterprising professionals together from the Wake Forest community to network and showcase their products and services.