The air at the Friendship Bench in Mt Pleasant pulsed with rhythm and reflection last week as poetry rang out, pages turned in quiet reverence and melodies swelled into song.
From intimate book readings to electrifying hip-hop, artistes transformed the evening to a tapestry of sound and story, marking Black History Month with a celebration both local and global in spirit.
Held under the theme Black History Month: An Evening of Spoken Word, the showcase featured readings by Zaza Muchemwa, Mercedes LaVel Crosby — a US diplomat — and Aimuanwosa Andrew. Poetry performances by Tadana Nakai, Mambo Guramatunhu, Batsirai Chigama, Taku Goniwa and Kuda Rice followed.
The tempo rose with hip-hop and dance by Nyasha Munashe and Banshee, mbira rhythms by Nasibo, solo guitar by Mwendamberi and vocals by Vera.
Curated by Khumbulani Muleya, the event formed part of the global Sofar Sounds series, staged the same day in cities including Malzéville, Luxembourg, Barcelona, London, Ottawa, New York City, Miami, Atlanta, Chicago, San Diego and Los Angeles.
Muleya said the Harare edition united Zimbabwe’s creative community to honour cultural links between African- American history and local artistic expression.
“This event is part of the Freedom 250 commemoration, celebrating America's 250th anniversary and the enduring power of artistic expression as an instrument of freedom. Sofar is a multi-dimensional storytelling platform that incorporates all the things that I have a passion for. For this recent edition, we had a potpourri of creative expressions including poetry, book readings, visual art, cultural history and music,” he said.
In her remarks, counsellor for public affairs Melinda Crowley said the programme marked America’s upcoming 250th anniversary of independence — Freedom 250 — and a century of Black History Month observance in the United States.
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She highlighted the contributions of Black Americans in science, technology, business, education and public service, citing figures such as Mae Jemison and Patricia Bath as examples of excellence and innovation.
Crowley noted that Black American cultural forms — from jazz and blues to hip-hop and spoken word — have had global influence, including in Zimbabwe and that artistic expression remains a powerful tool for advancing freedom and shared democratic values.
Beyond performance, the evening underscored the role of arts and culture in fostering dialogue, confronting painful histories and imagining shared futures.
The Harare gathering demonstrated how creative collaboration can bridge continents, linking African and African- American narratives through rhythm and reflection.
