It is Black History Month, lest we forget. The month of February is a short, but intentionally dedicated time to appreciate the impact and legacy African Americans and the Black Diaspora have left on the U.S.

Here are events happening in St. Paul this month in honor.

Being Black and Betty Crocker

From 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 14, the Minnesota History Center, 345 W. Kellogg Blvd., hosts a free screening of TPT’s “Being Black and Betty Crocker,” a moderated conversation with Barbara Jo Davis, who in 1968 began what would be her 20-year career with General Mills. She is “a culinary visionary who helped bring Hamburger Helper Hotdish and Ken Davis BBQ to grocery store shelves, while also opening doors for new generations of women,” the Historical Society writes.

A Q&A session with light refreshments will follow the screening. Registration is recommended, but not required, at mnhs.org/events.

Black Market

From 2 to 7 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 14, at the Case building, 767 N. Eustis St., multiple vendors will sell items including food, art and “unique” shopping goods at the Black Market. The event will also feature live music, games and other opportunities for fun, according to the advertisement.

The marketplace is free and open to the public, and takes place every second Saturday of each month. The mission of the Black Market is to “assist in increasing the visibility of Black-owned businesses in MN.”

Hands-On Hip Hop

In a partnership between the Minnesota Children’s Museum and TruArtSpeaks, a series of hip-hop-focused programming will be led by multiple teaching artists. The series will feature drop-in workshops and a finale performance. All events are free with the price of the museum’s admission, $17.95-19.95.

From 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Feb 14, at the Children’s Museum in the Atrium, 10 Seventh St. W., artist Herb Johnson will teach the hip-hop dance style breaking. This event is free with the price of the museum’s admission.

From 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Feb. 21 in the Atrium, artist Jordan Hamilton will teach attendees to make graffiti-inspired art using markers, paper and collage. They will learn “basic techniques and approaches to creative graffiti lettering while developing your own unique style,” according to the museum.

From 1 to 3 p.m. Feb. 28 at the Children’s Museum in Flex Rooms 1 and 2, attendees can “participate in drop-in workshops that dive deep into the Hip Hop element of your choice.” A finale performance will follow at 4 p.m. in the Atrium.

Black To The Future! Kid’s Black History Exploration

From 4 to 7 p.m. Feb. 20, at 825 Arts, 825 University Ave. W., families and kids can learn about Black inventors, scientist and artists in celebration of Black History Month. Attendees will learn things like who invented the Supersoaker, fire extinguisher and more.

The event is free, and spots can be reserved at eventbrite.com.

Booked on Thursdays: “A Darker Wilderness: Black Nature Writing from Soil to Stars”

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From 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Feb. 26, the Minnesota History Center, 345 W. Kellogg Blvd., hosts a free informal event for people to discuss the book, “A Darker Wilderness: Black Nature Writing from Soil to Stars” by Minnesota author Erin Sharkey.

The book is “a vibrant collection of personal and lyric essays in conversation with archival objects of Black history and memory,” according to Milkweed Editions.

The Historical Society states that “whether you read a few pages, a few chapters, or finish the book, all are invited to participate.” Register for free at mnhs.org/events. Limited quantities of free copies of the book can be requested via email at engagement@mnhs.org.

Sounds of Blackness’ “Music for Martin”

From 7:30 to 9 p.m. Feb. 20 at the Ordway Center for the Performing Arts, 345 Washington St., Grammy Award-winning Twin Cities-based musical group Sounds of Blackness will perform “a celebratory tribute to Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.”

The showcase will “draw from the music that fueled the Civil Rights Movement,” featuring arrangements of gospel, spirituals, soul and jazz, including excerpts from Dr. King’s most well-known speeches.

Tickets for the show range from $30-$70 and can be purchased on ordway.org/events.

Black History Month Bookfair

From 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Feb. 21 at the HarMar Mall, 2100 Snelling Ave. N., Roseville, readers can shop books from Black authors. Featured authors include: Dr. Artika Tyner of “The Inclusive Leader and Justice Makes a Difference,” Lanell Lightfoot of “Sing” and Nasra Noor of “My Mommy is a Schoolteacher.”

OMG Studios Presents Soul Sista Unplugged

From 6 to 10 p.m. Feb. 21 at OMG Studios, 550 Vandalia St., Suite 220, singer Jamela Pettiford will perform soulful songs, featuring original work along with classic tunes. The evening will also include poetry and storytelling. Wine and appetizers will be served.

The concert is 21+. Tickets cost $49.87 and can be purchased on eventbrite.com.

Black History Month: Black Girl Magic!

From 2 to 5 p.m. Feb. 22 at 825 Arts, 825 University Ave. W., Black beauticians will show off Black hairstyles and celebrate Black girl magic with candle making, karaoke and double Dutch. “It’s a space for Black women to shine,” according to the event advertisement. The event is free, and spots can be reserved on eventbrite.com.

Coffee Chat: 25th Infantry

From 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. Feb. 26 and Feb 28 at Historic Fort Snelling, 200 Tower Ave., the Minnesota Historical Society hosts Coffee Chat: 25th Infantry, a lecture discussion event about the Twenty-Fifth Infantry Regiment (“Buffalo Soldiers”) who were assigned to Fort Snelling from 1882 to 1888. “The soldiers and musicians contributed to the rich social and cultural life of the Black communities in the Twin Cities and beyond,” the Historical Society states.

Rooted: A Southern Tasting Experience

From 1 to 2:30 p.m. Feb. 28 at Mississippi Market, 740 E. Seventh St., Black Roots Sauces & Seasonings hosts a guided tasting demonstration of soul food staples and innovations like mustard greens, black-eyed pea hummus, roasted chicken and garlic aioli.

Tickets are $27.47 and can be purchased through eventbrite.com.

Bryant Alexander and Chivo Presents: Black Comedy Excellence

Looking for a laugh? From 8 to 9:30 p.m. Feb 28 at TWG Comedy, 282 Sixth St. E., Suite 102, Bryant Alexander and Chivo bring St. Paul the “best in Black comedy excellence,” according to their advertisement.

Tickets are $17.85 and can be purchased on eventbrite.com.

Artist and Archives: Community Collaging Event

From 1 to 4 p.m. Feb 28 at the Minnesota History Center, 345 W. Kellogg Blvd., participants are invited to bring copies of photos, letters, flyers or stories “that reflect their lived experiences, families, and neighborhoods,” and create collages.

The event is free, and no art experience is needed as materials will be provided. Light refreshments will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. For more information and to register, visit mnhs.org/events.

Want to celebrate with your stomach?

Here’s a listing of Black-owned restaurants we compiled in 2020 after George Floyd’s murder.

Some others include:

Bole, 1341 Pascal St.
West Indies Soul Food, 839 University Ave.
La Boulangerie Marguerite, 1279 Randolph Ave.
Cookie Cart, 946 Payne Ave.
Burnt Chicken, 858 Payne Ave.
Golden Thyme Restaurant & Bar, 934 Selby Ave.
Demera Ethiopian Restaurant, 823 University Ave. W.
Erta Ale Ethiopian Restaurant, 308 E. Prince St., Suite 140
Hyacinth, 790 Grand Ave.
La Fusion Café, 360 Sherman St., Suite 165
Kitchen Concepts Comfort Food, Rayette Lofts, 261 Fifth St. E.

For coffee: Flava Café, 623 University Ave. W.; Storehouse Grocers and Coffee, 781 E. Seventh St.

For a drink: MetroNOME Brewery and Dark Horse Bar & Eatery, both in Lowertown.

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By ALEXA ST. JOHN, Associated Press

DETROIT (AP) — The Environmental Protection Agency announced an end Thursday to credits to automakers who install automatic start-stop ignition systems in their vehicles, a device intended to reduce emissions that EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin said “everyone hates.”

In remarks with President Donald Trump on Thursday at the White House, Zeldin called start-stop technology the “Obama switch” and said it makes vehicles “die” at every red light and stop sign. He said the credits, which also applied to options like improved air conditioning systems, are now “over, done, finished.”

Zeldin repeated the generally-debunked claims that start-stop systems — which are mostly useful for city driving — are harmful to vehicles, asserting Thursday that “it kills the battery of your car without any significant benefit to the environment.”

This latest Trump administration move to cut automotive industry efforts to clean up their cars and reduce transportation-driven emissions came as Zeldin and Trump also announced a broader repeal of the scientific finding known as endangerment that has been the central basis for regulating U.S. greenhouse gas emissions.

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Start-stop is a technology that automatically shuts down a vehicle’s engine when a driver comes to a complete stop, and then automatically restarts the engine when the driver takes their foot off the brake pedal. Developed in response to the 1970s oil crisis, the feature was intended to cut vehicle idling, fuel consumption and emissions.

About two-thirds of vehicles now have it, providing drivers with anywhere from 7% to 26% in fuel economy savings, according to the Society of Automotive Engineers. Start-stop also causes a split-second lag in acceleration, a point of irritation for some consumers and automotive enthusiasts.

Burning gasoline and diesel fuel for transportation is a major contributor to planet-warming gases such as carbon dioxide, methane and more, according to the EPA. By implementing the systems, automakers could earn credits toward meeting federal emissions reduction rules.

“Countless Americans passionately despise the start/stop feature in cars,” Zeldin wrote in a post on X on Tuesday teasing the announcement. “So many have spoken out against this absurd start-stop-start-stop-start-stop concept.”

The announcement made good on Zeldin’s promises last year to “fix” the feature. Start-stop is “where your car dies at every red light so companies get a climate participation trophy,” Zeldin said in a post on X last May. “EPA approved it, and everyone hates it, so we’re fixing it,” he wrote at the time.

Zeldin’s announcement aligns with the administration’s broader attacks on cleaner-vehicle efforts. Trump eliminated the Biden administration’s target for half of all new vehicle sales in the U.S. to be electric by 2030, and signed Congress’ tax and spending bill that ended federal tax credits for new and used electric vehicle purchases.

The administration is also weakening rules for how far new vehicles must travel on average on a gallon of gasoline as it undermines the climate regulation at the core of auto tailpipe emissions.

Jeep-maker Stellantis welcomes the deregulatory effort, a spokesperson’s statement said: “We remain supportive of a rational, achievable approach on fuel economy standards that preserves our customers’ freedom of choice.”

A Ford Motor Co. statement said: “We appreciate the work of President Trump and Administrator Zeldin to address the imbalance between current emissions standards and customer choice.”

General Motors deferred comment to the auto industry group Alliance for Automotive Innovation.

“I’ve said it before: Automotive emissions regulations finalized in the previous administration are extremely challenging for automakers to achieve given the current marketplace demand for EVs,” said John Bozzella, president of the alliance. “The auto industry in America remains focused on preserving vehicle choice for consumers, keeping the industry competitive, and staying on a long-term path of emissions reductions and cleaner vehicles.”

Alexa St. John is an Associated Press climate reporter. Follow her on X: @alexa_stjohn. Reach her at ast.john@ap.org.

The Associated Press’ climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.

Singer/songwriter Aimee Mann, R&B star Dijon and rapper Lil Yachty are among the acts that will play the revived Eaux Claires festival July 24 and 25 at Carson Park in Eau Claire, Wis.

Tickets go on sale at 11 a.m. Friday via eauxclaires.com.

Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon co-founded the festival, which takes place in his hometown, with Aaron Dessner of the National in 2015. For four summers, the pair brought an eclectic mix of artists to Foster Farms, just outside Eau Claire, including Paul Simon, Wilco, Spoon, John Prine, Erykah Badu, Sturgill Simpson and Chance the Rapper as well as Bon Iver and the National.

In 2018, organizers did not release the lineup in advance. The festival lost money and, later that year, announced they were taking a year off. That turned into eight years and a move from the outskirts to the center of town.

Bon Iver is not scheduled to perform, but Vernon will take the stage with Bon Dylan, his tribute to Minnesota’s own Bob Dylan. Vernon may also join Dijon, as he sat in on his “Saturday Night Live” performance in December.

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The full lineup for July 24 includes Mann, Bizhiki, Black Sabbath Cover Band Rehearsal, Bon Dylan, Hotline TNT, Jon Cleary and the Absolute Monster Gentlemen, Kevin Morby, Monica Martin and the Union featuring Phil Cook.

The July 25 bill features Daniel Caesar, Dijon, Gash, Gully Boys, Julianna Barwick and Mary Lattimore, Larry Goldings Trio, Lil Yachty, Nathan and the Zydeco Cha Chas and Revelation.

The festival will also offer a series of writers in residence who will present readings, discussions and collaborations from two dozen scribes, including Michael Perry, Sheila Heti, Hala Alyan and Sean Thor Conroe. In the coming months, organizers will announce “a full program of fair activities and added fun across Carson Park” as well as an additional “very special guest.”

A $4 million small business support fund administered by the Minneapolis Foundation is now accepting applications from business owners.

The Economic Response Fund will distribute grants of $2,500 to $10,000 to eligible small businesses depending upon demonstrated needed and available funding. The goal is to support Twin Cities businesses who have suffered temporary closures, workforce challenges, reduced revenue or safety and security concerns during Operation Metro Surge, the federal immigration enforcement action.

Grants can be used to cover rent, payroll, utilities, insurance, temporary relocation, security, inventory, legal assistance or translation help. Businesses with a maximum of 40 employees may apply. Political campaigns, personal expenses, nonprofits, local governments and individuals are not eligible.

The grants will be distributed through seven nonprofit organizations, including the African Development Center, the Lake Street Council, the Latino Economic Development Center, LISC MN, Neighborhood Development Center, PFund Foundation and the West Bank Business Association.

For more information, visit tinyurl.com/ERFSurge2026. To contribute to the fund, visit tinyurl.com/ERFDonation.

When the Latino Economic Development Center in St. Paul surveyed its members in January, it found 44% had temporarily closed. Fewer than 20% were operating normally, and 28% were open with limitations, such as shortened hours.

With immigrant businesses in mind, Gov. Tim Walz has declared February “Shop Local” month and encouraged residents to visit neighborhood stores and restaurants for their everyday purchases.

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