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More than 25 things to watch to help you #staywoke during Black History Month

It would be easy enough to point your remote toward BET or PBS and let it sit there for the rest of Black History Month. But there are programs that can provide a slice of history, entertainment or insight all over.

And that includes some local events that join in the annual celebration of the history, traditions and culture of black people the world over.

Here's enough for February and beyond.

The Quad: Jasmine Guy (A Different World, The Vampire Diaries) co-stars in this new series that takes viewers into life at a historically black college (HBCU) through the eyes of its new president (Anika Noni Rose, Dreamgirls) and a few freshmen that include her reluctant daughter. This drama-filled and quick-paced TV movie serves as the series premiere. The series began at 9 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 1, on BET.

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Madiba: Laurence Fishburne plays Nelson Mandela in this biopic centered on the fight to stop apartheid. The first night of the miniseries began at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 1, on BET.

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Showtime at the Apollo: Steve Harvey is at it again, hosting the revived series with scheduled performances from Chaka Khan, T.I., Mike Epps and Gabriel Iglesias. The famed Apollo Theater in Harlem has hosted a history of black American music over its more than 70 years hosting the performances. Fox revived the series last year with planned quarterly specials. On the Fox app

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Comedy Get Down: It's almost as if the Avengers were assembling, if they had cutting, laugh-inducing comments on society and pop culture. Cedric The Entertainer, Eddie Griffin, D.L. Hughley, George Lopez and Charlie Murphy co-headline what's sure to be a laughfest on Feb. 10 at 8 p.m. at American Airlines Center, 2500 Victory Ave. Neither of these comedians is known for holding back their feelings or their opinions. Hughley, who has been especially vocal in this political season, and Cedric the Entertainer were two of the Original Kings of Comedy. But each entry on this bill has made a name for themselves through eponymous sitcoms, movies and sketch shows, some of them all at once. The doors open at 6:30 p.m. Tickets range from $66.96-$80.96 at Ticketmaster.

The 48th NAACP Image Awards:  The organization honors film, television, books and humanitarianism in what can be a glitzy, emotional awards ceremony. Texans are represented well in the nominees, with many of them nominated for more than one award: Beyonce is nominated for entertainer of the year, outstanding female artist, outstanding song, outstanding album, outstanding music video and her Lemonade is nominated for variety series or special. Marsai Martin of Plano is nominated for supporting actress in a comedy series and outstanding performance by a youth. And the gospel album category is stacked with North Texans with Tamela Mann (also nominated for outstanding song-traditional), Myron Butler and Fred Hammond all nominated. Little Elm's Trevante Rhodes (Moonlight) is nominated for supporting actor. 8 p.m. Feb. 11 on TV One

Harry Belafonte's acceptance speech during the 2013 NAACP Image Awards: Who can forget Harry Belafonte's speech upon accepting the Springarn Medal in 2013? You don't want to miss another moment like that. In fact, just go ahead and press play and watch it right now. I'll wait.

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The Legacy of Harry Belafonte: Legacy Recordings will release the CD also titled, When Colors Come Together, on Feb. 24. Belafonte, who will turn 90 in March, curated the compilation that will include a children's choir recording of the title track to his 1957 film, Islands in the Sun. Belafonte, a groundbreaking artist in many other ways including in his activism, was the first act to sell more than a million copies of his album.

The Academy Awards: With Viola Davis scooping up the Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild awards on her way to the Oscars ceremony and Denzel getting the SAG Award for Fences, it might be safe to say that #OscarsGoneBeBlack. Oh, and a there's a little film called Moonlight and a big one called Hidden Figures, too. 6 p.m. Feb. 26 on ABC

The Grammys: Arlington's Maren Morris is nominated for best new artist and nominee and Fort Worth native Tamela Mann will perform with Arlington resident Kirk Franklin and Chance the Rapper, who are also nominated. #GrammysGoneBeBlackToo Feb. 12 on ABC

The Talk: Race In America: There is a conversation in black and Latino households that occurs with the children about how to proceed when the children interact with the police. This two-hour documentary takes a 360-degree look at "The Talk" in communities around the country, including Long Beach, Calif.; St. Louis, Mo.; Richland County, S.C.; and Cleveland, Ohio.  There is also a social media campaign, with more content at PBS.org/thetalk. Feb. 20 at 8 p.m. on PBS

Maya Angelou: And Still I Rise: This entry into the 31st season of American Masters features the "redwood tree, with deep roots in American culture," Dr. Maya Angelou. Dr. Angelou, who was a dancer, singer, actress, poet and writer, died in 2014. This is the first documentary about her extraordinary life; it will be released on DVD on Feb. 21, the same day it premieres on PBS at 7 p.m.

BET Presents American Black Film Festival Honors: Actress Regina Hall (Think Like a Man) will host this year's ceremony. Nominees for movie of the year include The Birth of a Nation, Fences, Hidden Figures, Moonlight and Queen of Katwe. The nominees for television show of the year are Atlanta, Blackish, Insecure, Power and Queen Sugar. 7 p.m. BET and Centric

The Obama Years: The Power of Words: Jesse Williams (Grey's Anatomy, officially woke as in Stay Woke: The Black Lives Matter Movement) narrates the special about the "writer in chief," President Barack Obama. The documentary looks at six of Obama's speeches, including the 2004 National Democratic Convention keynote address and "Amazing Grace," his eulogy for those slain in a church in South Carolina. Feb. 27 at 7 p.m. on Smithsonian Channel

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Jesse Williams' speech during the 2016 BET Awards: Speaking of Jesse Williams ... This is what he had to say when he accepted the humanitarian award last year: "What's gonna happen is we are going to have equal rights and justice in our own country or we are going to or we will restructure their function and ours." All right, young man.

"America Reframed": The fifth season of this series will open at 8 p.m. Feb. 14 with A New Color: The Art of Being Edythe Boone, a documentary about the self-taught artist from East Harlem. Each Tuesday will feature a new selection. World Channel

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African-American Gospel History and Concert: Sugar Boy Myers and his Praise Band, accompanied by vocalist Walter Jackson, willl perform a free show at 3:30 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 12, at Allen Public Library.

13th: Nominated for an Academy Award for best documentary feature, Ava DuVernay (Selma) takes a thought-provoking look at the ties that bind the boom in the U.S. prison population and the criminilization of black people. Netflix

Eve's Bayou: Young Eve (Jurnee Smollett before she became Smollett-Bell) tells the story of her philandering father, played by Samuel L. Jackson, and the repercussions of a hot summer in 1962 Louisiana. It's only available on DVD through Netflix, but you can find it playing all over cable. 

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Living Black History: New York radio station WBLS-FM 107.5 celebrates Black History Month with this digital and on-air series that talks with people making history right now. The first episode was with the co-chair of the Women's March on Washington, Tamika Mallory. Also included in the series are Arva Rice, Rev. Al Sharpton, Imhotep Gary Byrd and Rev. Jesse Jackson.

Unsung and Unsung: Hollywood: These biography shows dig into the lives of some musical g. Try 7-9 a.m. weekdays and late-night on TV On and marathons at the drop of a hat.

The Get Down: I've written it before and I'll write it again. Baz Luhrmann finally found a subject to match his whimsy: hip-hop. This is a fantastical look at the bridge from disco to hip-hop with Grandmaster Flash as a guide in the role of executive producer and also portrayed onscreen. Netflix

Underground: This is a different kind of slave narrative. It's a drama about breaking free of the bonds of slavery come hell or high water. It may feel strange to call this an action-adventure series, but it follows the trail of slaves who run free but find they must keep running. The second season premieres on Wednesday, March 8 at 9 p.m. The series just got the ATVfest's cast award for outstanding contributions to the art of television and has been nominated for NAACP Image Awards. Season 1 is on DVD.

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Marvel's Luke Cage: The third series entry in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Netflix edition, hit like a closed fist. Luke Cage (Mike Colter), introduced in Marvel's Jessica Jones, was a man falsely imprisoned, experimented on and now free to be, well, him. He's nigh indestructible and uses that to get some payback for all of his losses. He's fighting for everyman, with every woman falling at his feet. There's a black history lesson in every episode. Luke Cage syllabi were all the rage after it hit in September 2016. Ooh, and that soundtrack. Get some.

Diaspora Day Party: This family friendly celebration is part of the South Dallas Cultural Center MeetUp! series. It's being held in conjunction with the exhibit, Distant Relatives. There will be a market place, music and artist talks. Come join the party on Saturday, Feb. 4 at 1 p.m. at the center at 3400 S. Fitzhugh Ave., Dallas. 

24: Legacy: All right, world. Are you ready for the Counter Terrorism Unit to hold your fate in its hands -- again? The series is rebooted with a new protagonist, Eric Carter (Corey Hawkins), and a new crisis. The countdown begins on Sunday, Feb. 5, at 9:30 p.m. on Fox after the Super Bowl.

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Eyes on the Prize: Then and Now: Eyes on the Prize is the definitive look at the struggle for civil rights in America. The documentary series examines the cause from 1940-19xx. And this entry talks with those who made the films, activists, scholars and movement leaders about how far we have come and how far we have to go. Watch it and the series from which it sprung online at worldchannel.org.

Queen of Katwe: David Oyelowo and Lupita N'yongo usher in some fresh talent with this gem from Disney that came to light through a magazine article about a chess prodigy in Africa. It's freshly available on Blu-ray and DVD.

Madina Nalwanga stars in "Queen of Katwe."
Madina Nalwanga stars in "Queen of Katwe."(EDWARD ECHWALU / DISNEY)

Hidden Figures: The film about the black women instrumental in sending a man from NASA to the moon beat out Star Wars: Rogue One at the box office and continues to benefit from word of mouth and deserved accolades. The cast just picked up the Screen Actors Guild ensemble award for a movie that included Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Butler, Janelle Monae, Kevin Costner and Jim Parsons -- none of them strangers to awards season. The movie's still dropping knowledge in theaters.

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The New Edition Story: Offshoot Bell Biv Devoe has a new CD, Three Stripes, and that will make you think a miniseries about the group is old news. That's until you realize that there are revelations around a lot of the corners of this story about young boys from Boston who became men on the road to stardom and inspired the construction of some of the most popular boy bands. And the cast, especially young and old (Woody McClain) Bobby Brown and Ralph Tresvant (Algee Smith), is marvelous. BET.com

For more news, views and reviews, follow @DawnBurkes on Twitter.