20 - Costa Mesa HistSoc annual installation dinner at Captain's Table, Orange Coast College, 2701 Fairview Rd, Costa Mesa.  Speaker: Chris Jepson, "Polynesian Pop's Influence on mid-Century Design & Southern California Culture".  $20 per person; mail check to CMHistSoc, PO Box 1764, Costa Mesa CA 92627.  Tkts will be held at door.  Information: 949.631.5918 or cmhistory@sbcglobal.net

21 - Capt. Les Williams will talk about the book Victory, which highlights his experiences as a Tuskegee airman (Tuskegee Airmen is the term used to describe the highly decorated black fighter pilots of the 99th Pursuit Squadron, later incorporated into the 332nd Fighter Group, who fought during WW II; they were trained at Tuskegee Army Air Field in Alabama).  1 pm at the San Mateo Co History Museum, 2200 Broadway St Redwood City.  650.299.0104 or www.historysmc.org

26 - H H "Curly" Elliott, survivor of the Dec 7, 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor, will tell his story at 7 pm at the Andres Pico Adobe, 10940 Sepulveda Blvd, Mission Hills.  San Fernando Valley HistSoc 818.365.7810 or sfvhs@verizon.net

4 - "Putting It On the Wall" roundtable discussion with renowned muralists Elliot Pinkney, Mark Greenfield, Joe Sims, Ulysses Jenkins and others about the mural movement and taking art to the streets of Los Angeles.  4 pm at the California African American Museum, 600 State Dr, Exposition Park, Los Angeles.  213.744.7432 or www.caamuseum.org

4 - Lunar Festival.  San Mateo Co. History Museum will participate in the Redwood City celebration: outside on the Courthouse Square performances will include lion dances, Chinese acrobats and martial art demonstrations; inside the Museum there will be crafts classes for children.  At 2 pm, live classical Chinese music will be played, and a discussion will be held on the rebirth of traditional Chinese culture.  San Mateo Co History Museum, 2200 Broadway St Redwood City.  Information: 650.299.0104 or www.historysmc.org

5 - Barbara Babcock, Stanford Law Professor Emerta will speak on her book, Woman Lawyer: The Trials of Clara Foltz.  Foltz, single mother of five, became the first woman lawyer and author of the Women's Vote Amendment that California men approved Oct 10, 1911.  2 pm at the Berkeley History Center, Veterans Memorial Bldg, 1931 Center St, Berkeley.  Berkeley HistSoc 510.848.0181 or berkhist@sbcglobal.net

5 - "Education: Living Our Legacy of Achievement" celebrating Black History Month; program includes performances by local schools & by professionals.  11 am- 5 pm at the California African American Museum, 600 State Dr, Exposition Park, Los Angeles.  213.744.7432 or www.caamuseum.org

10 - Walking tour of Redding Cemetery 9-10:15 am.  Meet leader Mike Grifantini at Continental St & Eureka Way.  Call Shasta HistSoc for info on more free walking tours: 530.243.3720.

11 - "Promoting Paradise" lecture by Tom Zimmerman, author, photographer.  First of the 20th annual Marie Northrop lecture series, "Crafting the Image of Historic Los Angeles", jointly sponsored by Los Angeles City HistSoc & the History Dept of the Riordan Central Library.  2-4 pm at the Riordan Central Library, 640 W 5th St, Downtown Los Angeles.

11 - "Jump at the Sun" documentary film on the life & work of Zora Neale Hurston.  2 pm at the California African American Museum, 600 State Dr, Exposition Park, Los Angeles.  213.744.7432 or www.caamuseum.org

21 - "Nick & Nora's San Francisco: Martinis & Mystery" Emily Leider will speak on Dashiell Hammett, author of The Thin Man, and on Myrna Loy and William Powell who played the famous characters in the 1934 movie that spawned five sequels.  Her presentation will be illustrated with film clips and photos.  7:30 pm at the Jewish Community Center, 3200 California St at Presidio, San Francisco.  Tickets $5.  San Francisco Museum & HistSoc, 415.775.1111 or www.sfhistory.org

27 - Lakeside HistSoc Annual Chicken Pot Pie Dinner, 6 pm at Olde Lakeside Community Church, 9906 Maine Ave.  Guest speaker.  Reservations required by Feb 23; $10 donation per person.  819.561.1886.

3 - Chinese American Museum 11th Annual Lantern Festival: traditional street fair, stage performances, interactive workshops, diverse arts & crafts & more!  Free!  425 N Los Angeles St, Los Angeles Chinatown.  213.485.8567 or www.camla.org

3 & 4 - 2nd annual San Francisco History Expo at the San Francisco Museum at the Mint: more than 25 mini-museums set up by local organizations, historic films, "living history" portrayals by Actions Past (including Emperor Norton).  Entry free; donation requested.  415.775.1111 or www.sfhistory.org

4 - "Hogs & Hotcakes - the Story of Walker's Cafe" with Carol Tedrow, Charlene Torres & Grace Mestas.  At the Muller House, 1542 Beacon St, San Pedro.

                  followed the next Saturday by

10 - Lunch at Walker's Cafe (separate tabs), 700 Paseo del Mar, San Pedro, across from Pt Fermin Park.  And walking tour of the area.  Further information:  info@sanpedrobayhistoricalsociety.org

10 - "Sing Your Song" film on the life & civil rights advocacy of Harry Belafonte.  2 pm at California African American Museum, 600 State Dr, Exposition Park, Los Angeles.  213.744.7432 or www.caamuseum.org

24 - Women, Protest & Song"  Dawn Norfleet presenting songs of protest & freedom made famous by Billie Holiday, Aretha Franklin and others.  2 pm at California African American Museum, 600 State Dr, Exposition Park, Los Angeles.  213.744.7432 or www.caamuseum.org