Cal U Black History Month Events Challenge, Delight Campus and Community

Last Updated on Sunday, 29 January 2017 21:46

This February, during Black History Month, Cal U confronts the pervasive problem of racism, remembers the giving spirit of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and celebrates African American culture, visual and performing arts, music and food.

This year’s Black History Month theme at Cal U is “Struggle, Strength, Resilience, Triumph.”
All members of the campus community are encouraged to take part in these Black History Month events. Admission is free and the public is invited, unless otherwise noted.

2017 Black History Month Events
Feb. 1 — Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Giving and American Red Cross Blood Drive, 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. in the Natali Performance Center. Register or drop in to give blood, or donate gently used clothing and shoes, new toiletry items, old eyeglasses and unwanted cellphones. This event is organized by the Office of Diversity Education and Multicultural Affairs, and the Office of Volunteer Programs and Service Learning.

Feb. 2 — A Raisin in the Sun: A Multimedia Showing, 7 p.m. in the Blaney Theatre, Steele Hall. The Department of Music and Theatre looks at various stage and film versions of this award - winning 1959 play about a black family’s struggles to overcome racism and pursue their dreams. The look-back sets the stage for the department’s production of a Raisin spin-off, Clybourne Park, set to open April 20.

Feb. 8 — “A Dichotomous Life: A Person of Color Living in Two Worlds,” noon - 1 p.m. in the Natali Student Center, Rooms 206/207. Bring your lunch and join the Department of Social Work for a round-table discussion of the personal and societal expectations faced by people of color in various settings.

Feb. 15 — Black Arts Festival & Multicultural Affairs Night at Cal U Basketball, 1 - 5 p.m. in the Convocation Center. Enjoy Vulcan basketball and an arts festival showcasing visual art from Cal U’s Department of Art and Languages, along with spoken word performances, music and art-and-crafts vendors. The halftime show features a performance by members of Cal U’s Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity and the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority.

Feb. 22 — Soul Food Luncheon, 10:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. in the Gold Rush dining hall. Choose from a menu created from recipes and stories contributed by members of the Cal U community and collected by the Office of Multicultural Affairs and Diversity Education.

Feb. 27 — Screening and Panel Discussion of the Netflix documentary, 13th, 5:30 p.m. in Eberly Hall, Room 110. The Psychology Department, along with the Frederick Douglass Institute, presents a screening of Ava DuVernay’s acclaimed documentary, 13th, about the criminal justice system in the United States since the abolition of slavery. A panel discussion with faculty member Dr. Rueben Brock, a former FDI scholar, follows the film.

March 3 — Visit the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, D.C. The bus departs at 5:30 a.m. for this one-day trip to our nation’s capital and the newest museum on the Washington Mall. Registration is required and payment is due in advance. Cost is $30 for students, $60 for staff, faculty and guests. For more information, contact webb_s@calu.edu.

For more information about Black History Month events at Cal U, contact the office of Multicultural Affairs and Diversity Education at 724 - 938 - 5758 or Sheleta Webb at webb_s@calu.edu.