February is Black History Month and there will be many opportunities to celebrate on campus. Open up your planners and jot down these campus-wide events honoring Black history.
Feb. 2
“Slavery to Freedom: An American Odyssey” with Marley Dias
5 p.m., Wharton Center’s Pasant Theatre
This event was the first lecture in the 23rd annual Dr. William G. Anderson Lecture Series presented by the College of Osteopathic Medicine. The series focuses on providing the greater community with multicultural leaders. Register to attend other lectures in the series here.
This lecture’s speaker, Marley Dias, is an accomplished 18-year-old activist and founder of #1000BlackGirlBooks, a campaign which provides children with books in which Black girls are the main characters. In addition to the lecture, Dias collected books to be donated.
Feb. 5
Black Empowerment Festival
4 p.m. - 7 p.m., MSU Union Ballroom
The fourth annual Black Empowerment Festival’s theme is “Liberating Our Vulnerable Emotion.” The event, hosted by the Black Student Alliance and University Activities Board, will be a celebration of Black love, self love, liberation, culture and community. There will be free shirts, food and giveaways.
Feb. 9
“Slavery to Freedom: An American Odyssey” with Angela Davis
5 p.m., Wharton Center’s Pasant Theatre
Angela Davis will be the speaker at the second lecture in Dr. William G. Anderson Lecture Series. Davis is a famous activist for Black liberation, a feminist and an educator who has authored 11 books.
Feb. 10
Amplify STEM: Celebrating Black History Month
11 a.m. - 1 p.m., Zoom webinar
The virtual event will feature Ebony Omotola McGee, author of "Black, Brown, Bruised: How Racialized STEM Education Stifles Innovation.” McGee is also a professor of diversity and STEM at Vanderbilt University. Register for this event here.
Feb. 11
Sankofa Project Session I: Civil Rights, Social Justice and Education Then and Now
Noon - 1:30 p.m., Zoom webinar
“Civil Rights, Social Justice and Education Then and Now” is the first discussion in the Office of K-12 Outreach’s Sankofa sessions series. This event’s panelists are Ambassador Andrew Young, Gary Orfield, Bill Schmidt and Robert L. Green and it will be moderated by Theodore S. Ransaw and Kevin L. Brooks. Register for this event here.
Feb. 14
Douglass Day
11 a.m. - 1 p.m., College of Law Building, room 343
Douglass Day celebrates the chosen birthday of abolitionist Frederick Douglass. The event will also have a transcribe-a-thon of Mary Ann Shadd Cary’s papers. According to the Douglass Day website, Cary was one of the first Black women to edit a newspaper, serve as a Civil War recruiter and attend law school.
Feb. 18
Sankofa Project Session II: Emerging Trends in Urban and Campus Policing
11:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m., Zoom webinar
“Emerging Trends in Urban and Campus Policing” is the second discussion in the Office of K-12 Outreach’s Sankofa sessions series. This event’s panelists are Marlo C. Lynch, Jerry L. Clayton, Eddie Washington and Derrick Jackson and it will be moderated by Dana Whyte. Register for this event here.
Feb. 20
Dean’s Speakers Series: Kim Askew
12:15 p.m. – 1:15 p.m., MSU College of Law, room 343.
College of Law Dean Linda Sheryl Greene will sit down with Kim Askew, a national legal scholar, to discuss ethics and the judiciary. The event is part of a longer series of presentations throughout the school year entitled “Ethics, Law, and Society.” RSVP here.
Feb. 22
James Madison College Black History Month Symposium
6:30 p.m. - 7:45 p.m., Kellogg Conference Center auditorium
MSU’s residential college for international affairs and public policy is hosting Jason Mott, author of “Hell of a Book.” The first 100 students can pick up free copies of the book in South Case Hall room 328A. At the event, students will be able to get their copies signed by Mott.
Feb. 23
“Slavery to Freedom: An American Odyssey” with Freeman A. Hrabowski, Ph.D.
5 p.m. in the Kellogg Hotel & Conference Center Auditorium
The last lecture in the series is from Freeman A. Hrabowski, a former president of the University of Maryland educator. Hrabowski was also the chair of former President Barack Obama’s Commission on Educational Excellence for African Americans and has published several books regarding Black success in STEM fields.
Feb. 25
Sankofa Project Session III: Cents and Sensibility: The Racial Opportunity Costs of Education Since Brown v. Board of Education book talk
Noon, Zoom webinar
“Cents and Sensibility: The Racial Opportunity Costs of Education Since Brown v. Board of Education book talk” is the third and final Sankofa session. It will feature Terah Chambers, the associate dean for equity and inclusion and professor of K-12 educational administration. Chambers also serves on the East Lansing School Board. Register for this event here.
More events
In addition to these Black History Month-specific events, there are more ways to celebrate the month at MSU. Throughout the month, there will be several performances showcasing Black art and artists.
Shows coming to the Wharton Center this month include “Detroit ‘67,” “Alonzo King Lines Ballet: Deep River,” “Jazz at Lincoln Center Presents: Songs We Love” and “Black Violin.” Additionally, professors of jazz will perform the music of Thelonius Monk.
Several of MSU’s registered student organizations will also have their own events for Black History Month. The Black Student Alliance has named Feb. 13 through Feb. 17 to be “Black Love Week.” To stay updated with the organization’s events, check out its Instagram. For more Black History Month events, check out @blackmsuconnect on Instagram for weekly posts.
