Honoring Black History Month Through Events on Campus

Marist will be holding an event with LaTosha Brown on March 1. Source: Oregon State University Flikr (CC BY-SA 2.0)

The first day of February marks the start of Black History Month. The month honors the contributions and sacrifices of African Americans who shaped the nation through a variety of roles. 

“The historical contributions of Black Americans are extraordinary because they were accomplished amidst a backdrop of systemic racism, discrimination, voter suppression and violence that continues to this very day,” President Kevin C. Weinman said.

Over the next month, Marist college will hold a variety of events and offer educational resources for Black History Month. Some of the events will include black business owners, activists and the first-year common read, Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Man. 

Every year, freshmen at Marist are required to read the same book that they later discuss in their First-Year Seminar course. This year, the common read addressed issues such as white privilege, cultural appropriation and “reverse racism.” The book was written by former NFL player Emmanuel Acho who tells his life story to create a space for compassion. 

“Educational institutions have a particular responsibility to ensure that Black history is both widely known and appreciated, and Marist is proud to do just that,” President Weinman said.

Five of the events created by Marist will take place during the first two weeks of February and are only available for first-year students. Although all the events are different, they are tied to the first-year common read and are therefore limited to freshman students. The events will cover topics such as “how to be an ally, systemic racism, fighting for change, the false start white privilege and implicit bias.”

Later in the month, all students and faculty are invited to an event called “Examining White Anti-Segregationists Through Photography,” which will be moderated by Marist’s Dr. Addrain Conyers. The event will take place in Fusco Hall on February 23 at 7 p.m. The photography featured in the event will be from Doy Gorton. He and his wife, Dr. Jane Adams will examine his photography from the late 60’s and early 70’s which documented white individuals fighting segregation. 

The last event for Black History Month will actually take place during the first week of March. On Tuesday, March 1 at 7 p.m., students and faculty are invited to the Nelly Goletti Theater and will have a virtual option to hear LaTosha Brown speak. A speaker and activist, Brown will explore the impact of younger and more diverse voters on democracy. She will address what role identity politics play in unifying or widening the political divide in America.

Outside of the events taking place during Black History month, the Center for Multicultural Affairs on campus is open to all students for the eternity of the year. The center operates as a place for unity, comfort, guidance and friendship. 

“Whether students want to see events that highlight their identities, need to become more aware of academic opportunities or would like to engage in conversation on how to be inclusive in the assignments they generate, our Center for Multicultural Affairs Staff can assist them in finding resources,” The Director for the Center of Multicultural Affairs Iris Ruiz-Grech said. 

On a community level, students can join Marist’s Black Student Union which holds weekly events throughout the semester. The events range in topic and can be geared toward social events or focus on important issues that the black community is facing on campus and beyond. For the Marist community, Black History Month is a time where they can get outside of their comfort zone, get educated, attend events and most importantly, honor the central role of African Americans throughout U.S. history.