University News

WIU Celebrates February as Black History Month

January 27, 2022

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MACOMB, IL – Throughout February, Western Illinois University will celebrate Black History Month with a schedule full of events.

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the events vary from virtual to in person.

This year's theme for the campus and the national celebrations is "Black Health and Wellness."

Campus events planned as part of this year's celebration include:

• Tuesday, Feb. 1 – 4:30-6 p.m., Multicultural Center Multipurpose Room: Black Student Association Letters to Prison Inmates.

• Friday, Feb. 4 – noon-2 p.m., Multicultural Center Multipurpose Room: Feel Good Friday.

• Saturday, Feb. 5 – 5 p.m., COFAC Recital Hall: "I Too Sing: Songs of the Darker Brother," a faculty recital presented by WIU School of Music Lecturer Alfonzo Cooper, Jr.

• Tuesday, Feb. 8 – all day: "Flash from the Past,"" Gwendolyn Brooks Cultural Center and Casa Latina, Multicultural Center Multipurpose Room.

• Wednesday, Feb. 9 – 7 p.m.: "Queering of Hip-Hop," Multicultural Center Multipurpose Room.

• Thursday, Feb. 10 – 11 a.m.-4 p.m.: Red Cross Blood Drive, University Union Heritage Room.

• Friday, Feb. 11 – 9 a.m.: Black Student Association Trip to African American Museum.

• Tuesday, Feb. 15 - : Veterans Resource Center Movie Night, 6:30-8:30 p.m., Multicultural Center Multipurpose Room.

• Saturday, Feb. 19 – 11 a.m.-3 p.m.: Huey's Breakfast, Multicultural Center Multipurpose Room.

• Tuesday, Feb. 22 – 7-9 p.m.: Black History Month Showcase, University Union Heritage Room.

• Wednesday, Feb. 23 – noon-2 p.m.: Women's Center and Gwendolyn Brooks Cultural Center Collaboration, Multicultural Center Multipurpose Room.

• Thursday, Feb. 24, 6-9 p.m.: Writing Workshop with Nora Brooks Blakely, daughter of Gwendolyn Brooks, Multicultural Center Multipurpose Room.

• Friday, Feb. 25, 4:30-6 p.m.: Black Student Association Police Brutality Walk, starts from the University Union.

• Saturday, Feb. 26, 6 p.m., Open Mic Cultural Expressions, Multicultural Center Multipurpose Room.

"Join us for the 2022 Black History Month commemoration at WIU - The Black experience, the American experience, the world's Human Rights experience are one and the same," said Multicultural Center Associate Director Carl Ervin. "We are all connected, and are all invited to learn more about where we were, where we are, and where we hope to be in the future as a community, a society, a nation and a world. Thanks are given to the students, staff and faculty for their invaluable contributions in organizing and promoting this year's community building and mind expanding experience."

For more information about Black History Month events, contact WIU's Multicultural Center at (309) 298-3496.


Posted By: University Communications (U-Communications@wiu.edu)
Office of University Communications & Marketing