University News
Black History Month Commemorated at WIU in February
January 29, 2013
MACOMB, IL – Western Illinois University will celebrate Black History Month 2013 with an extensive calendar of events, lectures and entertainment offerings.
This year's theme is "Black Women in American History & Culture: From Personal Conflict to Global Resolution."
This year's schedule includes:
Entertainment
Friday, Feb. 1
• 9:30 p.m., Cultural Expressions Open Mic - Doors open at 9 p.m., and sign-up is open until 10:15 p.m.
No Admission after 10:15 p.m - Performance categories include spoken word, rap/sing, poetry or dance. The event will be held in the University Union Heritage Room and sponsored by Cultural Expressions.
Thursday, Feb. 14
• 7 p.m., Annual Black History Month Fashion Show, "Love the Skin You're In" - WIU students will showcase their fashion savvy while exploring African American culture and history. The event will be held in the University Union Grand Ballroom and is sponsored by the Black Student Association (BSA).
Lectures, Discussions & Workshops
Thursday Feb. 7
• 6 p.m., "The Gospel Choir Phenomenon," a lecture by Dr. Alphonso Simpson, Jr. - Western Illinois Museum. The event is sponsored by the WIU Department of African American Studies and the Western Illinois Museum.
Saturday, Feb. 16
• 10 a.m., "The Black Experience in Macomb," a lecture by Dr. Audrey P. Watkins - Western Illinois Museum. The event is sponsored by the WIU Department of African American Studies and the Western Illinois Museum.
Wednesday, Feb. 20
• 7 p.m., "Elevate Your Mind," a lecture on the importance of education, relationships, maturity and personal growth. The event will be held in the University Union Sandburg Lounge and is sponsored by the WIU Chapter of the NAACP.
Thursday, Feb. 21
• 6 p.m., "Huey P. Newton Enthroned - Iconic Images of Black Power," a lecture by Dr. Jo-Ann Morgan - Western Illinois Museum. The event is sponsored by the WIU Department of African American Studies and the Western Illinois Museum.
Wednesday, Feb. 27
• 7 p.m., "Where Have All the Black Males Gone: Navigating the Systematic Discourse of Higher Education" - This program will engage the campus community in an intellectual exploration regarding the critical issues surrounding the challenges black males face in higher education, particularly on predominately white campuses. Featured speaker: Fredrick Douglass Dixon. The event will be held in the University Union Heritage Rooms and is sponsored by the (BSA) and the Gwendolyn Brooks Cultural Center (GBCC).
Thursday, Feb. 28
• 6 p.m., "Bodily Ways of Knowing: Photography, the Senses and African Market Women," a lecture by Dr. Laurian R. Bowles - Western Illinois Museum. The event is sponsored by the WIU Department of African American Studies and the Western Illinois Museum.
Special Events
Friday, Feb. 1
• Noon – 12:50 p.m., "Go Red For Women's Heart Health" Luncheon - February is Heart Health Month, and Feb. 1st is National Wear Red Day. African-American women are 35 percent more likely to die of heart disease than Caucasian women. The event is being held in the WIU Multicultural Center Activity Room (first floor).
Tickets for the meal are $10 for non-students and $8 for students. Reservations are due Friday, Jan. 25 to the WIU Women's Center. Students may charge their tickets to their account with Rocky Dollars.; checks may be made payable to the Women's Center. The event is sponsored by the WIU Women's Center, Beu Health Center, Campus Recreation and the WIU Employee Wellness Committee.
Friday, Feb. 1
• 6 p.m., Fourth annual Black Student Summit Conference, themed "IGROW: Gradually Recreating Our World" – University Union Grand Ballroom
• 7 p.m. conference step show
The Black Student Summit was established in 2010. Since its inception, the Black Student Summit has supplied a voice and vision to the struggles of African American students and other students of color on the Western Illinois University campus. This conference provides an opportunity for students, especially African American students, to develop an awareness necessary for success in an academic environment. Steve Birdine, president/CEO of Affirmations in Action, will be the keynote speaker.
University Union Grand Ballroom
* Admission charge: $30 conference registration fee if paid by Jan. 18 (Includes all conference sessions, luncheon, conference T-shirt, step show and party)
$20 Non conference delegates step show
$20 Non conference delegates party
**Conference registration after January 18 does not include lunch or t-shirt.
The conference is sponsored by the Black Student Summit and the GBCC.
Saturday, Feb. 2
• 9 a.m., Fourth annual Black Student Summit Conference, themed "IGROW: Gradually Recreating Our World" – conference check in – WIU Multicultural Center
• 9 p.m., Conference Party - University Union Heritage Rooms
Sunday, Feb. 3
• 5 p.m., Black Student Association Super Bowl Party - Light refreshments will be served -Bayliss/Henninger Underground. The party is sponsored by the BSA.
Wednesday, Feb. 6
• 6-9 p.m., "Know Your Heritage" game - This will be an educational and fun game based on Black history. Watch 10 teams compete to see who knows their history the best - University Union Sandburg Theater. The game is sponsored by the BSA.
Thursday, Feb. 7
• 7 p.m., Black History Month Night at the WIU men's basketball game - Western Hall - Admission is free to WIU students.
General Admission: $8
Youth Admission: $3
*A limited number of free tickets will be available at the Gwendolyn Brooks Cultural Center; call 309-298-2220.
The game is sponsored by WIU Intercollegiate Athletics.
Saturday, Feb. 16
• 4:30 p.m., Black History Month Night at the WIU women's basketball game - Western Hall - Admission is free to WIU students.
General Admission: $8
Youth Admission: $3
*A limited number of free tickets will be available at the Gwendolyn Brooks Cultural Center; call 309-298-2220.
The game is sponsored by WIU Intercollegiate Athletics.
Friday, Feb. 15
• 9 p.m., WIU Chapter of the NAACP Masquerade Ball - This is a semi-dressy affair/party where you can dance the night away and have lots of fun. Masks will be provided for the more adventurous party goers - Bayliss/Henninger Underground. Admission is $3 in advance or $4 at the door. The event is sponsored by the WIU Chapter of the NAACP.
Sunday, Feb. 17
• 1-3 p.m., 27th annual Soul Food Festival – University Union Capital Rooms
The event is a Sunday afternoon brunch affair featuring everyday soul food southern-style cooking, including smothered chicken, oven roasted chicken, macaroni and cheese, collard greens, black-eyed peas, honey corn bread, peach cobbler and southern pecan pie.
Ticket price prior to Feb. 8:
Students: $12
Non-students: $20
After Feb. 8:
Students: $15
Non-students: $23
The festival is sponsored by the Gwendolyn Brooks Cultural Center.
Monday, Feb. 18
4:30 p.m., Heritage Bowl - University Union Heritage Rooms. This program will provide a fun and interactive way to promote scholarship, Black history and general information about WIU history. The competition is sponsored by the BSA.
Monday, Feb. 18
7 p.m., Black History Trivia Night - Multicultural Center Multipurpose Room.
The event is sponsored by the WIU Chapter of the NAACP.
Thursday, Feb. 21
Noon – 1 p.m., African American Poetry Reading - Multicultural Center Multipurpose Room.
The reading is sponsored by the WIU Libraries, GBCC and the WIU English Department.
Throughout February
(Feb. 1 – 28)
Month-long exhibit, "Celebrating Civilization, Contribution and Culture: The Black Experience Through the Years" - Approximately 75 to 100 photos and artifacts will be displayed during the month of February - Western Illinois Museum, Macomb.
The exhibit is sponsored by the WIU Department of African American Studies and the Western Illinois Museum.
Members of the Black History Month Planning Committee include: The Gwendolyn Brooks Cultural Center, BSA, Cultural Expressions, WIU Chapter National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, University Housing and Dining Services, Women's Center, Department of African American Studies, University Relations, Office of Student Activities and the Office of Conference and Event Services
All events are open free to the public unless otherwise noted. For more information about any of the following events, contact the Gwendolyn Brooks Cultural Center at (309) 298-2220.
Posted By: University Communications (U-Communications@wiu.edu)
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