University News
Black History Month
January 31, 2012
MACOMB, IL – Western Illinois University will mark Black History Month 2012 with a calendar packed with lectures, discussions and special events, beginning this week.
This year's theme is "Discovering Yesterday by Innovating Today to Create a Better Tomorrow."
The schedule of events includes:
Entertainment
- Wednesday, Feb. 15
7 p.m. Fourth annual Black History Through Fashion – "Men In Black," University Union Grand Ballroom, sponsored by the Black Student Association and the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.
Lectures, Discussions & Workshops
- Wednesday, Feb. 1
Noon, "Thelonious Sphere Monk: An Exploration of Monk's Impact as One of the Giants of American Music," by Bill Maakestad, WIU professor emeritus, management, Multicultural Center multipurpose room, sponsored by the Gwendolyn Brooks Cultural Center. The program will explore Monk's unique improvisational style and his impact on the development of jazz in American music.
- Friday, February 3
9 p.m., Cultural Expressions Open Mic, doors open at 8:30 p.m., University Union Murray Street Café, sponsored by the Gwendolyn Brooks Cultural Center Cultural Expressions.
- Wednesday, Feb. 8
Noon, "Discovering Yesterday's Inventors," by Marlon Blake, graduate assistant, Gwendolyn Brooks Cultural Center, Multicultural Center board room, sponsored by the Gwendolyn Brooks Cultural Center. The program will teach students, faculty and staff about clack inventors.
- Thursday, Feb. 16
12:30 p.m., "From an Innovative Idea to an Entrepreneurship Venture," by Tamara Harris, founder of Selene's Sensations LLC. Stipes Hall 121, sponsored by the College of Business and Technology.
Harris' company caters events for individuals, non-profit organizations and large corporations in metro Atlanta, GA. The WIU graduate will share her journey that moved from an innovative idea to entrepreneurship and how it's possible to remain sustainable while still doing what you love.
- Monday, Feb. 20
4:30 p.m. "Black History Heritage Bowl," University Union Heritage Room, sponsored by Black Student Association. The program will provide a fun and interactive way to promote scholastics, black history, and general information about the history of blacks at WIU.
- Tuesday, Feb. 21
6 p.m., "Jesse Owens, George Wallace, and the Burden of Southern History," by Barclay Key, WIU assistant professor of history, Morgan Hall 101-B, sponsored by the African American studies department
- Tuesday, Feb. 28
6 p.m., lecture, "Black Power Goes to the Movies," by Jo-Ann Morgan, WIU associate professor of African American studies, Morgan Hall 109, sponsored by the Department of African American Studies. Morgan will lecture about the role of the Hollywood action genre and social problem films play to advance the political ideology of Black Power during the 1960s and 70s.
- Wednesday, Feb. 29
7 p.m., "Black Men on Campus: How We Fit (or Don't Fit) at a PWI (Predominantly White Institution)," by Ron Pettigrew, WIU academic adviser and J.Q. Adams, WIU professor of educational and interdisciplinary studies, Multicultural Center multipurpose room. Sponsored by the Center for the Study of Masculinities and Men's Development (CSMMD), Black Student Association, Black Caucus, African American Studies Department Club and United Greek Council.
Pettigrew and Adams will moderate a discussion with African American male students from WIU about their experiences in a predominately white institution.
- Wednesday, Feb. 29
Noon, "The Unsung Heroes of the Civil Rights Movement," by Marlon Blake, graduate assistant, Gwendolyn Brooks Cultural Center, Multicultural Center board room, sponsored by the Gwendolyn Brooks Cultural Center. The program will teach students, faculty and staff about those who contributed to the Civil Rights movements, including those who stood beside Dr. Martin Luther King, Rosa Parks and Malcolm X in the struggle for freedom and justice.
Movies
- Friday, Feb. 24
7 p.m. African American studies movie night and discussion, Morgan Hall 109, sponsored by the African American studies department.
- Monday, Feb. 27
7 – 8:30 p.m., V-Day College Campaign's presentation of "NO! The Rape Documentary: Ending Sexual Assault and Violence Against Women," Multicultural Center multipurpose room, sponsored by the Women's Center and Interpersonal Violence Prevention Initiative (IVPI). The film was produced and directed by Aishah Shahidah Simmons, an incest and rape survivor, which features testimonials from black women rape survivors who defy victimization. A discussion panel, led by Interpersonal Violence Prevention Coordinator Justine Johnson, will follow the screening.
Special Events
- Friday, Feb. 3
Noon - Go Red for Women's Heart Health Luncheon, Knoblauch Hall 239, sponsored by the Women's Center, Beu Health Center, Campus Recreation and the Employee Wellness Committee.
The luncheon will include heart-healthy offerings prepared by students in professor Lorri Kanauss' dietetics, fashion merchandising and hospitality class. The cost of the meal is $9 for non-students and $7 for students.
February is Heart Health Month and Feb. 3 is National Wear Red Day for Women's Heart Health sponsored by American Heart Association's Go Red for Women organization. African American women are 35 percent more likely to die of heart disease than Caucasian women.
- Wednesday, Feb. 15
Noon – 1 p.m., African American poetry reading, "And Still I Rise," Multicultural Center multipurpose room, sponsored by the WIU Libraries, the President's Office, the English department and the Gwendolyn Brooks Cultural Center.
The event will include a one-hour reading of works by classic African American poets, read by WIU students, staff and faculty. If time permits, audience participants will be invited to read their poetry.
- Sunday, Feb. 19
1 – 3:30 p.m., 26th annual Soul Food Festival, "Sunday Afternoon Jazz Affair" featuring Creole cuisine from the "Big Easy" N'awlins, University Union Heritage Room, sponsored by the Gwendolyn Brooks Cultural Center.
The festival's menu includes seafood gumbo, (gumbow), creole jambalaya (jumbalieya), red beans and rice, a mixed green salad with vinaigrette dressing, buttermilk corn bread muffins, assorted rolls, beignets (benyays), bread pudding with rum sauce, southern pecan pie, red slush punch, coffee and tea. Cost: Prior to Feb. 10, 2012: Students - $12; non-students $20. After Feb. 10, 2012: Students - $17 and non-students $25.
- Throughout February (Feb. 1 – 29):
"Black Women Discovering Yesterday by Innovating Today to Create a Better Tomorrow": Daily Postings on Women's Center Facebook Page – www.facebook.com/WIUWomensCenter.
8 a.m. – 10 p.m., Exhibit showcasing Black History Month Events and Activities
University Union first floor, sponsored by the Black History Month Planning Committee.
8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. -, Display of various artifacts showcasing African American culture
Multicultural Center first floor, sponsored by Gwendolyn Brooks Cultural Center.
Members of the Black History Month Planning Committee include: the Gwendolyn Brooks Cultural Center, Black Student Association, Cultural Expressions, WIU Chapter National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), University Housing and Dining Services, Women's Center, WIU 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 (indicated with an *). 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)
Office of University Communications & Marketing
Connect with us: