This Friday is February 1, which officially marks the beginning of Black History Month. The celebration of Black History Month was initially founded as “Negro History Week” by historian and educator Dr. Carter G. Woodson in the first week of February 1926. Woodson chose February as the official month for celebration to honor the birthdays of former U.S. President Abraham Lincoln and abolitionist Frederick Douglass, whose birthdays are on February 12 and 14, respectively. As a historian and educator, Woodson saw great value in educating students and others on the achievements of black people throughout the African Diaspora over the course the week. The celebration was extended from one week to the full month by students at Kent State University in 1969.
Every year, Syracuse University celebrates the month through an array of events hosted by the Office of Multicultural Affairs (OMA),the Office of Multicultural Advancement, Community Folk Art Center (CFAC), and various cultural student organizations across campus. This year, here are four things you can do to celebrate the festivities!
1. Attend the Kickoff Weekend Festivities—everything is free!
Friday, February 1 from noon – 2 p.m., OMA will be hosting the official Black History Month Kickoff in Schine 304 ABC! There will be free food and an official proclamation celebrating the 400th year of black influence in the United States.
The following day, we will host our first ever 3-on-3 Basketball Tournament in the Carrier Dome at 9 a.m.! Grab two friends and sign up here!
Following the tournament,The Black Lounge is on Saturday at 7 p.m. in Goldstein Auditorium, co-sponsored by OMA, the Caribbean Student Association and the Office of Multicultural Advancement. The Black Lounge is a time for celebration of art, culture, music, and food! Free tickets are available in Schine Box Office!
2. Research black inventors and innovators.
Did you know that the traffic signal was created by a black man named Garret Morgan? He also invented the gas mask. What about the ironing board? Sarah Boone invented that in 1892. When thinking about the creation of the lightbulb, you may give the credit to Thomas Edison, but it was Lewis Latimer who worked to create the carbon filament that powers the lightbulb.
There are a number of black inventors and innovators who changed the way we live and operate our daily lives. Whether in science, art, technology, cosmetology, or everyday life, the influence of the African Diaspora is extremely present. No matter what your major, there has assuredly been a person of African descent who has excelled in that area! Many times, we limit our knowledge of black pioneers to people like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Harriet Tubman, or Frederick Douglass. However, there are numerous black individuals who have contributed to every aspect of our daily lives.
3. Attend the Black History Month Commemorative Lecture
Every year, we host the Commemorative Lecture and invite a guest speaker to the University. This year’s speaker is Eric D. Pritchard, Ph.D. from Buffalo State University. He will be speaking on Black Supernovas: The Legacies of Black Gay Fashion Designers. Dr. Pritchard writes and teaches about literacy and rhetoric and their intersection with fashion, beauty, popular culture, identity, and power. He is the author of Fashioning Lives: Black Queers and the Politics of Literacy. Come listen to his lecture on Wednesday, Feb. 13 at 7 p.m. in Schine 304 ABC!
4. Read work from the Black Arts Movement or the Harlem Renaissance
Since February is a short month, it’s a great opportunity for a reading challenge. This month challenge yourself to pick up the work of a black author. Choose a classic from the Harlem Renaissance and coat your month in words from Langston Hughes, Countee Cullen, or Zora Neale Hurston. If you’re looking for something a bit more modern or in line with our political climate, seek out parallels from the Black Arts Movement and read work from Audre Lorde, Alice Walker, or Gil Scott-Heron.
We hope that you can make it to some of our events and that you’re able to fully enrich yourself in some of the festivities going on this month! Stop by OMA in Schine 105 or visit the OMA website for more information about what’s going on this month!
Written by Abigail Covington ’19, College of Arts and Sciences and member of the Black History Month planning committee.