Editor’s note: From field trips to lectures to live theater performances to movie screenings — even a couple of contests — Virginia’s Community Colleges are hosting a wide range of events commemorating Black History Month. Many are virtual events, and therefore open to participants from across the system. A round-up of events that colleges shared with us is below. But first, some thoughts from VCCS Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer Carla Kimbrough:
Each February, many pause to reflect on the history and contributions of African Americans. After dozens of Februarys and in the current political climate, one might ask: Is Black History Month relevant? Is it important?
Yes, and yes. Black history is an essential part of the American story. Without African Americans, both enslaved and free, this nation would not be what it is today. The past has shaped the present and the future, and we all must understand that past to make progress.
Students and adults, of all racial backgrounds, need to learn about the slavery, lynchings, segregation, and the fight for civil rights. We cannot and should not hide from the ugliness of this past. In addition, we all also need to learn about the talent, intelligence, and innovation of African Americans of yesterday and hear from the voices of today.
How can we continue to degrade someone of African descent when the contributions are clear? When we learn about each other, we gain understanding, empathy, and respect for one another. That’s good for students and people of all races and ages.
We thank those at Virginia’s Community Colleges who have planned these events. We urge our students, employees, and communities to support these events. Black History Month is a celebration, an opportunity to listen, learn, and grow.
Learn more about the history of Black History Month.
Here’s a round-up of Black History Months events at Virginia’s Community Colleges:
Blue Ridge Community College is hosting a performance and workshop event on campus at 1 p.m. Feb. 24. In their program, The Bridge Project: Finding Connection in a Time of Division, life-long friends Kane Smego and CJ Suitt explore what it means to nurture cross-cultural relationships and reimagine healthy masculinity. BRCC’s events calendar can be found here.
Germanna Community College’s virtual Community Conversations series will feature several programs in February and March focusing on issues related to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, including a March 21 lecture by bestselling author and National Book Award winner Dr. Ibram Kendi, founding director of the Boston University Center for Antiracist Research. Learn more about GCC’s events here.
The library at Laurel Ridge (formerly Lord Fairfax) Community College is illuminating Black History Month with virtual book series events Feb. 17 and Feb. 22 that will explore Afrofuturism in science fiction and spotlight the graphic novel adaptation of Octavia Butler’s Kindred. There are additional events at Laurel Ridge, including a live performance of traditional African acrobatics at the college’s Middletown Campus on Feb. 16.
Mountain Empire Community College invites students and members of the community to “Celebrate Your ARC,” honoring the life of the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., February 16 at 11 a.m. at MECC’s Goodloe Center and on Facebook live.
Black History Month at Northern Virginia Community College will showcase Black excellence in poetry, film, music, history, and more, with events on NOVA campuses, and online, including a Feb. 15 virtual talk with Sara Clarke Kaplan, director of American University’s Antiracism Policy Center. Registration is required for many of these events.
Rappahannock Community College’s Black History Month began with an event focusing on the quest to tell the story of Thomas Washington, a Black man lynched in Essex County in 1896, and will continue Feb. 16 with a virtual discussion with the makers of The Hail-Storm: John Dabney in Virginia, a documentary film about a Virginian (seen here) who persevered through slavery to become a fixture in Richmond’s 19th century high society.
Reynolds Community College is organizing field trips for students to several Black History museums, plus virtual events focusing on Black entrepreneurship, the history of lesser-known African American communities, a Black History trivia contest, and a screening and discussion of the Civil War epic Glory. Here’s how to learn more.
Southside Virginia Community College is launching a “Profiles in Black Excellence” series of virtual fireside chats. Events February 16, February 24 and February 28 will focus on Pushing Boundaries, Building Resilience and Reshaping the Narrative. The free events are free and open to participants from across the VCCS. Here’s how to learn more and register.
Tidewater Community College’s Black History Month celebration includes an assortment of virtual events throughout February, including a Feb. 23rd interactive conversation with entrepreneur Gina Paige, president of African Ancestry, Inc. TCC also will honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. with a distinguished service award to a faculty or staff member, and a scholarship to a TCC student.
The library at Virginia Western Community College curated a display of books for Black History Month, including one about Roanoke native Henrietta Lacks, whose cancer cells ended up providing the foundation for vast scientific breakthroughs, including research about the coronavirus. VWCC also secured 60 free tickets for its students to visit the Ruth E. Carter: Afrofuturism in Costume Design exhibit at Roanoke’s Taubman Museum. Academy Award winner Ruth Carter created unforgettable costumes for films including Black Panther, Coming 2 America, Selma and Do the Right Thing.
