A host of educational and inspirational events have been scheduled to celebrate Black History Month at Mississippi University for Women.
Programs include two panel discussions on black issues, a professor from Jackson State University speaking about the Black Art Movement in Mississippi and the screening of a film that gave a voice to African-American housekeepers in the 1960s.
Today, The Young Black Leadership Association is partnering with Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc., to host “State of the African-American Community,” a panel discussion that hopes to stir conversation. The event will take place at 7 p.m. in the Claudia A. Limbert Assembly Room in Cochran Hall.
“The vision is to foster a conversation with our W community on issues facing the black community and how we can move forward. Everything starts with a conversation and we are hoping to start that dialogue with our event,” said Austin Rayford, YBLA president.
On Wednesday, Student Life will have musician Jonathan Blanchard perform at noon in Hogarth Dining Center.
In 2013, Blanchard released his debut album “Freedom’s Soul,” an album that incorporates elements of soul, rhythm and blues, jazz and spirituals.
YBLA will partner with Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc., and Elite Modeling Squad to present “Returning to our Roots: Fashion Show,” Monday at 7:30 p.m. in Nissan Auditorium.
On Friday, Feb. 12, Dr. Robert Luckett, director of the Margaret Walker Center for the Study of the African American Experience from Jackson State University, will present a lecture titled “This is My Century: Margaret Walker and the Black Arts Movement,” at 7:30 p.m. in the Connie Kossen Sills Auditorium in Poindexter. Luckett has appeared in documentaries on the civil right movement including the Independent Lens film “Spies of Mississippi” and ‘An Ordinary Hero: The True Story of Joan Trumpauer Mulholland.”
In conjunction with the Coretta Social Club, YBLA will host “Black Space/White Space” Tuesday, Feb. 16, in the Claudia A. Limbert Assembly Room in Cochran Hall at 7 p.m. As part of this discussion, students will get to hear black alumni talk about their experiences through the decades at The W.
Student life, on Tuesday, Feb. 23, will host a movie and lecture. Students can screen the award -winning motion picture “The Help” in the Claudia A. Limbert Assembly Room in Cochran at 6:30 p.m.
The festivities will conclude with a Gospel Celebration put on by YBLA and United Harmony in Carrier Chapel at 7 p.m.
All events are free and open to the public.
For more information, please contact Student Life at (662) 329-7350.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 46 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.