AMES, Iowa – Numerous events will celebrate Black History Month throughout February at Iowa State University.
The Black History Month calendar includes lectures, music, comedy, arts and a program marking Iowa’s inaugural George Washington Carver Day. The United States has celebrated Black history Month in February for more than four decades as a time to recognize and honor the achievements and contributions of Black Americans.
Events noted below are free and open to the public, unless otherwise indicated. Event sponsors are listed in parenthesis. Check back often as this schedule may be updated throughout the month.
Schedule of events
Throughout February, Parks Library, online: Parks Library will host an online exhibit resource guide for Black History Month emphasizing music, art and literature. In addition, the library has produced an online resource guide honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The guide contains a listing of relevant books, videos and other multimedia content and will remain available online in perpetuity. Parks Library also will host an in-building book exhibit in the lobby throughout February.
Feb. 1, 5:30 p.m., Memorial Union, Great Hall: Inaugural George Washington Carver Day program. Dewayne Goldmon, USDA senior advisor for racial justice and equity, will deliver a keynote address. The program will feature reflections on Carver’s life and legacy as well as a series of readings from Carver’s writing. A pre-program reception at 5 p.m. will feature refreshments inspired by Carver’s work. This event will be livestreamed.
Feb. 2, 8 p.m., Maintenance Shop, Memorial Union: Comedy night with Daphnique Springs, a standup who has toured with Katt Williams and won the 2015 She-Devil Festival in New York City. Springs is also the 2016 winner of the American Black Film Festival Comedy Wings Competition sponsored by HBO. (Student Union Board)
Feb. 2-5, 7 p.m., Cyclone Cinema, 101 Carver: Showings of "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever." (Student Union Board)
Feb. 9, 8 p.m., Maintenance Shop, Memorial Union: Musical performance by Shawn Holt & the Teardrops (Blues). This is a ticketed event. Tickets cost $10 for ISU students and $14 for the public with a $2 increase on the day of the show. (Student Union Board)
Feb. 20-26, The Workspace, Memorial Union: Black History Month image transfers. Choose from a collection of inspirational messages to create a ready-to-hang artwork. Using a transfer medium, participants “lift” a design from paper onto a wood canvas board. Hours for this activity are 2 p.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday. Costs $8 in studio and $10 to go.
Feb. 20-26, The Workspace, Memorial Union: Paint Your Own Pottery “Give Back Week” with 20% of proceeds donated to the George A. Jackson Black Cultural Center. Hours for this activity are 2 p.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday. Costs $12-18 depending on materials chosen.
Feb. 22, 5 to 7 p.m. Multicultural Center, Memorial Union: The Multicultural Student Success offices of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and the College of Design Multicultural Student Success will co-sponsor the 2nd Annual Black Art Exhibit in the Multicultural Center at the Memorial Union.
Feb. 22, 7:30 p.m., Great Hall, Memorial Union: Lecture by Lawrence Ross titled “Blackballed: The Black and White Politics of Race on Campus.” Ross is a writer, author and lecturer known for his research on Black Greek culture. His first book, Los Angeles Times best seller, “The Divine Nine: The History of African American Fraternities and Sororities,” has been a staple of understanding the intricacies of cultural Greek life. (Collegiate Panhellenic Council, National Pan-Hellenic Council, Multicultural Greek Council, Interfraternity Council, Committee on Lectures)
Feb. 24, 11 p.m., Great Hall, Memorial Union: Comedian Preacher Lawson for ISU AfterDark. Lawson is best known for his appearance on season 12 of NBC’s hit series “America’s Got Talent,” where he made it to the final rounds. Lawson was invited to compete on “America’s Got Talent: The Champions” in 2019 and “Britain’s Got Talent: The Champions” in 2019 where he advanced to the finale after receiving the most votes from the fans. Lawson shot his first stand-up special, which premiered on BET +, in 2019 and continues to perform at sold-out venues around the country. (ISU AfterDark and Student Union Board)
Feb. 27, 6 p.m., Great Hall, Memorial Union: Lecture by Jessica B. Harris titled “High on the Hog: How African American Cuisine Transformed America.” Harris is considered by many to be one of the ranking authorities on the food of the African Diaspora. A New York Times bestselling author, she is the author, editor or translator of 18 books, including 12 cookbooks documenting the foodways of the African Diaspora. Her award-winning book, “High on the Hog,” was the basis for the acclaimed Netflix series of the same name.
March 2, 6 p.m., Great Hall, Memorial Union: Lecture by Patrick Phillips titled “Blood at the Root: A Discussion of Forsyth County, Georgia.” Phillips will discuss his search for the truth about his hometown, where in 1912 hundreds of local white people used arson, lynching, and mob violence to drive out the entire Black population – and then kept them out for nearly a century. (Iowa State Conference on Race and Ethnicity, Committee on Lectures)
March 3, all day, Memorial Union: Thomas L. Hill Iowa State Conference on Race and Ethnicity (ISCORE), a comprehensive forum on issues of race and ethnicity at Iowa State and beyond. Free, open to ISU students, faculty and staff. A half-day pre-conference for faculty and staff will take place on March 1. Registration is required.
