Cal State Fullerton is celebrating Black History Month during February, with a range of virtual programs focusing on culture, arts and politics, organized by the African American Resource Center.
Event topics include protests and dissents, Black foods, the Angela Davis lecture that took place at CSUF 49 years ago and researching African diasporic family histories.
This year’s theme for the month is “Black Publications,” which have been a vital component to the survival of Black people in the United States since the mid-1800s, said Torrell Forree, coordinator of the African American Resource Center.
“Black newspapers, magazines and journals provided Black people the opportunity to center Black voices and experiences, often striving to counter racist and oppressive narratives and images of Black people,” Foree said. “These publications, such as Ebony and The Chicago Defender, have served the Black community since the times of slavery and continue to be vehicles in which Black people preserve history and express our culture.”
The complete schedule of the virtual events, open to the public, and Zoom links and other information to register to attend, can be found on the African American Resource Center website.
Here are some of this month’s programs:
- Thursday, Feb. 4, 11:30 a.m.-12:15 p.m. — “Reclaiming Our Time: Centering Black Women and Femmes in Systemic Anti-Black Racism” will explore the specific circumstances of Black women and queer people as victims of various types of state sanctioned violence, featuring Kristin Rowe, assistant professor of American studies, and Latoya Lee, assistant professor of women and gender studies. Visit here for more information about the Humanities and Social Sciences Lecture Series.
- Wednesday, Feb. 10, 2-4 p.m. — “ADOS, Sh**t Hole Countries and (Which) Black Lives Matter: Engaging Contemporary Intra-Racial and Transnational Dynamics Surrounding Black College Students,” a discussion on how the current U.S. sociopolitical climate (related to anti-Black racism and nativism) is impacting Black students.
- Friday, Feb. 12, 2-3:30 p.m. — “Angela Davis Tried to Warn Us,” with Mei-Ling Malone, lecturer of African American studies, featuring lessons about the 1972 lecture at CSUF by Angela Davis.
- Tuesday, Feb. 16, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. — “Titan Table Talks-Black History Month,” with panelists that include the first Black ASI president at CSUF and others who are active in local and national civic engagement.
- Thursday, Feb. 18, 1-2 p.m. — “Black Foods Showcase,” a lecture by Natalie Graham, associate professor of African American studies, examines the importance of food in Black culture.
- Monday, Feb. 22, 3-4 p.m. — “The Freedom of Our Hair,” a presentation by Gwen Alexis, lecturer of African American studies, on the ways natural hair has been depicted throughout history, and the beauty and versatility of Black hairstyles.
- Monday, Feb. 22, 4-5 p.m. — “Black and Able,” focusing on deconstructing and redefining the stereotypes of disability and mental health within the Black community.
- Tuesday, Feb. 23, 1-2:30 p.m. — “Critical Consciousness: Protest and Dissent,” highlighting the attack at the Capitol.
- Thursday, Feb. 25, 4-6 p.m. — “Between Roots and Routes: Strategies for Researching African Diasporic Family Histories and the Power of Place,” showcasing key record collections, tools and strategies for tracing African diasporic ancestry in the U.S.