EIU Media Relations

EIU to celebrate African-American Heritage Month in February

(Charleston, IL) – Eastern Illinois University invites community members to join students, staff and faculty in celebrating African-American Heritage Month in February.

According to members of EIU's African-American Heritage Month committee, EIU will offer a variety of cultural and educational events intended to celebrate black lives by honoring the men, women, families and communities that support and sustain black excellence. This year’s African-American Heritage Month events at EIU will include:

Friday, February 1

• 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.—EIU Diversity Conference
  3^rd Floor of the MLK Jr. University Union
• 7 p.m.—Revolution and Rhyme: Night of Neo Soul and Poetry featuring theinjuredparty
  7^th Street Underground

Monday, February 4

• Black Lives Matter: A MOVEMENT not a moment—Kickoff Celebration
  6 p.m.—Movie and Panel Discussion: Whose Street
  Doudna Lecture Hall

Wednesday, February 6

• 5 to 7:30 p.m.—Scholar-In-Residence Dr. Loretta Prater: “Excessive Use of Force”
  Buzzard Hall Auditorium

Saturday, February 9

• 10:30 a.m.—MTEA Story Time
  Ballenger Room, Booth Library

• 7 p.m.—Unity Gospel Choir Presents “Make Jesus Famous Throwback Concert Part 1”
  MLK Jr. University Union Ballroom

Sunday, February 10

• 3:22 p.m.—Sigma Gamma Rho “Food for the Soul” Dinners ($5 and $7 dinners available)
  EIU Cultural Center

Monday, February 11

• 7:13 p.m.—Black By Popular Demand: Black Card Revoked! (Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.)
  Coleman Hall Auditorium

Tuesday, February 12

• 5 p.m.— Tim Engles: “White Man, Listen!” Richard Wright’s Prophetic Warnings About Angry White Men
  Booth Library Conference Room (4440)

Wednesday, February 13

• 7 p.m.—Black Queer Lives Matter Panel Discussion (Pride)
  7^th Street Underground

Monday, February 18

• 7 p.m.—The Evolution of the Black Woman (NACWC)
  Coleman Hall Auditorium

Monday, February 18

• 7 p.m.—Professor Gaines Foster (Louisiana State University) “Still Fighting The Civil War? How to Put Contemporary Controversies in Historical Context” (First Annual Presidential Lecture and the 13^th Annual Barry Riccio Lecture on History; Reception to follow; Sponsored by the President’s Office and the EIU History Department.
  Doudna Lecture Hall

Tuesday, February 19

• 6:20 p.m.—Natural Curlz 101 (Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc.)
  7^th Street Underground

Wednesday, February 20

• 6:06 p.m.—Black Women Who Made America (Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.)
  7^th Street Underground

Saturday, February 23

• 7 p.m.— Black EIU Pageant
  MLK Jr. University Union Grand Ballroom

Sunday, February 24

• 7 p.m.—Unity Gospel Presents “Make Jesus Famous Throwback Concert Part 2”
  MLK Jr. University Union Ballroom

Monday, February 25

• 7 p.m.—NAACP “An Historical Twist”
  Coleman Hall Auditorium

Tuesday, February 26

• 1 to 2 p.m.—8^th Annual Interdisciplinary Center for Global Diversity Symposium (Keynote speaker: Mr. Sammy Rangel, “Is There Life After Hate?—The Life Experiences of Sammy Rangel”)
  Arcola/Tuscola Room

• 6:30 p.m. Black Excellence—The Importance of Graduate School (Black Graduate School Association)
  Coleman Hall Auditorium

For more information about EIU’s African-American Heritage Month, visit EIU’s Office of Inclusion and Academic Engagement on the web at www.eiu.edu/oiae/. For more information about EIU, or to learn more about its growing assortment of programs and services, visit the university’s website at www.eiu.edu, or call EIU’s public information office at (217) 581-7400.