The annual Black History Month activities, sponsored by Multicultural Student Affairs, begin Feb.1 with guest speaker ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith in Hughes-Trigg Student Center at 6 p.m.
Along with special guest speaker, there will be several discussions on a variety of subjects.
Attendance to the events tends to be one side, according to Multicultural Student Affairs Coordinator Melanie Johnson.
“A lot of people think Black History Month is for black students only,” Johnson said. “Black history month, along with our other heritage months, is about educating the campus as a whole about that culture.”
The discussion on Feb. 10, “What’s in a Name?” will explore the difference between African Americans who have immigrated from Africa and Black Americans who don’t know exactly where their ancestors came from.
“A lot of people don’t understand the different cultures. They are totally two different cultures,” Johnson said. “It’s something a lot of people could get something out of.”
National Pan-Hellenic Council’s Delta Sigma Theta will be hosting Family Feud Delta Edition Feb. 7 at 7 p.m.
On Feb. 23, SMU’s Voices of Inspiration will host “ Gospel Music in America: History in Song” in Hughes-Trigg at 7 p.m.
“Progression of the Black Woman,” co-sponserd by Sisters Supporting Sisters, will study the history of the everyday Black American woman from slavery to the present. The event will take place on Feb. 27 at 6 p.m.
Students Devean Owens and D’Marquise Allen are co-chairs of Black History Month Events.
Owens, who has been chair for the past three years, is looking forward the guest speaker and the Black Excellence Ball.
“I’ve definitely seen an increase in the attendance,” Owens said about the Black Excellence Ball.
The Black Excellence Ball, Mar. 1, ends the month’s activities. This year the event will include Black Alum association and has been moved into the Hughes Trigg Ballroom from it’s location in Meadows Museum Jones Hall. The black tie optional event will include a speaker, music and event.
Along with month’s activities, members of Association of Black Students will be supporting men and women’s basketball by attending home games.
“I think with our talk, and our progression, hopefully it will educate them about black history and make it not just Black History,” Johnson said. “It’s American History.”
