Celebrating Black History Month
February 1, 2024
A slave named David Drake spent many years creating ceramic pots and storage jars in the early 1800s, many inscribed with short poems he wrote. His words were considered an act of defiance at the time because it was illegal to teach enslaved people how to read or write. Today his work is displayed in the Smithsonian American Art Museum and other artistic spaces.
I mention this story because February is Black History Month, and this year’s theme is “African Americans and the Arts,” encompassing the many contributions Black Americans have made in visual arts, music and more.
Drake’s inspirational story serves as a reminder of how long Black Americans have been fighting for racial equality in many forms, whether it is through civic leadership, teaching antiracism in the classroom or through the arts.
This month Chaffey College will celebrate Black History Month with workshops, performances and more.
These include:
- Black History Month Kickoff:Thursday, February 1 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. – Sports Center – This event will include music, a barbecue hosted by the Chaffey Car Club, games and a resource fair.
- Movie Event: Judas and the Black Messiah:Thursday, February 7 at Noon – CAA-211 – View the Oscar-nominated film that delves into the betrayal of Fred Hampton, the chairman of the Illinois chapter of the Black Panther Party in the 1960s.
- Know Yourself: A Dialogue on Black Identities:Thursday, February 15 at 4:30 p.m. – Zoom and WH-161. A conversation to explore the various cultural and genetic manifestations of Blackness, and how we define our own unique Black identities.
- Black Joy Yoga with Dat Yoga Dude:Thursday, February 20 at 12:30 p.m. – Zoom and CAA Dance Studio
- Black Excellence Panel:Thursday, February 22 at 6 p.m. – Zoom – An intimate conversation with leading Black professionals who discuss ways they have navigated obstacles and devised strategies in order to excel in careers in historically-excluded fields.
- 5thAnnual Hip Hop Studies Summit: February 28 to March 1. Celebrating the 50th anniversary of hip hop, this multi-day event will include workshops, panel discussions and a virtual art exhibition by the Wignall Museum of Contemporary Art.
Best,
Henry D. Shannon, Ph.D.
Superintendent/President