Centenary plans Black History Month events in February
SHREVEPORT, LA — Centenary College will sponsor several community events to celebrate Black History Month in February 2019. Students, faculty, and staff on the College’s Diversity Committee have organized two events, and others have been organized by the student-led Black Student Union.
“The celebration of Black History Month allows me to take a moment so I can reflect on the past, live in the present, and plan for the future,” says Charlene Roache, a senior at Centenary and president of the Black Student Union. “As a proud African-American, I am allowed to pause and pay respect to my ancestors who made the hard sacrifices which allow me to attend a distinguished college in the South, shop at an integrated grocery store, and complete other simple tasks that many take for granted.”
Roache stresses that the activities planned at Centenary to celebrate Black History Month are not only reflective but also represent a call to action.
“This month reminds me that while African-Americans have won some battles, there is still more work to be done,” says Roache. “Progress is not stagnant.”
Black History Month events at Centenary include:
Monday, February 4 – Panel Discussion: “That’s Not My Name” – Racial Slurs in the 21st Century
12:00 – 1:00 p.m.
Whited Room in Bynum Commons
Free and open to the public
Sponsored by the Black Student Union
Thursday, February 7 – Film Screening: “Detroit”
7:00 – 9:30 p.m.
Whited Room in Bynum Commons
“Detroit” takes place in the summer of 1967 when rioting and unrest starts to tear apart the city of Detroit. At the Algiers Motel, several policemen start to forcefully and vigorously interrogate guests to get a confession. By the end of the night, three unarmed men are gunned down while several others are brutally beaten.
Free and open to the public
Sponsored by the Centenary College Diversity Committee
Tuesday, February 19 – Lecture by Will James: “The Legacy of Lynching in the South”
6:00 p.m.
Whited Room in Bynum Commons
Free and open to the public
Co-sponsored by the YWCA of Northwest Louisiana
Thursday, February 21 - Staged reading by Mahogany Ensemble Theatre: “American Menu”
7:00 p.m.
Marjorie Lyons Playhouse
The play follows five black restaurant workers in the kitchen of a “whites only” Texas diner in May 1968, between the assassinations of Martin Luther King, Jr. and Robert F. Kennedy.
Free to Centenary faculty, staff, and students with valid ID; $5 for the general public. 50 Passport Points are available to students.
Sponsored by the Centenary College Diversity Committee
Friday, February 22 – Apollo Soulfest
6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
Marjorie Lyons Playhouse
A showcase of student talent. The event is free and open to the public, but participation in the talent showcase is open only to Centenary students.
Sponsored by the Black Student Union.
Tuesday, February 26 – “Day of Remembrance” March
11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Starting location: Caf Deck
Students will march silently around campus to give respect and homage to people who have paved the way for African-American, as well as people who have lost their lives to injustice, violence, and police brutality.
Open to the public.
Sponsored by the Black Student Union.
The Centenary Film Society is also co-sponsoring a film series, “Celebration of Black Cinema,” at the Robinson Film Center in downtown Shreveport. The series features the work of four contemporary black film directors with one screening each week in February accompanied by a post-screening discussion led by members of the community. For more information and tickets, visit robinsonfilmcenter.org.