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DEI Corner - We All Belong
February 2022
Black History Month - reflecting on those who have changed our world.
Black History Month's first iteration was Negro History Week, created in February 1926 by Carter G. Woodson, known as the "father of Black history." This historian helped establish the field of African American studies and his organization, the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History, aimed to encourage "people of all ethnic and social backgrounds to discuss the Black experience."
By the late 1960s, thanks in part to the civil rights movement and a growing awareness of Black identity, Negro History Week was celebrated by mayors in cities across the country. Eventually, the event evolved into Black History Month on many college campuses. In 1976, President Gerald Ford officially recognized Black History Month. In his speech, President Ford urged Americans to “seize the opportunity to honor the too-often neglected accomplishments of Black Americans in every area of endeavor throughout our history."
Since his administration, every American president has recognized Black History Month and its mission. But it wasn't until Congress passed "National Black History Month" into law in 1986 that many in the country began to observe it formally. The law aimed to make all Americans "aware of this struggle for freedom and equal opportunity."
It took nearly 50 years for America to really accept Dr. Woodson’s simple notion that the history of Black Americans was something worth celebrating. Black people deserve to be recognized, respected and celebrated all year round. Black history isn’t just for and about us; it is history, and it belongs to and influences us all. (A big thank you to PACE Co-Chair Brenda Safford for the great history lesson!)
At Quinsigamond Community College, each year the College holds its annual celebration of Black History Month, recognizing and honoring the achievements of African Americans and their central role in U.S. history. Throughout the month of February 2022, there will be a variety of virtual events and presentations that learn from and reflect upon this topic.
Sankofa Lecture Series
On Monday, February 14, 1:00 p.m. -2:00 p.m., Guest Speaker Dr. Lamont Slater, former QCC professor and current Assistant Professor of Humanities at Talladega College. Watch your QCC family email for additional information and a Zoom link.
Diversity Caucus Events
On Tuesday, February 15, beginning at 12:00 p.m., Guest Speaker Dr. Raymond Winbush.
Dr. Raymond Arnold Winbush aka Tikari Bioko, is a Research Professor and Director of the Institute for Urban Research, Morgan State University. He is an American-African scholar and activist known for his systems-thinking approaches to understanding the impact of racism/white supremacy on the global African community. His writings, consultations, and research have been instrumental in understanding developmental stages in Black males, public policy and its connection to compensatory justice, relationships between Black males and females, infusion of African studies into school curricula, and the impact of hip-hop culture on the contemporary American landscape.*
This event will be held virtually. Zoom information will be sent through QCC family email.
Your Voice Matters: Community Conversations
If you haven’t attended a Community Conversations discussion, February is the perfect month to stop in and be part of a dynamic conversation. This space offers an opportunity for faculty and staff of the QCC college community to engage in open dialogue around equity and social justice. All faculty and staff are welcome to join in, explore, and exchange perspectives.
Your Voice Matters: Community Conversations is hosted by the President’s Advisory Council on Equity (PACE) and takes place every Tuesday at 12:00 p.m. via Zoom. Even if you can only join for part of the time, you are welcome and encouraged to drop in.
The same Zoom link from previous “Your Voice Matters” sessions is used each week. If you do not have the Zoom link already or are new to the College, contact Selina Boria at sboria [at] qcc.mass.edu to get added to the weekly calendar invitation. You can join as often or as little as you like.
On behalf of PACE Co-Chairs Brenda Safford and Professor Byron Thomas, we look forward to seeing you at the next "Your Voice Matters."
Visit a virtual slideshow to learn more about QCC’s Social Justice Community Space.
