Rutgers Observes Black History Month 2019
Students, faculty and staff will celebrate with a wide range of cultural and educational activities throughout the university including screenings, performances and lectures in honor of Black History Month.
Events this year will also mark the 50th anniversary of the takeover of Conklin Hall at Rutgers University-Newark by members of the Black Organization of Students, a pivotal moment in Rutgers history that ushered in an era of much greater diversity.
Rutgers–New Brunswick
February 4, 8:45 p.m. The West Indian Student Organization presents "I’m Not Black, I’m Caribbean," a conversation about identities within the Caribbean community. Center for Latino Arts and Culture, New Brunswick.
February 5, 8 p.m. Rutgers Athletics, Rutgers Student Affairs, the Robeson 100 Committee and the Paul Robeson Cultural Center present "Celebrating Black History Month and Paul Robeson" at the Rutgers vs. Michigan basketball game. During halftime and throughout the game at the Rutgers Athletic Center in Piscataway we will honor and celebrate black history with various special acknowledgments of alumnus Paul Robeson in commemoration of the centennial of his graduation from Rutgers in 1919.
February 6, 4 p.m. Student Access and Educational Equity presents the HUGS Leadership Development Program. Learn how to secure your dream job or internship with employers who have targeted diversity initiatives. Rutgers Athletics Center, Piscataway.
February 6, 8:30 p.m. RU Curly presents "Black Hair in the Diaspora," an exploration of the different hairstyles present throughout Africa and the diaspora and how it shapes the culture. Frelinghuysen Hall Room A4, New Brunswick.
February 7, 9 p.m. Sisters With Values hosts "Empowering African American Women: The Power We Have." Livingston Student Center RM 202AB, Piscataway.
February 8, 12 p.m. Student Access and Educational Equity presents "The Power of You: Men of Color Networking Luncheon." The Rutgers Club, Piscataway.
February 8, 5 p.m. The Center for Social Justice Education and LGBT Communities and the Paul Robeson Cultural Center host a black faculty and staff networking reception for Rutgers black faculty and staff. Paul Robeson Cultural Center, New Brunswick.
February 11, 8:45 p.m. The Center for Latino Arts and Culture hosts a Caribbean mixer. Center for Latino Arts and Culture, New Brunswick.
February 12, 8:30 p.m. The Black Student Union and Black Lives Matter present “Careers in Activism.” Activists participate in a panel discussion to talk about their careers in involvement in activism. Paul Robeson Cultural Center, New Brunswick.
February 16, 7 p.m. The Black Men’s Collective presents “Knight of Comedy.” Join Black Men’s Collective and the Rutgers student community for an evening of comedy, laughs and community. Tickets for Rutgers students $10 and non-Rutgers students $15. College Avenue Student Center MPR, New Brunswick.
February 18, 8 p.m. The Asian American Cultural Center and Asian Student Council present “Asian American Solidarity During the civil rights movement,” a discussion on social justice issues that the black community has faced leading up to the Civil Rights Movement and how Asian Americans have shown solidarity and allyship. Asian American Cultural Center, New Brunswick.
February 18, 8:45 p.m. The West Indian Student Organization hosts "Painting Lover’s Rock Reggae." Center for Latino Arts and Culture, New Brunswick.
February 19, 9 a.m. Student Access and Educational Equity hosts “Access Week: RU-1st Forum.” A panel of national experts will speak on the affairs of first-generation students and programs that support this population. Attendees will learn about best practices to help facilitate retention and four-year graduation rates of students who are first-generation, low-income, and/or underrepresented. College Avenue Student Center, New Brunswick.
February 19, 8:30 p.m. The Black Student Union and all black student organizations and sororities and fraternities host “Maybe I Missed Out? (HBCU vs PWI),” a discussion on how black students feel about HBCUs and PWIs. Paul Robeson Cultural Center, New Brunswick.
February 20, 8 p.m. The Queer Student Alliance Club, the Center for Social Justice Education and LGBT Communities, Paul Robeson Cultural Center, and Asian American Cultural Center present “Whitewashing and Queer People of Color in LGBTQ+ History.” Cook Student Center, New Brunswick.
February 21, 6 p.m. Student Access and Educational Equity hosts “Access Week: Graduate School Preparation Summit.” James H. Whitney III will host an interactive workshop to share tips and strategies on how to master the application process. Livingston Student Center, Gathering Lounge, Piscataway.
February 22, 6:30 a.m. Student Access and Educational Equity presents “Access Week: Read to the Youth Literacy Campaign.” As a part of the National TRIO Day celebration, established in 1986 by Congress, Rutgers TRIO programs will read to students in the local Plainfield and Piscataway Public School Districts to support literacy improvement. Children's book donations (in “good” condition) will be accepted until February 15. Please deliver donations to Lucy Stone Hall, 3rd Floor, Room A315.
February 25, 7 p.m. The United Black Council hosts “Lincoln University, Somerville and the Making of Paul Robeson,” featuring panelists Leonard Bethel and Randall O. Westbrook. Academic Building, Room 2400, New Brunswick.
February 25, 8:45 p.m. The West Indian Student Organization hosts "Caribbean Revolutionaries." Center for Latino Arts and Culture, New Brunswick.
February 26, 7 p.m. Undergraduate Academic Affairs hosts the musical group Follow the Drinking Gourd which will present a multimedia presentation "Titans of Song," an evening of music featuring an exciting narrative and a visual presentation of historical images of Paul Robeson and Marian Anderson.
February 26, 8:30 p.m. The Black Student Union, Douglass Divas, and Sisters With Values present “Misogyny in Black Culture,” a discussion on prejudice against women. Paul Robeson Cultural Center, New Brunswick.
February 26, 8:30 p.m. The Douglass Black Students’ Congress present “10 Years of Black Beauty,” an in-depth discussion on the history of black beauty and the appropriation of it throughout time. Douglass Student Center at Meeting Room A, New Brunswick.
February 27, 7:30 p.m. The Paul Robeson Cultural Center, TWESE, and the Haitian Association at Rutgers present “Black and Abroad,” a panel discussion with students and professionals who will share their vacation, work and/or study abroad stories, opportunities, tips and tricks for traveling outside of the U.S. while black. Paul Robeson Cultural Center, New Brunswick.
February 28, 2 p.m. The Office of Graduate Student Life, Graduate Student Association, Student Affairs, Cultural Collaborative, Graduate Studies, and Africana Studies present “Attracting Mentors for Minority Students.” An expert instructor will walk attendees through defining a framework for pairing faculty and staff with students, designing meaningful interactions for mentees, strategies and challenges of attracting and retaining mentors and tips for assessing your mentoring program. Graduate Student Lounge, New Brunswick.
February 28, 1 p.m. The Paul Robeson Cultural Center presents the B.L.A.C.K. Brothers’ and Sisters’ Circle Mentoring Program. Every last Thursday of the month, the Paul Robeson Cultural Center will host the B.L.A.C.K. (Building Leaders And Cultivating Knowledge) mentoring program session to connect black brothers and sisters who are students, faculty, staff and alumni. Paul Robeson Cultural Center, New Brunswick.
February 28, 9 p.m. Sisters With Values hosts “Challenge: Black Women Unite.” Livingston Student Center. Piscataway.
For more information on these events, click here.
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Rutgers is commemorating the centennial of Paul Robeson’s graduation in 1919 in a yearlong celebration featuring lectures, performances, art exhibitions and more including many events throughout February
Rutgers–Newark
February 4, 11:30 a.m. The Black History Month Kickoff will highlight landmark changes within black history at Rutgers University-Newark. The opening will include the reading of the Proclamation, a special guest speaker, and a showcase by all student organizations belonging to the Black Diaspora. Kickoff is open to the public. Paul Robeson Campus Center, Essex Room, Newark.
February 4, 6:30 p.m. The Black Organization of Students hosts "RU Speed Networking: Black Faculty/Staff Edition." Students will have the opportunity to engage in dialogue with Rutgers-Newark’s black faculty and staff about their journey and their involvement on campus. Paul Robeson Campus Center, Essex Room, Newark.
February 6, 12:15 p.m. The Center for Immigration Law, Policy and Justice hosts Johns Hopkins University professor Martha Jones who will discuss her new book, Birthright Citizens, moderated by Rutgers Law School professor Elise Boddie at Rutgers Law School,123 Washington Street.
February 6, 2:30 p.m. The LGBTQ and Intercultural Resource Center hosts the Reclaiming Black Newark Reception to kick off the 50th Anniversary of the Conklin Hall Takeover and to announce the Reclaiming Black Newark Art Project. The reception will feature a dance performance and a panel of speakers featuring Rutgers–Newark faculty and constituents, who will discuss public history and what it means to reclaim public spaces. Paul Robeson Campus Center, Essex Room, Newark.
February 14, 4 p.m. RU-N Live! Faces of Black History Featuring McDonald’s 365 Black is a live musical show acknowledging the contributions of African Americans to America. The show salutes many well-known celebrities, personalities, and history makers in an entertaining and educational format for all ages. Paul Robeson Campus Center, Student Street, Newark.
February 16, 9:30 a.m. The Clement A. Price Institute on Ethnicity, Culture, and the Modern Experience presents the 39th annual Marion Thompson Wright Lecture Series, “The Erotic as Power: Sexuality and the Black Experience," bringing together eminent scholars and performers to examine the political and social lives of the erotic in the African American experience. Paul Robeson Campus Center, Newark.
February 18, 11:30 a.m. Join Rutgers-Newark for a mural unveiling showcasing Rutgers University stakeholders and the diversity of Rutgers University-Newark. Artist Andreá Cassar, a Rutgers-Newark alumnus, presents his vision of diversity and the strength that lies in unity. Paul Robeson Campus Center, Student Street, Newark.
February 21, 5 p.m. Black Organization of Students Alumni Association hosts a panel discussion on the background of the events leading up to the Liberation of Conklin Hall directly from those involved. Join alumni, faculty and students to examine the past and connect to the future in honor of those who helped pave the way and to showcase how far Rutgers University-Newark has come. Open to the public. 15 Washington St., Newark.
February 22, 6 p.m. The Black Organization of Students hosts the 50th Anniversary Celebration of the 1969 Conklin Hall Movement, a gala in honor of those who helped pave the way by showcasing how far Rutgers–Newark has come. Open to the public. 15 Washington Street, Great Hall, Newark.
February 27, 6 p.m. "Black Women Writing Black Histories," a round-table discussion, will focus on slavery and featuring dynamic black women historians whose scholarship engages the black past. Panelists include professors Daina Ramey Berry, Deirdre Cooper Owens and Sasha Turner, moderated by Melissa Cooper. Open to the public. Paul Robeson Campus Center, Essex Room, Newark.
January 31, 6:30 p.m. The Office of Diversity and Inclusion will host "Courageous Conversation: Bias and Microaggressions" gathers campus members to share in stimulating dialogue on race and intersectional subject matters. Campus Center, Student Works Gallery, Camden.
February 1 - March 1. The Paul Robeson Library will have on display artifacts from the Mott House, a stop on the Underground Railroad. Paul Robeson Library, Camden.
February 4, 11:20 a.m. Inspired by the Black Lives Matter movement, Rutgers-Camden is hosting “Speak Up” as part of the Black Lives Matter at School Week of Action. Students, alumni and community members will gather to share poetry, music, readings or personal stories and reflections on racial justice in education. Campus Center, Multi-Purpose Room, Camden.
February 4, 6 p.m. The Ida B. Wells-Barnett keynote lecture will be presented by Prentiss Dantzler, an assistant professor of sociology at Colorado College. Dantzler, a graduate of the Rutgers–Camden Ph.D. program in public affairs, will deliver the talk “Reflections on 400 Years of African-Descended People in the New World.” Campus Center, Multi-Purpose Room, Camden.
February 13, 11:30 a.m. Oscar Holmes IV, assistant professor of management, in collaboration with the Office of Diversity and Inclusion, hosts "Beyond the Mill: The African Diaspora," a discussion highlighting scholarship on diversity, equity, and inclusive subject matter. The panel, also featuring Marla Blunt-Carter and Eliezer Marcellus, will consider the migration of African people engrafted into the American experience. Campus Center, South ABC Room, Camden.
February 20, 11:20 a.m. "Colorism Series: 50 Shades of Brown" will focus on internalized or covert discrimination and prejudicial experiences based on skin color within varying communities of color. Campus Center, Executive Meeting Room, Camden.
February 20, 6 p.m. Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter Chrisette Michele will talk about her life and work in a Coffeehouse Conversation. Campus Center, Multi-Purpose Room, Camden.
February 28, 5 p.m. Family Feud Black History Month Edition will feature historical facts about black culture. Campus Center, Multi-Purpose Room, Camden.
Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences
February 6, 12:30 p.m. New Jersey Medical School presents "Black History in Film." Medical Science Building, Room B-610, Newark.
February 7, 8 a.m. The Department of Pediatrics at Robert Wood Johnson Medical School hosts a Black History Month Celebration. Clinical Academic Building, New Brunswick.
February 8, 12 p.m. New Jersey Medical School hosts "Eat to Live: Nutrition Training for the Health Care Provider For Culturally Diverse Populations." Participants will identify the components of a typical West African diet and its health benefits and understand methods for introduction of a plant-based culturally appropriate diet.
February 9, 9 a.m. The Student National Medical Association presents “Celebrating Black History Month with Black Physicians and Scholars,” an informative lecture series dedicated to celebrating the accomplishments of black physicians and scholars. This celebratory event will focus on health disparities in black communities and will feature dynamic black speakers from various fields, highlighting the contributions and accomplishments of black physicians and scholars. East Lecture Hall, Robert Wood Johnson Medical, Piscataway.
February 11, 10 a.m. New Jersey Medical School presents "Black History in Film." Medical Science Building, Room B-610, Newark.
February 12, 4 p.m. New Jersey Medical School presents "Evidence-Based Modalities for Stress Reduction with Enola Aird (Community Healing Network)" and Natalie Roche. This event will focus on the Community Healing Network and analyze the negative stress caused by institutionalized black inferiority. Medical Science Building, Room B-610, Newark.
February 19, 6 p.m. New Jersey Medical School hosts Campus Movie Night with a viewing of The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks and a panel discussion. Medical Science Building, Room B-610, Newark.
February 23, 10 a.m. New Jersey Medical School presents "Violence as a Public Health Issue in Medicine," with speakers Stephanie Bonne, Theodore Corbin, and Kelly Moore. Speakers will explore the social determinants of health that lead to violence in urban communities amongst men of color. Medical Science Building, Room B-610, Newark.
February 28, 5 p.m. New Jersey Medical School presents "Black Academic Excellence at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School and University Hospital," featuring speakers from the New Jersey Medical School and University Hospital faculty. Medical Science Building, Grand Foyer and Rosemary Gellene Room.