2020 Black History Month Celebration
A Right Worth the Fight
The Black History Month Planning Committee is now accepting program proposals for this year’s Black History Month Celebration. The theme is “A Right Worth the Fight“. The Black History Month 2020 Program Proposal Form is due no later than Friday, November 1, 2019.
Contact Chris Williams (cwilli27@umw.edu) for more information.
Gospelfest
Saturday, Feb. 1 | 3 p.m. | Dodd Auditorium, George Washington Hall
Join gospel choirs and praise dance teams from several Virginia colleges and universities as they engage in spiritual song and dance.
Black History Month Keynote Speaker: Etan Thomas
Wednesday, February 12 | 7 p.m. | Chandler Ballroom C, University Center
Etan Thomas is more than an athlete, he has redefined himself as “The Activist Athlete.” Thomas defies the stereotype of the apolitical athlete, planting his roots in his formidable literary career, passion for mentoring, and civic engagement.
Born in Harlem, New York and raised in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Thomas’ childhood was surrounded by books on the civil rights movement, politics, and the 1960′s. He was greatly influenced by his mother, Deborah Thomas, a schoolteacher, who instilled in her two sons to think critically and use their platform to make a difference. Etan Thomas has made his mark far beyond the boundaries of his 11 years in the NBA.
His latest work, We Matter: Athletes and Activism, was released in 2018. Inside the book, the voices of athletes, activists, media personalities, scholars, and the family of victims of police brutality share their personal experiences. Book Authority listed We Matter as one of the top ten best activism books of all time. It tied for best non-fiction for 2018, by the African-American Literary Awards (AALAS).
Never afraid to voice his opinions, Etan was honored for social justice advocacy, as the recipient of the 2010 National Basketball Players Association Community Contribution Award, as well as the 2009 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Foundation, Inc. Legacy Award. Etan jumps at the opportunity to support civic engagement, especially for under-resourced populations.
Currently, he writes for The Guardian. He has previously written for The Washington Post, Huffington Post, CNN, ESPN, Hoopshype.com and slamonline. He can be seen frequently on MSNBC as a special correspondent for “Hot Topics.” He continues to be invited on syndicated radio and co-hosts a weekly local radio show on WPFW 89.3FM, The Collision, where sports and politics collide.
Colors of Africa
Saturday, Feb. 18 | 6 p.m. | Chandler Ballroom, University Center
Sponsored by the African Student Union, Women of Color, Brothers of a New Direction, and the James Farmer Multicultural Center
Colors of Africa seeks to celebrate the culture that Black people create. Whether it is Black people of the African continent, African Americans, or the Caribbean, Blackness is a transnational and multicultural experience and it ought to be celebrated as such.
Step Show
Saturday, Feb. 22 | 7 p.m. | Dodd Auditorium, George Washington Hall
Join Greek step teams from regional colleges and universities as they engage in a high-energy, entertaining competition.
Ticket prices will be announced soon.
Group Ticket Sales (minimum 10): Please call 540.654-1044
All events are free and open to the public unless otherwise noted. For more information, please contact the James Farmer Multicultural Center at 540/654-1044 or visit www.students.umw.edu/multicultural.