SU Commemorates African American History Month in February

SALISBURY, MD---Salisbury University commemorates African American History Month with events throughout February in a virtual format.

Activities include:

• Monday, February 1 - First Not Last: Black Greek Life at Salisbury University: This exhibit features items from the University Archives artifact collection chronicling the history of Black Greek Life at SU. It will be available on the first floor of the Guerrieri Academic Commons (GAC) through the month, then on display on the fourth floor through June 2022. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, the GAC is not open to the public.
• Tuesday, February 2, 3:30-4:30 p.m. - Civic Reflection Dialogue: “The Black Family”: Institute for Public Affairs and Civic Engagement facilitators use a reading, image or object to engage audiences in deep, productive conversation about issues related to African American families and communities. To register visit the event page.
• Friday, February 5, 1-5 p.m. – Inaugural SU Anti-Racism Summit: SU strives to be a leader in addressing structural oppression and institutional racism in many organizations and communities. This inaugural summit is part of a broader institutional effort to be intentional in talking about racism and its effects on SU and organizational systems in general.
  Topics include concepts and solutions for positive social change that address institutional, structural and interpersonal racism. The summit features guest presenters, panel discussions, topical sessions, student spoken word, and campus updates on diversity and inclusion efforts.
  The summit is virtual. This event is open to SU students, faculty and staff only.
• Monday, February 8, 7-8:30 p.m. – “Visualizing Equality: Black Activist Families in Philadelphia”: Dr. Aston Gonzalez, associate professor of history, presents a lecture about free black Philadelphians who strengthened their activism through ties of family, friendship and their calls for justice before the Civil War. To register visit the event page.
• Saturday, February 13, 8 p.m. – “Songs of Courage, Freedom and Justice”: The John Wesley Wright Quartet celebrates African American history, culture and the spirit of diversity, inclusion and anti-racism. The concert will be available for viewing until Saturday, February 20. To receive the access code visit the SU performing arts webpage.
• Wednesday, February 17, 6-7:30 p.m. – “The Protest … Now What?”: An interactive panel discussion offers an account of how one Black family from Maryland’s Eastern Shore turned its grief and loss into a local movement for police accountability throughout the state. To register visit the event page.
• Wednesday, February 24, 6-7:30 p.m. – African American Poetry Read-In: The National African American Read-In is the nation’s first and oldest event dedicated to diversity in literature. Attendees are invited to read their own original poems or a poem from one of the books available from SU Libraries. To register visit the event page.
• Thursday, February 25, 6-7:30 p.m. – The Hate U Give Book and Film Discussion: Facilitators lead a discussion about the award-winning young adult novel by Angie Thomas and its film adaptation. The work tells the story of Starr Carter, a high school student caught between conflicting worlds: her Black neighborhood and the elite, mostly white environment of her private prep school, set against the backdrop of a police-involved shooting. To register visit the event page.
• Thursday, February 25, 7 p.m. – “Celebrating Women’s Voices”: The first of a two-part series, this reading highlights poetry produced by Colombian women poets to celebrate African American History Month and explores a broader Black identity in the Americas. The second event continues highlighting these voices during Women’s History Month (March 31).

Events are free and the public is invited ulness otherwise noted. The series is sponsored by the Office of the President, Academic Affairs, Office of Diversity and Inclusion, Multicultural Student Services, Student Affairs, the Fulton Public Humanities program, PACE, SU Libraries, the Samuel W. and Marilyn C. Seidel School of Education, and the Department of English.

For more information call 410-543-6030 or visit the SU website at www.salisbury.edu.