Northwestern University celebrates Black History Month (BHM), an annual observance of the achievements and legacies of African Americans, through various events that bring the campus community together. Multicultural Student Affairs (MSA) has been planning the events for months to “celebrate the Black diaspora,” says Alyscia Raines, the Assistant Director. Raines emphasizes that the theme this year, “All Black Everything,” acknowledges the depths to blackness – all of its shapes and nuances.
One of the objectives of celebrating BHM at Northwestern is for students who identify as black to feel proud and empowered through history and awareness. Black History Month celebrations will create opportunities for students to join the community and find new interests through different events.
The month will start off with Harambee, an event that has been continued for more than ten years at Northwestern, on January 31. Swahili for “pull together,” “Harambee” is used as a rallying cry in Kenya for coming together and gathering resources. Harambee kicks off Black History Month with various performances and food for all to enjoy.
Celebrating BHM at Northwestern also involves the “consideration of whole self,” says Raines. Some of the events focus on raising the awareness of one’s overall health, including but not limited to physical, psychological, and spiritual health. Lovin’ You: A Poetry Workshop about Self-Love featuring Harold Green III invites participants to examine how they express self-love and how they share such love with the world. The workshop will focus on themes of self-expression and self-definition.
For a full calendar of Black History Month events at Northwestern, visit the Multicultural Student Affairs page.