Black History Month
February 1 - February 28
In celebration of Black History Month (BHM) 2023, Virginia Tech, the Black Cultural Center, and a wide array of campus partners and programs honor the achievements of Black people and showcase the diversity of the Black community with programs and events throughout the month of February. The theme for this year's BHM is History and Traditions: Being Black in America.
Event details are subject to change. Please continue to check back here throughout the month of February. Should you have questions reach out to the Director of the Black Cultural Center, Kimberly Clark.
Feb 1 - 26
Celebrate Black Love Art Exhibit
Perspectives Art Gallery, Squires Student Center
Feb 2 | 5:00 p.m.
CEED GRAD PROGRAMS: step to doctorate program information session
Virtual, Register here
Feb 3 | 2:00 p.m.
Impacts of Violence on Black Communities: A Conversation
Black Cultural Center (BCC), 126 Squires Student Center
Feb 3 | 4:00 p.m.
BCC Speaker Series - Reaching for Each Other Vol. 1
Black Cultural Center (BCC), 126 Squires Student Center
Feb 6 | 5:00 p.m.
BSA Week Kickoff - Karaoke & Games
Owens Ballroom, Owens Hall
Feb 7 | 5:30 p.m.
VTCSOM Black Family Health event
Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine (Roanoke)
Feb 8 | 12:00 p.m.
Black Cultural Center (BCC), 126 Squires Student Center
Feb 9 | 11:00 a.m.
Pamplin IS DEIB Black History Month Kickback
Pamplin 1028
Feb 10 | 5:30 p.m.
BSA Week: R&Bingo Black History Trivia
Black Cultural Center (BCC), 126 Squires Student Center
Feb 11 | 7:00 p.m.
BSA Week: Black Excellence Gala
Commonwealth Ballroom, Squires Student Center, Register Here
Feb 14 | 1:00 p.m.
Dating with Data: 50 Years of Romantic Relationships
Torgerson 3310 OR online
Feb 14 | 7:00 p.m.
BCC Speak Yo' Word: Open-Mic Nights
Black Cultural Center (BCC), 126 Squires Student Center
Feb 15 | 11:30 a.m.
Presentation to tell story of historic Black neighborhood
Roanoke Higher Education Center, Room 212, More Info Here
Feb 15 | 1:00 p.m.
African Dance Workshop Series: Part 1
McComas Gym - Studio B
Feb 16 | 7:00 p.m.
Women's Basketball: VT v. Duke - Wahala half-time performance
Cassell Coliseum, Tickets
Feb 17 | 12:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Soulful Friday at Owens Dining Hall
Owens Dining Hall
Feb 18 | 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Uplifting Black Men Conference (BMEN)
Colonial Hall, Squires Student Center
Feb 18 | 5:00 p.m.
Men's Basketball: VT v. PITT - VTDITC half-time performance
Cassell Coliseum
Feb 21 | 4:00 p.m.
African Aesthetics in Fashion & Fabrics
Black Cultural Center (BCC), 126 Squires Student Center
Feb 22 | 7:00 p.m.
BCC Speaker Series - Reaching for Each Other Vol. 2
Black Cultural Center (BCC), 126 Squires Student Center
Feb 22 | 7:30 p.m.
Film: ‘American Masters: Ailey’
The Lyric Theatre – 135 College Ave, Blacksburg, VA
Feb 23 | 6:00 p.m.
Barbershop Talk
Black Cultural Center (BCC), 126 Squires Student Center
Feb 23 | 6:00 p.m.
Guest Speaker - Cornell William Brooks - American Lawyer & Activist
Haymarket Theater, Doors open at 5:30 PM
Feb 24 | 6:00 p.m.
Africana Studies Week: Mama Dip's Southern Dessert Reception
Black Cultural Center (BCC), 126 Squires Student Center
Feb 24 | 6:00 p.m.
Black History Open House at Special Collections in Newman Library
Black Cultural Center (BCC), 126 Squires Student Center
Feb 28 | 6:00 p.m.
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre: Discussion
Haymarket Theatre – Squires Student Center
Feb 28 | 7:30 p.m.
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre: Performance
Anne and Ellen Fife Theatre in the Street and Davis Performance Hall, Moss Arts Center
This year's Black love theme is "Celebrate" and highlights the artwork of Timi Taiwo, a third-year student of architecture at Virginia Tech along with art from regional school aged students. Timi says "his artistic journey has continued to push him into spaces of refinery, experimentation, and storytelling which have well equipped him to create work that brings people together to celebrate their oneness rather than their differences." Timi has shared a story about each of the artworks in this show, giving insight to his inspiration and allowing us a moment to pause and think about the ideas he is sharing.
January 17 - February 26, 2023
Reception Friday January 20, 5 - 7 p.m.
Free and Open to All
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Are you considering pursuing a doctorate degree but not sure where to start? Look no further! The "A Step to Doctorate Institute" program is here to help.
This program offers you the opportunity to prepare for graduate school with FREE resources and guidance from experienced faculty members. You will have the chance to meet with graduate faculty, 1:1 writing coach for personal statements and fellowship applications, and receive mentorship as you navigate the graduate school application process.
But that's not all - apply to GEM and receive a graduate school fee waiver to Virginia Tech for those accepted into A Step to the Doctorate Institute. This is an incredible opportunity to jump-start your journey towards earning a doctorate degree.
Don't let uncertainty hold you back from reaching your goals. Apply now to take the first step towards your doctorate with the "A Step to Doctorate Institute" program.
We invite you to join us on our online information session about the program next week, on Thursday February 02 from 5:30pm-6:30pm.
In honor of Black History Month, VTCSOM welcomes you to the first Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging event of 2023 titled Black Family Health. This community focused event aims to highlight health equity and health outcomes for the Black family as a whole and also the key role that the Black physicians play in our community. Our knowledgeable physicians will serve as experts on a panel to talk about their experiences and answer your questions.
We will have specialists in:
- Pediatrics
- Internal Medicine
- Infectious Diseases
- Obstetrics & Gynecology
- Surgery
- Psychiatry
Join VTDITC: Hip Hop Studies at Virginia Tech for Vol. 40: Linguistic Justice with sociolinguist Dr. Kelly Wright (Virginia Tech Department of English).
VTDITC and the Black Cultural Center bring you Black Language, Literacy, Identity, and Pedagogy. Dr. Wright will equip you with knowledge regarding the power and scholarship of African American Languages. Lunch will be provided by the BCC and Roots Natural Kitchen. Vibrations will be provided by the #VTDITC team. Like everything we do, this event is completely free and open to the public.
After the discussion, pull up to VTDITC Studio Hours at our own True School Studios (103 Media Building) for your opportunity to create amongst like-minded creatives.
If you are an individual with a disability and desire an accommodation, welcome! Please contact Craig Arthur at crarthur@vt.edu during regular business hours at least 3 business days prior to the event.
For more information and/or accomodations contact bsa@vt.edu. Accomodation requests must be made five days prior to event.
How have US attitudes toward inter-racial, inter-religious, and LGBTQ+ relationships changed over the past half century? Find out what surveys from 1972-2022 say while sharing some Valentine's Day treats as part of International Love Data Week! We'll have time to discuss how norms have changed over time, what we know about why, and where we are today, as well as how to find the answers to questions like this yourself using data archives like The ARDA, ICPSR, and Roper Center!
Join us in Newman Library (Torgerson 3310 on the library 4th floor near the bridge) or online!
If you are an individual with a disability and desire an accommodation, please email library-event-accessibility-g@vt.edu at least 10 business days prior to the event. If you are joining in person and have food allergies or dietary restrictions, please email ndporter@vt.edu and we will try to ensure we have something for you.
Image: "Mixed Couple". David Ball. 2004. Reused under CC-BY license. Original image at https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Mixed-couple.jpg.
Hosted by Colin Roberts
Snacks & Refreshments Provided
Traditional West African Dance offers the opportunity to move and learn new rhythms, engage in positive self-expression, and develop a new sense of community
No pre-registration required
Open to students, staff, & the community
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Join us for a discussion of beauty and meaning through an exploration of African fabrics. Learn the cultural significance of fashion pieces and take some fabric samples for your own projects.
For questions or to request accommodations related to disabilities, contact Brandy: bfaulkne@vt.edu
Topics
- How Brooks got into social justice
- Navigating the professional world
- BLM vs. NAACP
- Social Justice as a black student
Immediately Afterward: Walk next door to Special Collections and University Archives in the Newman Library to view a special exhibit on Black Culinary History.
Cultural Story Told in Sweets!
Mildred Council (AKA Mama Dip) was a pioneer in the Black culinary world. She cooked in the homes of faculty members at UNC and in hospitals before opening her own restaurant in Chapel Hill, NC in 1976. She was known for her southern home cooking and desserts, made with simple ingredients and lots of love. She gave back to her community by providing free meals to struggling students and also hiring former inmates through a rehabilitation program.
For information or to request accommodations related to disabilities, contact Brandy: bfaulkne@vt.edu
Immediately following Mama Dip's Southern Dessert Reception in the Black Cultural Center.
Special Collections and University Archives will be hosting an Open House and exhibit in celebration of Black History Month on Friday, February 24 from 5:30 to 7:30pm in the Reading Room at Special Collections on the first floor of Newman Library.
On display will be materials from the collections that document aspects of Black history and culture, including the enslavement of African Americans, the repressive era of the Jim Crow South, and the political movements of the 1960s and 1970s. Literary works, including first editions and volumes signed by the authors will also be exhibited.
Lastly, in keeping with the event sponsored by the Africana Studies program, Mama Dip’s Southern Dessert Reception, which will immediately precede the Open House from 4:00 to 6:00pm at the Black Cultural Center, the exhibit will also include items related to Black culinary history.
Please join us at Special Collections on February 24th anytime between 5:30 and 7:30pm.
Special Collections is grateful to the Black Cultural Center for their help in promoting this event.
Join a conversation with artistic staff of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater on the enduring legacy and inspiring mission of the dance company. Co-sponsored by the Black Cultural Center. The event is free, but registration is required at bit.ly/ailey-discussion.
Free; registration required
Experience unparalleled artistry when Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater performs two nights, two different programs at Virginia Tech Feb. 28 and March 1. These dancers dazzle with their technical brilliance and passionate energy, bringing audiences to their feet at every performance. NCB’s Today Show exclaimed, “It’s change-you-life good.” Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater grew from a now-fabled performance in March 1958 at the 92nd Street Y in New York City. Led by Ailey and a group of young African American modern dancers, that performance forever changed the perception of American dance.
Student tickets are available for $10; tickets $40-75.
Follow the Black Cultural Center (BCC) on social media for additional updates