January 23, 2025 | By Nick Pfost
The Office of Multi-Ethnic Student Affairs' Black History Month planning committee, in partnership with SIBS and Black Student Union (BSU), are thrilled to share a packed February calendar as the University of Michigan comes together to honor and celebrate Black histories and heritage. Events are planned and organized by student organizations and units across the Ann Arbor campus.
The focus of this year's U-M Black History Month programming—"It Starts with Us: Embracing Our Collective Power"—reflects a commitment to strengthening community bonds, reshaping narratives, and amplifying voices.
The February 3 opening ceremony will feature a powerful, inspiring, and thought-provoking discussion with Dr. Charles H.F. Davis III and Rev. Nelson J. Pierce, Jr. The event is led by MESA and co-sponsored by Trotter Multicultural Center, the Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy, SIBS, and the BSU.
Davis, an assistant professor at U-M's Marsal School of Education, researches and teaches on issues race and racism, systems of oppression, and structures of domination in U.S. higher education and its social contexts. Pierce, a Detroit-born faith leader and community organizer from Cincinnati, Ohio, is senior pastor of the Beloved Community Church and deputy director of the National Black Workers Center, where he works to build power and advocate for the rights of Black workers across the nation.
Black History Month is an annual observance dedicated to honoring and commemorating the achievements, contributions, and rich cultural heritage of Black individuals and communities throughout history. Black History Month started as “Negro History Week,” an idea of distinguished historian Carter G. Woodson and other prominent African Americans. Since U-M alum and then-President Gerald R. Ford in 1976, every U.S. president has also officially designated the month of February as Black History Month.
Campus will collectively host dozens of gatherings, including performances, screenings, public talks, career programming, social opportunities, and so much more. Events include Soul Food Sundays, the Black Excellence Gala, ice skating, and Trotter's Distinguished Leadership Series with Lt. Governor Garlin Gilchrist.
We hope you'll join us for these special February events at the University of Michigan. Please visit our Black History Month calendar for an up-to-date listing and links to full details and registrations (where required). You can stay up to date on MESA events by joining our mailing list and following us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.
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