A mural on the wall of the Black Student Union lounge in Peirce Hall, which was originally painted by Leon Haslip ’74 in 1972 with help from members of the BSU and recreated by the artist in 2008.
Julius Lavon Thompson II ’26 welcomed the arrival of Black History Month this year with a calendar packed full of celebratory events.
As the president of the Black Student Union, he was delighted that his group was organizing a wide range of activities, from a film screening to a game night to discussions with other students and expert speakers. But what excited Thompson the most was how the campus community was coming together to recognize the history of Black people in America.
“It’s important to see how far we’ve come and not get discouraged,” he said. “It’s important to celebrate this month to stay positive and to support each other.”
The February campus schedule is filled with more than a dozen events calling attention to the Black experience, and a number of them represent collaborations by multiple organizations.
On Friday, Feb. 7, for example, BSU and the African Student Association are hosting a dialogue on the intersectionality between African Americans and Africans in America at Allen House. Adelante will hold a movie night on Sunday, Feb. 9 that BSU is co-sponsoring, screening “Bad Hair (Pelo Malo)” in Oden Hall. And on Valentine’s Day, Kenyon Men of Color is leading an open-mic night at Horn Gallery.
“It’s a great thing to have that here on campus where we can band together, collaborate, help each other out, and support each other when we have events,” Thompson said. “It’s great to see Black people from all across the diaspora coming together to celebrate this month. It means a lot.”
Faculty and staff — from various academic departments to the Office for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion — are sponsoring events as well.
The African Diaspora Studies Black History Month Series, which involves a number of departments, will feature a West African drumming workshop led by Ibrahim Saani, affiliated scholar in music, on Thursday, Feb. 6 in Rosse Hall and an event there with the band Baba Ngida the following day, with Saani leading drumming, dancing and storytelling. The series also will feature a screening of the film “Belle” — about the biracial daughter of a British admiral in the 18th century — on Feb. 15 in the Community Foundation Theater.
Other commemorations this year will include a celebration of Douglass Day on Feb. 14 — the date chosen by abolitionist Frederick Douglass as his birthday — and a display in the library calling attention to Knox County Black history.
Chris Kennerly, dean for diversity, equity and inclusion, pointed out the long history that exists in celebrating Black History Month in this country.
“In 1926, historian Dr. Carter G. Woodson designated the second week of February — which includes the birthdays of Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass — as a time to study the life and history of Black people,” he said. “This initiative laid the foundation for what would later become Black History Month. With official recognition by President Gerald Ford in 1976 and the passage of Public Law 99-244 in 1986, February was formally designated as National Black History Month.”
“I am honored to be part of an academic and co-curricular community at Kenyon College, alongside students, faculty, and staff, who continue the tradition of celebrating what is now recognized nationally as Black History Month,” he continued.
“We celebrate Black History Month to correct historical distortions and omissions about the experiences of Black people in the United States and around the world. It is a time to honor those who have sacrificed so that others may have the freedom to live, work, and learn without the burden of discriminatory laws. It is also an opportunity to acknowledge the countless contributions of Black individuals who have shaped and enriched society for the betterment of all.”
Kennerly also stressed the importance of showing appreciation for these contributions throughout the year.
“Fortunately, at Kenyon, February is not the only time we recognize and study the Black experience. Each semester, students have the privilege of exploring it through various academic departments and concentrations, ensuring that Black history remains an integral part of our intellectual and cultural discourse year-round.”
View a list of many of the events taking place for Black History Month.
View information about milestones related to the Black experience at Kenyon.