The Division of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion will host events for the Texas Tech and Lubbock communities.
Texas Tech University will celebrate Black History Month (BHM) throughout the month of February. The Division of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion along with institutional partners and student organizations will host events for students, staff and faculty, as well as events open to the Lubbock community.
Black History Month has been observed nationally each year since 1976 to celebrate the achievements of Black Americans and their pivotal role in U.S. history.
"Black History Month is an opportunity for Texas Tech University to celebrate, engage and educate the campus community about Black culture, history and achievements,” said Jade Silva Tovar, assistant vice president for Diversity, Equity & Inclusion. “Our student-led planning committee, led by Karaon Solis and Bria Taylor, brings together the campus community to offer a wide-variety of programs and events to honor the many contributions of the Black community at Texas Tech, Lubbock and beyond.”
There are more than 20 events scheduled throughout February with a mix of in-person and virtual options. Many are open to the public, but some will be reserved for Texas Tech students, staff and faculty.
"Celebrating Black History Month is important because it allows us, as Black people, to appreciate and acknowledge our blackness in all aspects of society,” said Karaon Solis, state and special affairs chair of the Black Student Association and co-chair of the Black History Month Planning Committee. “We are given the opportunity to celebrate the ones who came before us and tell the story to those who will come after."
The following events are open to the public. For a comprehensive list of events, visit the Black History Month website.
Public events include:
- Feminist First Friday Honoring Bell Hooks, featuring Carol Sumner: noon to 1 p.m. Friday (Feb. 4), Drane Hall Room 249 or via Zoom by following this link
- 2022 Black Business Expo: noon to 2:30 p.m. Saturday, (Feb. 5), Mae Simmons Community Center
- One Light Can Spark Change: 7 p.m. Monday (Feb. 7), Student Union Building (SUB) Matador Room
- The Charles L. Wood Lecture Series in History: 6 p.m. Thursday (Feb. 10), via Zoom by following this link
- Poetry Slam: 6-9 p.m., Friday (Feb. 11), Lubbock Art House, 405 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd
- African American Lecture Series featuring Kevin Richardson from the Central Park Five: 7 p.m. Tuesday (Feb. 15), Texas Tech School of Law's Lanier Auditorium or via Zoom by following this link
- Virtual Book Read: “My Lord, What a Morning” by Marian Anderson: 5:30-7 p.m. (Feb. 16), via Zoom by following this link
- Black, Brave & Beautiful - Women Doing It All: 1:30-2:30 p.m. Friday (Feb. 22), via Zoom by following this link
