Manhattan College Commemorates Black History Month

Manhattan College will host a series of events during Black History Month, celebrating the legacy of African-Americans and their contributions to world history, arts, culture and current events. A list of events follows, and will be updated with any additions throughout the month.

Monday, Feb. 6, 6pm

To kick off Black History Month, Manhattan College will host an opening dinner in Smith Auditorium. Baba Abdel Salaam, the executive artistic director and co-founder and choreographer of Forces of Nature Dance Theatre, will be the keynote speaker. In 2016, he became the Artistic Director of Brooklyn Academy of Music's Dance Africa. There also will be a performance by the Brooklyn United marching band.

Tuesday, Feb. 7, all day

A day later, the College will host a Nollywood Film Festival all day on the fifth floor of the Kelly Student Commons. The film festival will showcase five different movies from Nigeria, which has one of the fastest growing film industries. The movies include Breathless, A Soldier’s Story, North East, Invasion 1897 and Couple of Days. There will also be a vendor fair on the second floor of Kelly Commons throughout the day.

Saturday, Feb. 11, 7pm

Three members of historically black fraternities will host a photography exhibit in the Multicultural Center on the third floor of Kelly Commons. They will discuss being photographers and how their respective backgrounds shape their work.

Tuesday, Feb. 14, 4:30pm

Fr. Bryan Massingale, professor of ethics at Fordham University and a leading Catholic social ethicist, will present "The Catholic Church and the Movements for Black Lives: Can They Be Allies?" at Manhattan College in room 100 of Hayden Hall.

Wednesday, Feb. 22, 6:30pm

In the Rodriguez Room (room 311) of Miguel Hall, the government department will host a screening of Ava DuVernay's 2014 film, "Selma." The motion picture recreates the events of 1964 and 1965 that led to the passage of the Voting Rights Act, depicting the inner workings of the Civil Rights Movement, the opposition faced, and the debates inside the new administration of Lyndon Baines Johnson.

Thursday, Feb. 23, 6pm

Manhattan College will host Poetry Night, the Black History edition, in the Multicultural Center on the third floor of Kelly Commons. All are welcome to share their poetry at the open mic night and enjoy snacks and coffee.

Friday, Feb. 24, 12:15pm

The Office of Campus Ministry and Social Action and Jawanza Clark, Ph.D., of the Religious Studies department will discuss the relationship between racism and theology, and why the Black Lives Matter movement is important. The event takes place in Cornerstone, room 209 of Miguel Hall.

Monday, Feb. 27, 5pm

The College will host a panel discussion with black women in the arts, part of an intersection between Black History Month and Women's History Month in March. The event, taking place in Cafe 1853, will also feature a performance by Quantum Split, a rock and soul band.

Tuesday, Feb. 28, 3:30pm

The month's series of events closes with Black History Trivia Time in the Multicultural Center on the third floor of Kelly Commons. All are welcome to join in on the fun. Door prizes, coffee, snacks and trivia!