Black History Month begins February 1, and MiraCosta College will be celebrating with an array of discussions, open mic events, and a Black Nerds Expo highlighting everything from Black authors and comics to the influence of African Americans in science, technology, engineering, and math.
Black History Month’s roots stretch back to the establishment of Negro History Week in 1926 and was the brainchild of Dr. Carter G. Woodson, who dedicated his life to educating African Americans about the achievements and contributions of their ancestors. Black History Week was celebrated during the second week of February, which coincided with the birthdays of Frederick Douglass on February 14 and Abraham Lincoln on February 12. President Gerald Ford, in 1976, recognized February as the first nationwide Black History Month during the celebration of the United States bicentennial, stating that America should “seize the opportunity to honor the too-often neglected accomplishments of Black Americans in every area of endeavor throughout our history.”
Celebrating Black history at MiraCosta College is not confined to Black History Month. The United Black Student Conference, for example, is being planned for March and a Black Student Success Week is scheduled for the week of April 24. In addition, an online campaign dubbed Effectively Supporting Black Undocumented Students through Higher Education also is in the planning stages.
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For more information and a complete list of scheduled events you can attend, click here!
The MiraCosta College Oceanside Campus is at 1 Barnard Drive, Oceanside, 92056. All events are free and open to the public.
