Celebrating the History and Heritage of Black Americans

---

Posted on February 3, 2021

Joy Washington

---

---

The University of South Alabama’s Black History Month celebration will be a time to reflect and honor the history, heritage, sacrifice and contributions of Black Americans throughout February 2021. All events will be virtual, observing the University’s and CDC’s COVID-19 guidelines.  

The events on the roster will be educational and include discussions on systemic racism and privilege, the last slave ship Clotilda, and a money management workshop on budgeting, saving and investing, just to name a few.

“We hope students, faculty, staff, alumni and the community will immerse themselves in this knowledge by attending the virtual events,” said Jamora Valrie, director of the USA Office of Multicultural Student Affairs. “Especially during this critical time, it’s important for us to come together and honor the rich accomplishments made by Black Americans in our country and honor the ancestors.”

Black History Month began in 1926 as Negro History Week by Historian Dr. Carter G. Woodson. In 1976, this celebration was expanded to include the entire month of February. He chose February as the month to recognize Black history because it contained the birthdays of Frederic Douglas, who escaped enslavement and was an orator and abolitionist, and Abraham Lincoln, the 16th president of the United States. Woodson was the second Black American to earn a Ph.D. from Harvard in 1912. He was also an author of several books and journals. 

The University’s Black History Month events were planned by the USA Black Student Union with the support of the Office of Multicultural Student Affairs. To view all events and register via Zoom, visit the website.

---