Millersville University Celebrates Black Heritage Month

Millersville University has a month worth of events aimed at educating and celebrating Black Heritage Month, also known as Black History Month, which runs through the month of February.

“Black History Month is a month where we celebrate the history and present time of Black excellence,” said Imani Anderson, vice president for Millersville’s Black Student Union. “It’s a time where we take a step back and realize the work that has been done by our ancestors who fought hard for later generations. We are the products of a thriving community that continues to uplift us in struggle and celebration.”

Events, contests, educational training and more will be held virtually through several of Millersville’s departments.

Black Heritage Month celebration packages are available for faculty, staff and students by signing up through GetInvolved. The celebration packages are sponsored by the Rita Smith-Wade-El Intercultural Center. Self-care packages are being sponsored by the Center for Health Education and Promotion (CHEP) and can also be reserved through GetInvolved, but only a limited supply is available.

Black Heritage Month features a student essay contest surrounding Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech.

MU’s Office of Diversity and Social Justice is holding a student essay contest surrounding Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech. The contest, titled “Has the Dream Been Realized?” has a deadline of February 15.

Other events, taking place throughout the month, will be held virtually through Zoom and will feature open dialogue and guest speakers. Click here to see a full list of events on Millersville’s events calendar.

Carter G. Woodson first proposed a national “Negro History Week,” which was intended to showcase everything students learned about Black history.

The roots of Black History Month dates back to 1926 when Carter G. Woodson proposed a national “Negro History Week,” which was intended to showcase everything students learned about Black history. It wasn’t until 1976 that Black History Month became a federally recognized celebration of the contributions African Americans have made to our country and a time to reflect on the continued struggle for racial justice.

Commemorative events at Millersville range from discussions on the impact of colorism within the Black Community, a Carter G. Woodson lecture presented by Dr. Deborah Gray White, how COVID-19 has disproportionately affected the Black community, a three-part series on mental health practices and more.

Dr. Beverly Daniel Tatum, author of “Why Are All The Black Kids Sitting Together In The Cafeteria?”

Information on events sponsored by Women’s and Gender Studies including a lecture by Dr. Beverly Daniel Tatum, author of “Why Are All The Black Kids Sitting Together In The Cafeteria?” can be found here.

Millersville University is proud to celebrate and educate Black history and Black culture year-round. Listed below are resources at the University to amplify that commitment.

Millersville offers several academic fields of study related to Black Heritage Month:

Additional resources to support our commitment to diversity and inclusion can be found below:

Finally, MU awards students and programs who provide leadership in the fields of diversity, equity, inclusion and social justice:

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