Black History Month

Black History Month is here and there a tons of celebrations throughout the city going on for the rest of the month. Every February we celebrate Black History Month to celebrate Black historical figures and usually highlights particularly civil rights historical figures in America and from around the world. There will be lots of Black History Month celebrations going on throughout the city and especially at UTEP. On a national level Black History Month has evolved for almost 100 years. The History of this celebration can be traced back to a Historian that saw a need and importance to celebrate the history and accomplishments for African Americans in our country.

Black History Months roots can be traced back to 1925. Harvard Trained historian Carter G. Woodson wanted to raise awareness of African American accomplishments in the United States. In 1925 Woodson founded the (ASNLH) Association for the Study of Negro Life and History. In 1926 Woodson founded Negro week which was celebrated the 2nd week of February. His founding of this date was a big success and the response was overwhelming. By the time the 1950s hit, Negro History Week had become a huge part of African American Culture. By this time Mayors in major cities throughout the country made proclamations noting Negro History Week and its importance to their culture and community.

During the bicentennial year of our country in 1976, President Gerald Ford declared February as Black History Month. Ford urged Americans to “seize the opportunity to honor the to-often neglected accomplishments of black americans in every area of endeavor throughout our history”. Since then every single President has issued Black History Month proclamations. Today the (ASALH) Association for the Study of African American Life and History helps to promote African American history throughout the whole year. Today Black History Month is celebrated all over this country and the world.

UTEP will have a lot of events for Black History Month throughout its campus in February. The Department of African American Studies at UTEP is spearheading a lot of these events and in recent years these celebrations have really grown and have reached out to the community a lot more. Below are the events you should be sure to check out this month. Various events from the Miss Black El Paso Southwest Scholarship Pageant to the Black History Month Parade and Festival at Webb park, there are a lot of great events for the entire family to experience here in El Paso.

UTEP EVENTS

• 15 FEBRUARY 2014 “HISTORY DAY,” UNION EAST, 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.
• 15 FEBRUARY 2014 MISS BLACK EL PASO SOUTHWEST SCHOLARSHIP PAGEANT, CHAMIZAL NATIONAL PARK, 7 p.m.
• 20 FEBRUARY 2014 DR. WILL GUZMAN, PROFESSOR FLORIDA A &M UNIVERSITY, “DR. LAWRENCE NIXON, DRUSILLA NIXON, AND CIVIL RIGHTS IN AMERICA,” TEMPLETON ROOM UNION EAST, 1:30 p.m.
• 22 FEBRUARY 2014 BLACK HISTORY MONTH PARADE AND FESTIVAL, MARY WEBB PARK, MISSOURI STREET
• 25 FEBRUARY 2014 DRAMATIZATION OF “THE MOUNTAINTOP” WRITTEN BY KATORI HALL AND PERFORMED BY KATHRYN SMITH-McGLYNN AND BOB SNEAD, UNION CINEMA 6:30-8:30 p.m.
• 27 FEBRUARY 2014 DR. LOWELL GRAHAM CONDUCTS UTEP ORCHESTRA IN “THE MUSIC OF WILLIAM GRANT STILL,” RECITAL HALL, FOX FINE ARTS BUILDING, 7:30 p.m.
• 1 MARCH 2014 UTEP AND EL PASO COMMUNITY CHOIR “GOSPEL EXPLOSION,” RECITAL HALL, FOX FINE ARTS BUILDING, 7 p.m.