Black History Month at Baker University was kicked off with the Martin Luther King Jr. chapel service on Jan.26.
Since then, Baker’s Mungano and Office of Multicultural Affairs have scheduled events throughout the month of February to honor Black History Month.
“Black History Month is very important to bring forth the accomplishments of African-Americans that have not always gotten the recognition that is deserved,” Silas Dulan, director of multicultural affairs, said.
The first event was a presentation about the Tuskegee Airmen Feb. 9 in the AV room of Owens Fine Arts Building.
“The presentation was well attended to learn facts and read articles about Tuskegee Airmen,” Dulan said.
More than 30 students attended the second event. Mungano hosted a movie night in Lawrence to see “Red Tails.”
“The movie ‘Red Tails’ is a documentary-like movie about the Tuskegee Airmen,” sophomore Eldina Kunic said. “It was a great tie into the presentation.”
To continue the festivities of the month, Dulan and 10 Mungano members visited 9th Street Baptist Church Sunday.
Dulan said the church is a traditional African-American church.
“It was a great learning experience for the students,” Dulan said.
Mungano was also scheduled to host a generation program at 7 p.m. Thursday in the Mungano Room in Harter Union’s basement. During the program, Baker alumni from the early 1980s to late 2000s were supposed to tell about what it was like to be an African-American on BU’s campus.
“The alumni represent a wide variety of points of view on what it was like to be an African-American student on a college campus, like Baker, that is primarily white,” Dulan said.
In partnership with dining services, there will be a soul food night Tuesday in Allen Dining Hall.
“Trying different foods that are African-American dishes and learn about history at the same time with table-toppers will be interesting and tasty for students,” junior Amanda Sams said.
All students with a meal plan are welcome to attend the soul food dinner from 5 p.m. to 6:15 p.m. and pay with a swipe from his or her card. Other students or anyone else wishing to attend must pay $7.
From Feb. 23-26, 10 Mungano members will be in Oklahoma for the 35th Annual Big XII Conference on Black Student Leadership.
Dulan said students will attend workshops that will give them the tools to be more effective leaders.
To end Black History Month, there will be a black history trivia night on March 1.
Students in attendance will be split into two teams and the winning team will receive prizes.
“In general, celebrating Black History Month is important to bring our community together,” Kunic said.
