Clark State to host events to honor Black History Month

Clark State College will host several in-person and virtual events for students and the community to celebrate Black History Month.

“This year we will have a variation of events that are both in-person and virtual,” Tabitha Parker, associate professor of arts and science, said. “We’d still like to keep our community and college members safe amidst the pandemic, while also allowing for options to meet in smaller groups when we can.”

The highlight event for this month will be a Virtual Paint and Sip with artist Zuri Cole at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 17, and the college will provide all painting materials, the school announced in a release. The theme of the painting event will focus on holistic wellness, including identify, heritage, culture and mental health within the areas of art and storytelling.

Registration is required by Feb. 6 and space is limited. The link to register can be found on the college’s website under news.

The college will also how a variety of activities focused on literature, dance and music, and mental health throughout the month, including a virtual African American Read-In event from 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 24, the release stated. Readers can choose any text by an African American author or author of African descent, spend the month reading the text, and then share their experience at the read-in.

This event is a “read-in” instead of “read-out” to honor the Greensboro sit-ins during the 1960s civil rights protest.

Participants can join the event through the link that can be found on the college’s website under news or by calling 1-646-558-8656 with PIN 375 471 1228.

“All frames of celebration are important here when honoring Black History Month, for we know that Black history is a shared history,” Parker said. “Each February grants the space to slow down and recognize how far we’ve come as a nation to creating a freer, more dignified society, while also acknowledging the vital work that must continue.”

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