Love is in the air all February for more reasons than one. Black History Month comes around this time each year, with heartfelt celebrations of black history happening worldwide. Downtown State College is no stranger to the incredible life that diverse voices provide a community, so we’re commemorating Black History Month all February.
To kick the celebrations off, head to campus and visit Penn State’s Paterno Library to revel in a beautiful collection of visual black art starting February 2nd, where Eberly Family Special Collections Library is showcasing “Where Beauty’s At”: Expressions of Black Visual Culture. Across town at Schlow Library, bring the whole family to African American Storytelling with Momma Pam Pam on February 3rd or join virtually on February 20th for Schlow’s Exploring Identity, Love, and Being Black in America in Fiction Writing: A Conversation with Award-Winning Author Jason Mott.
Music lovers can catch 2024’s African American Music Festival from February 7th to February 10th on the north side of the Penn State campus, while everyone with a dancing bug can support Ephrat Asherie Dance throughout the first week of February. It doesn’t matter if you join their Welcome Event Dance Party downtown on February 4th or attend UNDERSCORED in Eisenhower Auditorium on February 7th, they’ll be here to help us celebrate the greatness that is Black History Month.
Part one of State College’s National Day of Racial Healing will be held in the State College Municipal Building on February 2nd to foster conversation on racial barriers, while history buffs can celebrate Valentine’s Day by participating in the Douglass Day 2024 Transcribe-a-Thon from noon to 3 P.M. in the library’s Mann Assembly Room this February 14th.
Best of all, you can reflect on the powerful messages of MLK at our Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Plaza. In a quiet corner, surrounded by an enveloping mural meant to shine in the sun or perched calmly at an available table, you can watch the passersby on S. Fraser St., beautifully illustrating the success of the dream Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. dared to conceive decades ago.
However you choose to celebrate, everyone has 29 days to be a living thank you to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., whether by supporting their favorite downtown Black-owned businesses or by purely connecting with their community. For all of our benefit, downtown State College included, King’s dream continues to live on.
Local Black History Month Events:
This list is by no means comprehensive, and will be updated as new events and resources become available. If you or your organization are hosting an event you would like us to share, don’t hesitate to reach out to us via email at [email protected].
State College’s National Day of Racial Healing
Friday, February 2nd | 11:30am – 1:30pm | State College Municipal Building | 243 S Allen | Room 201
“Where Beauty’s At”: Expressions of Black Visual Culture
Friday, February 2nd – September 9th | Opening reception February 1 | 4:00-5:30pm | 104 Paterno Library | Mann Assembly Room
African American Storytelling with Momma Pam Pam
Saturday, February 3rd | 10:30am – 11am | Schlow Library | Downsbrough Community Room
Welcome Event Dance Party
Sunday, February 4th | 6pm | State College Municipal Building | 243 S Allen | Room 201
Film screening of “Check Your Body at the Door”
Monday, February 5th | 7pm | HUB-Robeson Center | 132 Flex Theater
“Underscored” by Ephrat Asherie Dance
Wednesday, February 7th | 7:30pm | Eisenhower Auditorium | Adult $35 | UP Student $5 | 18 & Younger $21
2024’s African American Music Festival
Wednesday, February 7th – Saturday, February 10th | Multiple Campus Locations
Black Lives Matter at School Week of Action Community Art Event
Thursday, February 8th | 4-5:30pm | 3 Dots
Douglass Day 2024 Transcribe-a-Thon
Wednesday, February 14th | 12pm – 3pm | Pattee Library, University Park | Dewey Collaboration Commons
Exploring Identity, Love, and Being Black in America in Fiction Writing: A Conversation with Award-Winning Author Jason Mott
Tuesday, February 20th | 4pm – 5pm | Virtual (Register here)
How Women of Color Transformed the Suffrage Movement
Thursday, February 29th | 6:30-7:30pm | Schlow Library | Downsbrough Community Room | *Registration required
