UM Sets Black History Month Observances

OXFORD, Miss. – Continuing the dialogue on racial reconciliation, social activist Alicia Garza is the keynote speaker for Black History Month observances at the University of Mississippi.

Garza’s address is scheduled for 6 p.m. Feb. 29 in Fulton Chapel. Admission is free, but tickets must be obtained from the UM Box Office in the Ole Miss Student Union beginning Feb. 1.

“Over the years, notable African-Americans such as Cornel West, Marian Wright Edelman, Michael Eric Dyson and Myrlie Evers-Williams have been invited to provide the Black History Month keynote address,” said Shawnboda Mead, director of UM’s Center for Inclusion and Cross Cultural Engagement. “We believe Ms. Garza will be equally as dynamic and that she will provide a very memorable experience for everyone in attendance.”

The keynote is the final event of Black History Month 2016, and Mead said she hopes everyone will take advantage of this opportunity to hear from Garza.

“It’s essential to recognize that the Black Lives Matter movement has never asserted that other lives don’t matter,” Mead said. “In fact, the primary intent is to build connections between black people and allies, to fight anti-black racism, to encourage dialogue, social action and engagement.

“As our university strives to be a leader in racial reconciliation and inclusivity, this year’s keynote address is a continuation of our educational efforts. Therefore, we look forward to engaging with Ms. Garza and learning more about the founding, as well as the guiding principles, of Black Lives Matter.”

Other scheduled activities:

• Feb. 1 – Kick-Off Celebration: 4 p.m. in Fulton Chapel. Featuring the UM Gospel Choir, a welcome from Chancellor Jeffery Vitter, a keynote address by Grisham Writer-in-Residence Kiese Laymon and the presentation of the annual “Lift Every Voice” Awards.
• Feb. 2 – Good or Bad Hair: 7 p.m. in Bishop Hall, Room 209. Panel discussion and viewing of clips from the films “Good Hair” and “School Daze.”
• Feb. 4 & 7: Film Series: “Selma”: 7 p.m. and 3 p.m., respectively, in Turner Center, Room 205.
• Feb. 9: Lecture by Clifton Taulbert: 5 p.m. in a location to be announced. The Pulitizer-nominated author will discuss his new memoir, “The Invitation.”
• Feb. 9: Tupac Monologue: 12:15 p.m. in Ole Miss Student Union, Room 405. Join a discussion about the role of hip-hop culture and its effect on political and cultural change in America.
• Feb. 12: Black History Month Gala: 6 p.m. in the Inn at Ole Miss’ Gertrude Ford Ballroom. Admission free to UM students, faculty and staff. Tickets available at Ole Miss Student Union Box Office beginning Jan. 25.
• Feb. 15: Film Series: “Straight Outta Compton”: 5 p.m. in Turner Center, Room 205.
• Feb. 16: Soul Food Luncheon: 11:30 a.m. in Luckyday Residential College dining hall. Use meal plans or purchase meal at regular rates.
• Feb. 16: “I Know Black People” Trivia Game: 7 p.m. in Residential College South Cafeteria.
• Feb. 18: “Are You Ready?” Dialogue Series: Appropriation vs. Appreciation: Noon in Ole Miss Student Union ballroom.
• Feb. 19: Panel Discussion: “The Image of Black Love”: 5 p.m. in Barnard Observatory.
• Feb. 19: Film Series: “Fundi: The Story of Ella Baker”: 1:45 p.m. in Powerhouse Community Arts Center. Tickets are $10. Hosted by the Oxford Film Festival.
• Feb. 20: Independent Black Film Collective Panel Discussion: 1 p.m. at Malco Oxford Commons. Admission free, but limited seating available. Hosted by the Oxford Film Festival.
• Feb. 20: Film Series: “Dixie”: 4:45 p.m. at the Oxford Conference Center. Tickets are $10. Hosted by the Oxford Film Festival.
• Feb. 22-23: Sankofa African-American Museum on Wheels: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and 9 a.m.-1 p.m., respectively, in Ole Miss Student Union Ballroom.
• Feb. 23: Black History Month Concert: 7:30 p.m. in Nutt Auditorium.
• Feb. 24: “Ain’t I a Woman?”: 7 p.m. in Nutt Auditorium. Celebration of lives of Zora Neale Hurston, Sojourner Truth, Clementine Hunter and Fannie Lou Hamer.
• Feb. 25: Throwback Thursday: Celebration of Black Entertainment: 12:15 p.m. in Ole Miss Student Union Ballroom.
• Feb. 26: Sister2Sister Leadership Retreat: 3 p.m. in Ole Miss Student Union Ballroom.
• March 1: Women’s Empowerment Awards & Reception: 6 p.m. in Fulton Chapel.

Sponsors for the university’s BHM observances include the Center for Inclusion and Cross Cultural Engagement, the University Lecture Series, the Office of the Provost/Multicultural Affairs, University and Public Events, the Student Activities Association, ESTEEM, the Men of Excellence, the McLean Institute, the Black Student Union, the Department of Student Housing, Ole Miss Department of Intercollegiate Athletics, the Black Graduate and Professional Students Association, the School of Education, the Ole Miss Student Union, the Sarah Isom Center for Women’s and Gender Studies, the William Winter Institute for Racial Reconciliation, and the departments of History, Music, Sociology and Anthropology, and African-American Studies.

For a full list of sponsors and Black History Month calendar of events, visit http://inclusion.olemiss.edu.

Outraged by the 2013 acquittal of George Zimmerman in the shooting death of Trayvon Martin, Garza took to social media to express her anguish and love for the black community. Ending her message with “Our Lives Matter/We Matter/Black Lives Matter,” she, along with Opal Tometi and Patrisse Cullor, turned those powerful last words into a Twitter hashtag. Immediately prompting activism nationwide, #BlackLivesMatter has evolved into the banner under which this generation’s civil rights movement marches.

An established social activist committed to challenging society to recognize and celebrate the contributions of all individuals, Garza’s activism is rooted in organizational strategies to connect individuals and emerging social movements. She is also a prominent advocate for the preservation of an open Internet to provide a space for these movements to emerge. Garza’s work has earned her various honors, including two Harvey Milk Democratic Club Community Activist Awards.

In 2015, Garza and the Black Lives Matter co-founders were honored with inclusion on The Root’s Top 100 List for the movement’s social and political impact.

The special projects director for the National Domestic Workers Alliance, Garza previously served as executive director of People Organized to Win Employment Rights, where she led the charge on significant initiatives, including organizing against the chronic police violence in black neighborhoods.