Vassar Hosts a Wealth of Celebrations During Black History Month
Students, administrators, alums, and others in the Vassar community are collaborating on a series of events to observe Black History Month on campus.
The observance begins at 10 a.m. February 1 with a Morning Gathering at the Garden to Celebrate Black Lives hosted by the leadership of the African Students’ Union (ASU), Black Students’ Union (BSU), and Students of Caribbean Ancestry (SOCA).
At 6 p.m. February 1, in the Villard Room, the College will host “An Evening Celebration to Kick Off Black History Month,” produced and hosted by the Jeh Vincent Johnson ALANA Cultural Center and coordinated by the Office of Advancement’s Multicultural and Affinity Engagement. The event will include performances and speeches from students, alums, faculty, administrators, and local community members and will feature food and stations highlighting mental health, artifacts, recipes for African cuisine curated by alums and students, and books written by Black authors.
On February 7 at 6 p.m., the African American Alumnae/i of Vassar College (AAAVC), the Jeh Vincent Johnson ALANA Cultural Center and the Office of Advancement will host a “STEM Connection Panel,” hosted by students and faculty engaged in the sciences who will share their academic journeys to STEM, research, and career interests, and their work with students. Panelists will include Assistant Professor of Biology Leroy Cooper, Assistant Professor of Chemistry Krystle McLaughlin, Assistant Professor of Physics and Astronomy Ed Buie, Assistant Professor of Earth Science and Environmental Studies Deon Knights, and alums Taishya Adams ’97, Ayo Opuiyo ’22, and Dennis Slade ’91. Three current students who are STEM majors will moderate the panel. The event may be viewed in person in the Class of 1951 Reading Room in Thompson Library.
For more information, visit: connect.vassar.edu/STEM_Panel
Sharon Parkinson, Director of Multicultural and Affinity Engagement, acknowledged Gwendoria Salley ’81 and Eric Wilson ’76 of the African American Alumnae/i of Vassar College (AAAVC), Naomi Pucarelli of the Office of Advancement, members of the Office of Communications, and Jannette Swanson, Associate Director of Alums Outreach and Partnerships in the Office of Career Education, for collaborating in the planning of the events. Parkinson also acknowledged the African Students’ Union (ASU), Black Students’ Union (BSU) and the Students of Caribbean Ancestry (SOCA) who created the theme for Black History Month, "The Power Rests In Our Hands!" The AAAVC provided funding for the month’s programs.
Thompson Library is also hosting two exhibits in the main lobby throughout the month of February. Vassar librarians Gretchen Lieb, Deb Bucher and Carollynn Costella selected books written by Black professors and alums, including the late Professor of Africana Studies Lawrence Mamiya; current faculty members Eve Dunbar, Tyrone Simpson, Diane Harriford, and Mia Mask; and alums Jennifer DeVere Brody ’87 and Dr. Claudia Thomas '71.
Professor Dunbar and Ronald Patkus, Head of Special Collections and Adjunct Associate Professor of History on the Frederick Weyerhaeuser Chair, have curated an exhibit, Beauty Out of the Ashes, marking the 100th anniversary of the Harlem Renaissance. The exhibit includes works of 13 different authors that provide a window into some of the key aspects of authorship during the Harlem Renaissance. The exhibition considers not only texts, but also art, since the first editions of these works often included artwork on the dust jackets.
The exhibition was conceived and co-curated by students who were enrolled in Professor Dunbar’s class Race and Its Metaphors this past fall.
On February 16 at 6 p.m., the Black Students’ Union, African Students’ Union, and Students of Caribbean Ancestry will host an event at the Loeb titled “Liberation Through Black Expression.” Students’ original films will be exhibited and poetry will be read to commemorate and explore the many facets of Black creative expression. During the first half of the event, participants will indulge in refreshments including cocktails, tasty finger foods, and desserts from Black-owned restaurants, while viewing unique artwork on display by students and local Poughkeepsie residents. In the second half, guests will listen to live poetry readings and music.
On February 26 at 5:30 p.m. in the Villard Room, the Black Students’ Union will host its annual Black Solidarity Dinner, celebrating Black students and faculty of the African Diaspora. The night will feature a speech and Q&A from a very special keynote speaker, student performances, food from across the Diaspora, and more. The dress code for the event is all-black and semi-formal.
During Black History Month, the Buildings and Belonging project, which recognizes the presence and contributions of African Americans on campus, will get a refresher with updated plaques and an augmented brochure and website. (Stay tuned for additional information.)
The commemoration concludes on February 28 at 6 p.m. in the Villard Room with a program titled “Ericka Hart on Intersectionality.” The event will include a discussion about the ways in which interlocking systems of oppression impact the lives of individuals navigating them. Participants will engage in discourse and an interactive seminar during which they will learn to understand how to critically analyze how structures and institutions perpetuate mass marginalization under global capitalism.