The University of Lynchburg is recognizing Black History Month in 2023 with a variety of events for both the campus and broader community.
Special events this year kick off with a keynote speech on Wednesday, Feb. 1, at 6:30 p.m. There, Dr. Owen Cardwell, co-chair of the University of Lynchburg’s Center for Education and Leadership and Rosel Schewel Distinguished Chair in Education, will address those gathered at the Memorial Ballroom in Hall Campus Center, and attendees will read excerpts from Martin Luther King Jr.’s speeches.
The University will also host a Friday, Feb. 10, showing of “Master,” a psychological horror film starring Regina Hall that’s centered on racism at an elite college campus. The screening will run from 6 to 9 p.m. at Sydnor Performance Hall.
A student panel will open up discussions at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 15, in the West Room at the Drysdale Student Center for a “Courageous Conversation: What Does It Mean to be Black?” The conversations are held throughout the year, presented by the Office of Equity and Inclusion, to create challenging dialogue around aspects of diversity, equity, and inclusion.
On top of public events exploring and celebrating Black history, February is dotted with rich opportunities for students and others on campus, like a service plunge for the Pierce Street Gateway — a nonprofit dedicated to preserving a hub of Black history in Lynchburg — and a trip to the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, D.C.
The University will wrap up events on Sunday, Feb. 26, with its annual gospel concert, which will run from 4 to 7 p.m. in Sydnor Performance Hall.
For more information, email Jennifer Reichard at [email protected].
