Numerous events will celebrate Black History Month throughout February at Iowa State. The calendar includes lectures, music, comedy, arts and a program marking Iowa's inaugural George Washington Carver Day. The United States has celebrated Black history Month in February for more than four decades as a time to recognize and honor the achievements and contributions of Black Americans.
Events noted below are free, open to the public and in the Memorial Union, unless otherwise indicated. Check back often as this schedule may be updated throughout the month.
Schedule of events
Throughout February, Parks Library, online: Parks Library will host an online exhibit resource guide for Black History Month emphasizing music, art and literature. In addition, the library has produced an online resource guide honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The guide contains a listing of relevant books, videos and other multimedia content and will remain available online in perpetuity. Parks Library also will host an in-building book exhibit in the lobby throughout February.
Feb. 1, 5 p.m., Great Hall: Inaugural George Washington Carver Day reception and program.
Feb. 2, 8 p.m., Maintenance Shop: Comedy night with Daphnique Springs, a standup who has toured with Katt Williams and won the 2015 She-Devil Festival in New York City. Springs also is the 2016 winner of the American Black Film Festival Comedy Wings Competition sponsored by HBO.
Feb. 2-5, 7 p.m., Cyclone Cinema, 101 Carver: Showings of "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever."
Feb. 9, 8 p.m., Maintenance Shop: Musical performance by Shawn Holt & the Teardrops (Blues). Tickets cost $14 ($10 for ISU students) with a $2 increase on the day of the show.
Feb. 20-26, The Workspace: Black History Month image transfers. Choose from a collection of inspirational messages to create ready-to-hang artwork. Using a transfer medium, participants "lift" a design from paper onto a wood canvas board. Hours for this activity are 2-9 p.m. weekdays and 10 a.m.-4 p.m. on Saturday. Costs $8 in studio and $10 to go.
Feb. 20-26, The Workspace: Paint Your Own Pottery "Give Back Week," 20% of proceeds donated to ISU's George A. Jackson Black Cultural Center. Hours for this activity are 2-9 p.m. weekdays and 10 a.m.-4 p.m. on Saturday. Costs $12-18 depending on materials chosen.
Feb. 22, 5-7 p.m. Multicultural Center: 2nd annual Black Art Exhibit, hosted by the colleges of Design and Liberal Arts and Sciences.
Feb. 22, 7:30 p.m., Great Hall: Lecture by Lawrence Ross, "Blackballed: The Black and White Politics of Race on Campus." Ross is a writer, author and lecturer known for his research on Black Greek culture. His first book, Los Angeles Times best seller, "The Divine Nine: The History of African American Fraternities and Sororities," has been a staple for understanding the intricacies of cultural Greek life.
Feb. 24, 11 p.m., Great Hall: Comedian Preacher Lawson, an ISU AfterDark event. Lawson is best known for his appearance on season 12 of NBC's "America's Got Talent," where he made it to the final rounds. He shot his first stand-up special, which premiered on BET +, in 2019 and continues to perform around the country.
Feb. 27, 6 p.m., Great Hall: Lecture by Jessica B. Harris, "High on the Hog: How African American Cuisine Transformed America." Harris is considered by many to be one of the ranking authorities on the food of the African Diaspora. A New York Times bestselling author, she wrote, edited or translated 18 books, including 12 cookbooks documenting the foodways of the African Diaspora. Her award-winning book, "High on the Hog," was the basis for the acclaimed Netflix series of the same name.
March 2, 6 p.m., Great Hall: Lecture by Patrick Phillips, "Blood at the Root: A Discussion of Forsyth County, Georgia." Phillips will discuss his search for the truth about his hometown, where in 1912 hundreds of local white people used arson, lynching and mob violence to drive out the entire Black population -- and then kept them out for nearly a century.
March 3, all day, in-person and online: Thomas L. Hill Iowa State Conference on Race and Ethnicity (ISCORE), a forum on issues of race and ethnicity at Iowa State and beyond. Free, open to ISU students, faculty and staff. A half-day pre-conference for faculty and staff will take place on March 1. Registration is required for both and opens Feb. 1.
