Monday, Jan 30, 2017
Month-long celebration takes theme 'knowledge is power'
A month-long series of events in honor of Black History Month at Rider University has been designed to inform and explore African-American culture. This year's theme is "Knowledge is power."
“I believe we are really powerless without knowing thyself, so I encourage obtaining the knowledge about who you really are because it'll reflect on you and can make a strong impact on others,” says President of the Black Student Union Maya Lewis.
The month will kick off on Wednesday, Feb. 1, with keynote speaker Payton Head, a recent graduate and class president of the University of Missouri. He sparked conversations on the improvement of race relations around the incidents in Ferguson, Mo., following the shooting of Michael Brown and subsequently worked with former Secretary Arne Duncan and the U.S. Department of Education on addressing campus race relations.
The surrounding community will be invited into the celebration during an interactive museum featuring African-American figures who have impacted history. The museum will be open to elementary school students, as well as the Rider community, on Thursday, Feb. 9, in the Cavalla Room.
Another highlight is a four-part panel series called Taboos in the Black Community, sponsored by Black Men Unified. These panel discussions will touch on topics ranging from interracial dating to being a black Republican. The goal is to create a more nuanced understanding of these topics and their place within the black community, organizers say.
“My goal is to assist students in becoming enlightened about the diverse cultures and backgrounds that Rider has to offer,” says Dr. Pamela Pruitt, director of Rider's Office of Multicultural Affairs. “Students should be provided with the opportunity to learn both inside and outside of the classroom setting.”
On Sunday, Feb. 26, soul food will be served in the dining halls on both the Lawrenceville and Princeton campuses, leading up to the annual Gospel Fest, which will begin at 5:45 p.m. in the Cavalla Room. The Black Student Union and Black Hispanic Alliance will host this closing celebration of Black History Month through gospel song, dance and spoken word.
Black History Month events are mainly presented by the Black Student Union, Black Men Unified, and the Black & Hispanic Alliance.
For more details, and a listing of all events, please visit www.rider.edu/events/black-history-month. Questions can be directed at Dr. Pamela Pruitt at [email protected] or 609-896-5000, ext. 7294.