“Educational, Informative, and Simply Fun”: Black History Month 2023

The end of February consequently results in the end of Black History Month, a nationally recognized celebration that pays tribute to the contributions of generations of African Americans and black individuals despite the adversity they faced in American society.

First celebrated as only a week-long endeavor in 1926, Black History Month reached its current duration in 1976, and since then it has been celebrated in a plethora of educational, informative, and simply fun ways.

OCU hosted events all month long to encourage and celebrate the beauty that is Black culture. Events spanned from one-night events to all-month-long activities and were put on by a variety of organizations.

Housing and Residence Life partnered with the Student Government Association to host a steps challenge for the month of February. The goal was for the OCU community to complete 108,000 steps, the equivalent of the 54-mile march from Selma to Montgomery, over the month of February. All who showed proof of completion were entered into a drawing for a prize.

The Black Student Association also celebrated through weekly movie nights. Every Sunday, BSA showed a film with relevance to the Black community. In a partnership with the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, BSA hosted a panel on entitled Reflections on the OKC Sit-In Movement, featuring guests Joyce Henderson, Marilyn Luper Hildreth, and Joyce Jackson.

There was also a screening of the documentary, Children of the Civil Rights, which tells the story of the young people who helped desegregate nearly every restaurant in Oklahoma City.

The Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion featured staff and faculty luminaries on their social media while the campus Cafeteria used its TV screens to highlight important black cultural figures and OCU dining staff.

The final event of Black History Month was the Kickback held in the Great Hall. This event invited students and staff for community building and a good time, all while styling in their cleanest kicks.

While Black History Month is technically now over, there is never a wrong time to learn about and celebrate Black History!