UMaine to kick off Black History Month events with Unity March

January 29, 2018 Student Life

Editor’s note: This story was updated Jan. 30.

The University of Maine will observe Black History Month with a series of on-campus events throughout February.

The activities will kick off at noon Feb. 1 with a Unity March and flag raising on the Mall in front of Fogler Library. The march will be followed by opening remarks in the North Pod of Memorial Union.

Throughout February, the UMaine Black Student Union and Office of Multicultural Student Life will host Black History Month Mondays and Lunch-n-Learn Student Development Discussions.

Black History Month Mondays will be held noon–2 p.m. Feb. 5, 12, 19 and 26 in the Office of Multicultural Student Life, Memorial Union. Guests are invited to enjoy a catered lunch, short film and discussion on topics including social justice, racial identity and revolution.

Lunch-n-Learn Student Development Discussions will be held at 1 p.m. Feb. 7 and 21 in the Office of Multicultural Student Life or COE Room, Memorial Union. The discussions will give students the opportunity to engage with successful individuals of color from Maine and the region.

A photography exhibition by intermedia MFA student Eleanor Kipping will be installed in multiple locations across campus throughout the month. Photos in the exhibit, “Brown Paper Bag Test,” will be displayed in the Memorial Union, Fogler Library, New Balance Student Recreation Center and other locations. More about the exhibit is online.

Other scheduled activities include:

  • Student art exhibition, Feb. 1–28 at Innovative Media Research and Commercialization Center.
  • Community potluck, 5 p.m. Feb. 2 in North Pod, Memorial Union, with guests University of Maine at Machias Black Student Union.
  • Kickin’ Flicks collaboration with Campus Activities and Student Engagement, 8 p.m. Feb. 7 and 10, “Marshall;” 8 p.m. Feb. 21 and 24, “Love Beats Rhymes,” in Neville 101 on Wednesdays and North Pod, Memorial Union on Saturdays.
  • Interactive workshops led by graduate student and artist Eleanor Kipping, 1 p.m. Feb. 8 and 22 in Bangor Room, Memorial Union.
  • Open Mic Night, 7 p.m. Feb. 9 in North Pod, Memorial Union.
  • LGBTea Party, 2 p.m. Feb. 13 and 27 in Rainbow Resource Center, Memorial Union. LGBTea Parties are biweekly group discussions about current events and LGBTQ+ topics. During Black History Month, topics to be discussed will include violence against trans women of color and race in the LGBTQ+ community.
  • Trivia night, 8–10 p.m. Feb. 15 in Bear’s Den, Memorial Union.
  • Dodgeball tournament, 11 a.m.–4 p.m. Feb. 24, New Balance Student Recreation Center. The New Balance Student Recreation Center and Student Wellness Center will host the inaugural Black History Month Dodgeball Tournament. Teams will pay to enter the tournament and all funds will go toward the Black Student Union Scholarship fund.
  • Student sit-in and reading from the black feminist collective, Combahee River Collective Statement, noon Feb. 28 in Memorial Union. A post-reading discussion will be held at 6 p.m. at The Wilson Center.

More information about Black History Month, including a complete schedule is online. For additional information, email Silvestre Guzman, silvestre.guzman@maine.edu.