UMaine to observe Black History Month with films, workshops, panels

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 flag raising in front of the Memorial Union, adjacent to Fogler Library. The ceremony will be followed by a reception and catered lunch in the Bangor Room of the Memorial Union.

Throughout February, the UMaine Black Student Union and Office of Multicultural Student Life will host Lunch and Learn presentations, Friday Socials and a Soul Food Festival. A variety of films, workshops and panels also will be offered throughout the month.

Lunch and Learn events will be held at noon Feb. 6 and 20 in the Office of Multicultural Student Life, Room 302, Memorial Union. The discussions will give students the opportunity to engage with successful individuals of color from Maine and the region.

Other scheduled activities include:

  • Reading of Dr. King’s “Letter from a Birmingham Jail,” 6 p.m. Jan. 29 at the Wilson Center
  • Wilson Center dinner, “Dr. King’s Vision of Community Today: The ‘Poor People’s Campaign’ in 2019,” 6 p.m. Feb. 6 at the Wilson Center
  • Kickin’ Flicks, “BlacKkKlansman,” 8 p.m. Feb. 6 and 9; “Creed II,” 8 p.m. Feb. 20 and 23, Bangor Room, Memorial Union
  • Workshop on “Grit and Resilience as an Emerging Leader,” 12:30 p.m. Feb. 7, Bangor Room, Memorial Union
  • LGBTea Party, 2 p.m. Feb. 7 and 21, Rainbow Resource Center, Room 224, Memorial Union
  • Friday Social, featuring food and music, noon Feb. 8, 15 and 22, Office of Multicultural Student Life
  • Soul Food Festival, 5 p.m. Feb. 9, Bangor Room, Memorial Union
  • Pop-up panel on “Microaggressions,” noon Feb. 12, Bangor Room, Memorial Union
  • Marsh Island Common Ground event featuring comedian Arvin Mitchell, 7 p.m. Feb. 22, North Pod, Memorial Union
  • “Student Leadership and Action at UMaine” workshop, 10 a.m.–3 p.m. Feb. 23, Memorial Union
  • Black History Month Trivia, 7 p.m. Feb. 28 in North Pod, Memorial Union

Black History Month at UMaine is presented by the Office of Multicultural Student Life and Black Student Union and is supported in part by the Cultural Affairs/Distinguished Lecture Series Fund.

All events are free and open to the public with the exception of trivia, which is $10 per team. More information about Black History Month, including a complete schedule, is online. For additional information, email David Patrick, david.g.patrick@maine.edu.