Celebrate Black History Month
Black History Month observed in February is an opportunity to honor the accomplishments and recognize the struggles of Black folx in every area of history which is far more often undervalued. In connection with this year’s theme of Black Resistance, co-curricular programs will explore how African Americans and Black folx have resisted historic and ongoing oppression in all forms.
The Center for Multicultural Engagement and Inclusion in conjunction with the Classroom to Career Hub, Department of Music’s Race and Social Justice Visiting Artist Series, Gender Institute for Teaching and Advocacy, MSU Denver Africana Studies Department, Office of Diversity and Inclusion, the University of Colorado Denver Center for Identity & Inclusion, and various tri-institutional offices will host a variety of events to engage our community, honor historical and contemporary accomplishments of Black folx, and amplify the voices and actions of those who continue to fight the roots of social injustices that Black folx face. To develop cultural competence and work towards representation for Black folx, while emphasizing that Black Lives Matter, we encourage all people from the community to attend our events and to engage in reflection, celebration, and open dialogue during this month.
Tri-institutional Events: Open to the Auraria Campus & Community
For events opened to the Auraria campus and community sponsored by the University of Colorado Denver Center for Identity & Inclusion, please visit Black Student Services and Social Justice Teach-In
The Gender Institute for Teaching and Advocacy’s annual Bridge Speaker event serves as a bridge between Black History Month in February and Women’s History Month in March. For all event information for GITA’s Bridge 2023: Celebration of 30 Years, please visit GITA’s Events page.
Black History Month Events
Black History Month Kick Back Social
Wednesday, February 1st | 3:00 – 6:00PM | Tivoli Turnhalle
Open to the public, no registration required
Sponsored by the Center for Multicultural Engagement and Inclusion and the University of Colorado Denver Center for Identity and Inclusion, we welcome all students, staff, faculty, and community members for a social event with games, conversations, and snacks. This meet and greet event will allow students on the Auraria campus to get connected with various departments and student groups.
Workplace Equity Summit
Thursday, February 9th | 3:00 – 6:00PM | Jordan Student Success Building, Room 400
MSU Denver’s Classroom to Career Hub (C2Hub) invites our industry partners (Employers, Faculty, Staff, and Students) to join us for the 10th annual tri-institutional Workplace Equity Summit. The one-day event is an opportunity to connect with students from Auraria Campus which holds three higher education institutions: Metropolitan State University of Denver, University of Colorado Denver and the Community College of Denver. Throughout the event, participants can network with students and learn from DEI professionals about workplace equity practices. Previously known as the Diversity Networking Event, the Workplace Equity Summit was created with the intention of forging meaningful connections between students with marginalized identities and industry professionals. The ultimate goal of the event is to promote social mobility by strengthening students’ cultural capital so they can thrive in the global workforce.
Annual Black World Conference
Tuesday, February 14th & Wednesday, February 15th | 9:30AM – 2:00PM | St. Cajetan’s
Open to the public, no registration required
The Annual Black World Conference has been sponsored by the Department of Africana Studies for over thirty years. The commitment of the Black World Conference has always been to enlighten students and the Denver community about the lived experience of African Americans and the broader African Diaspora. The theme of the 2023 Black World Conference is Marginalized in the African Diaspora. For two days we endeavor to enlighten our audience of university students, faculty, and the wider Denver community about African-descendant communities not usually in the forefront of African Diaspora discourse.
Black History Month Bingo
Wednesday, February 15th | 4:00 – 6:00PM | Tivoli Garage Lounge 257
Open to the public, no registration required
Join our Tri-Institutional partners: the Center for Multicultural Engagement and Inclusion at MSU Denver, the Student Activities Department at the University of Colorado – Denver, and the Student Programming, Activities & Resource Center at Community College of Denver to expand your knowledge about Black History. Play a game of bingo that facilitates discussion on race, historical events, individuals who have been change makers who were visionaries, leaders, and artists.
CMEI Brother to Brother’s Critical Discussion on Race and Culture
The annual Brother to Brother Critical Discussion on Race and Culture sponsored by the Center for Multicultural Engagement and Inclusion, the Department of Music’s Race and Social Justice Visiting Artist Series, and Office of Diversity and Inclusion is proud to feature Dr. Stevie Johnson and The Space Program on the Curriculum of the Mind; a BlackCrit, Narrative Inquiry Hip Hop Album on Anti-Blackness & Freedom for Black Male Collegians at historically white institutions. We are delighted to welcome Dr. Stevie Johnson, who received the 2019 Bobby Wright Dissertation of the Year Award for the Association for the Study of Higher Education.
Critical Discussion On Race: Day 1 & Day 2
Day 1: Guard Ya Brilliance: A Critical Dialogue with Dr. Stevie Johnson and The Space Program
Monday, February 20th | NOON – 2:00PM | Emmanuel Art Gallery
All are welcome and highly encouraged for male-identified students of color to attend
Day 2: The Department of Music’s Race and Social Justice Visiting Artist Series presents The Space Program: The Curriculum of the Mind: Concert and Fireside Chat
Tuesday, February 21st | 4:30 – 7:00PM | King Center Recital Hall
Doors open at 4:00PM
Student Organizations
Visit the student organizations website or RoadrunnerLink for more information about all MSU Denver student organizations.
Want to Learn More?
Below are a few of the resources provided by the Center for Racial Justice in Education in uplifting our students and reinforcing that Black Lives Matter.
Center for Racial Justice in EducationResources
- Celebrate Women This Black History Month – Teaching Tolerance
- Black History Month: How do we change history? – Morningside Center for Teaching Social Responsibility
- Making Black History Month Memorable – Teaching Tolerance
- The 45 Days of Black History (Webinar) – Teaching Tolerance
- Creative Resources for Teachers Celebrating Black History Month – Education Week
- From MLK to #BlackLivesMatter: A Throughline for Young Students – Teaching Tolerance
- Teaching #BlackLivesMatter – Teaching for Change
- Making Black Lives Matter in Our Schools – Rethinking Schools
- Why Teaching Black Lives Matter Matters | Part I – Teaching Tolerance
- How to talk to young children about the Black Lives Matter Guiding Principles – Lalena Garcia
- Hoodies Up! #BlackLivesMatter in the Classroom – Teaching for Change
- Bringing Black Lives Matter Into the Classroom | Part II – Teaching Tolerance
- What happened in Ferguson – and why? – Morningside Center for Teaching Social Responsibility
- A District Profile | Black Lives Matter at School – Teaching Tolerance
- How One Elementary School Sparked A Citywide Movement To Make Black Students Lives Matter – Rethinking Schools
- Black Students’ Lives Matter – Rethinking Schools
- Why we still need Black History Month in the US – Aljazeera
- Why We Need Black History Month and why White History Month is Out of the Question – Odyssey
- 4 Reasons why it’s critical to teach black history – sheknows.com
- We Need to Change How We Teach Black History – TIME
- We Need to Teach Black History in Schools the Right Way – hercampus.com
- Why Black History Month still matters in 2017 – The CS Monitor
- We Teach Racism, Sexism and Discrimination in Schools – HuffPost
- The Black History Month debate is back – MSNBC
- We can no longer teach a whitewashed history’ – The Washington Post
- Is Black History Month limiting the teaching of black history? – CBC News
- Famous Afro-Latinos Tired Of Trying To Explain To People They’re Black And Latin – Madamenoire
- The question of Blackness: How conversations about Bruno Mars and Cardi B miss the mark – Black Youth Project
- Uncovering Anti-Blackness in Casual Conversation: Young Hollywood’s Words to Amara La Negra – Latino Rebels
- 8 Things Afro-Latinas Are Tired of Hearing – Latina.com
- The Black History of Latinos – Latino Rebels
- Afro-Latinas Embrace Their Heritage During Black History Month – NBC News
- Black Girls Are More Than Magic – Gloria Ladson-Billings
- Rediscovering the Black Girl Magic in literature that was snuffed out of my childhood – Black Youth Project
- Centering the Margins: Black Women, Black Girls, Black Youth – Brooklyn Deep
- Why Are So Many Transgender Women of Color Being Killed in America? – Tim Teeman
- Celebrating Black History and Diversity Builds Self-Esteem and Empathy – Too Small to Fail
- African American History For Kids – University of Illinois Extension
- Top 15 children’s books for black history month – Family Education
- How to talk to your child about Black History Month (A script) – Mama Knows it All
- Black Children and Black History: The Importance Of Teaching Our Kids the Complexity Of Us – My Brown Baby
- Black Students Lead Conference – national gathering of Black Student Leaders and campus-based advisors to address the most critical topics of diversity and social justice challenging our Black student’s community within colleges and universities.
- 1619 Education Conference – this conference will offer the opportunity to learn from Education Network members, meet contributors to The 1619 Project, and connect with journalists covering reporting related to The 1619 Project. Our Network members represent a variety of school contexts and have valuable insight on effectively implementing 1619 into the classroom.
- The Gender Institute for Teaching and Advocacy (GITA) Black History Month Podcast
- 5280 Black Owners and Chefs – a list of Black owners and chefs across the Front Range.
- 303 Magazine Black Owned Businesses in Denver – Black-owned businesses in Denver.
Center for Multicultural Engagement and Inclusion (CMEI)
Questions? Contact CMEI
Learn More About CMEIPhone:
303-615-0606
Mailing Address:
Campus Box 39, P.O. Box 173362, Denver, CO 80217-3362