July 26, 2024
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Waubonsee celebrates Black History Month

By Shaw Local News Network
Waubonsee Community College

Waubonsee Community College (photo provided by Waubonsee Community College)

Waubonsee Community College is proud to host community events showcasing the excellence of Black culture and history during Black History Month. These events have been designed to honor Black leaders’ rich cultural heritage and remarkable achievements in shaping our nation’s story.

Students, staff and community members are invited to learn, celebrate and gather in unity to appreciate the invaluable contributions of Black Americans to our history, culture and society.

All events are free and open to the public.

  • Music Mondays: noon each Monday in February. Sugar Grove or Aurora Downtown Campuses, dates and locations vary. A celebration of African American musical contributions.
  • BIPOC in STEM: Breaking Barriers, Embracing Opportunities: 4 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 8, Aurora Downtown Campus. A networking event focused on the BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and People of Color) experience in the STEM field featuring keynote speaker Cortez Watkins, a Waubonsee alumnus and the Senior Workforce Pathways Partnerships Liaison at Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory. This gathering offers valuable insights into diversity, equity and inclusion within STEM disciplines. Connect with professionals and peers, engage in meaningful discussions, and expand your understanding of the challenges and opportunities in STEM for BIPOC individuals
  • Celebrating Black Excellence: A Cultural and HBCU Showcase: 4 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 15, Sugar Grove Campus. Join us for a unique event to celebrate Black culture and discover more about Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). Explore various educational opportunities and gain insights into the heritage and contributions of HBCUs. Enjoy a live DJ, giveaways and free samples of soul food while supplies last.
  • Lunch & Learn: The Story of Black Hair: noon, Monday, Feb. 19, via Zoom. An enlightening virtual discussion about the evolution of Black hair.
  • Pre-Civil War Quilts: Secret Codes to Freedom on the Underground Railroad: 6:30 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 21, Sugar Grove Campus. A lecture led by Connie Martin, MA. During the presentation, Martin will share stories passed down from her great-grandmother Lizzie of how her family survived the antebellum period through trials and tribulations, and how they used quilts that contained hidden codes and secret messages to assist abolitionists-white and black-to guide enslaved people to freedom through the Underground Railroad to Canada. During the presentation, Martin will share 18 different quilt patterns in replica quilts and refer to a book her mother, Dr. Clarice Boswell, wrote about their family called, “Lizzie’s Story: A Slave Family’s Journey to Freedom.” Attendees are encouraged to RSVP in advance. This free Community Engagement program is sponsored by Waubonsee and the Lifelong Learning Institute.

Visit waubonsee.edu/BlackHistoryMonth for more information on specific times and locations and registration details.