Black History Month launch event will celebrate joy through community
Black History Month at McMaster organizers saw an increase in engagement and interest after last year’s vibrant launch event. One reason this year's event remains in MUSC is to make it possible for anyone to attend.
Black History Month begins this weekend, and the McMaster community is gathering on Monday, Feb. 3, to start off a month-long slate of programming, events and celebrations.
This year’s theme for Black History Month (BHM) at McMaster is Diasporic Dreams: Reclaiming Pasts, Shaping the Present, Crafting Futures.
“We want to focus on Afrofuturism, a concept that touches on ancestral knowledge and the use of imagination and creativity to envision what Black futures can look like,” says BHM planning committee chair Eve Nyambiya, coordinator of Anti-Black Racism Education and Programs in the Equity and Inclusion Office.
“The theme represents the expansiveness of Black cultures around the world, honouring the past and working toward a future where Black and diasporic identities are no longer on the margins.”
With a focus on joy through community, the event will feature musical and spoken word performances, vendors and tables from staff and student groups, and remarks from University President David Farrar and Barrington Walker, vice-provost of Equity and Inclusion.
Everyone is welcome at the event — and that’s one reason it’s being held in MUSC, which is open to all, Nyambiya says.
“We want people to gather and experience a sense of community,” she says. “So please, come out, have a good time, and show your support for students and Black communities.”
Organizers saw an increase in engagement and interest after last year’s vibrant launch event.
“We heard from so many people — not only student groups, but staff members who were very excited to get involved and show their support,” Nyambiya says.
Click here for the complete event listings for Black History Month at McMaster
This year’s theme is also reflected in other BHM at Mac events throughout the month.
On Feb. 11, McMaster Libraries and the Equity and Inclusion office present Diasporic Dreams: Afrofuturism as Anti-Oppression, a reading series of Afrofuturist literature by authors who include Octavia Butler and W.E.B DuBois.
“Black History’s importance is immeasurable as it allows us to witness the Black Community’s conquering and unbreakable spirit,” says co-organizer Khadija Alexander, archives processing librarian at McMaster University Libraries.
“Understanding and studying our past is the foundation that inspires us to look into a future where we will thrive — a future we can strive together to make into a reality.”
Click here to learn more or register.
From our Roots to Futures: Afrofuturism & Indigeneity
The McMaster Museum of Art, in partnership with the Equity and Inclusion Office, is offering a guided tour of its exhibit, Ascending Horizons, led by Senior Curator Betty Julian. This exhibit explores the intersection of Afrofuturism and Indigeneity, weaving together artistic expressions with themes of decoloniality.
The tour will be followed by a facilitated dialogue.
Click here for more information or to register — 25 spots are available.
Date: Thursday Feb 20th
Time: 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Location: McMaster Museum of Art
Follow BHM at Mac on Instagram for more information and to stay up to date. And if you post about Black History Month events at McMaster, don’t forget to use the hashtag #BHMMac2024.
About this year’s theme: Diasporic Dreams: Reclaiming Pasts, Shaping the Present, Crafting Futures
Reclaiming pasts honours the importance of history and ancestral roots within the African diaspora and symbolizes how their historical contributions shape the present and future. Shaping the present recognizes how individuals and communities shape reality through everyday acts of resistance, creativity, joy and innovation. Crafting futures emphasizes the powerful vision of Afrofuturism, of a world where Blackness and diasporic identity are central in society.
