February is Black History Month.
Lipscomb has plans to celebrate and commemorate through a variety of events. Freshman Deranique Jones is encouraging Lipscomb students to participate.
“It’s all about proximity,” Jones said. To do so, she said people can read books, listen to podcasts, watch movies and talk to people who are different from their normal friend circles.
Jones also stressed her belief in the importance of learning the history and looking beyond slavery to recognize how far the country has come and to acknowledge how far it still has to go to make everyone feel welcome.
“At the end of the day it is history,”Jones said. “You need to be able to understand American history. It’s not covered in history books like it should be.”
Jones also discussed her personal role model, Angela Davis.
“She made it OK for black women to be how they wanted to be,” she said, adding, “not conforming to style norms like hair-straightening. She took the privileges she had and fought for herself and for all black people.”
Lipscomb will be hosting several events on campus in reverence of Black History Month, providing opportunities to honor men and women like Davis who decided to combat oppression. The first of event, dubbed, “Don’t Touch My Hair,” will take place Thursday, February 15 at 5 p.m. in Swang 234. It is a beauty event designed to discuss the culture surrounding black women’s hair.
February 19 and 20 will be a 24-hour prayer event starting at 8 a.m. in Bennett 181 with a focus on reconciliation within our nation. This event is open to all and is come-and-go.
The movie “Hidden Figures” will be playing in Stowe Hall, February 27 at 5:30 p.m. There will be a panel of black women who work in the S.T.E.M. field speaking after the movie.
These events are open to all who wish to attend.
Photo by Cole Gray