The Time is Now: Reflections on Black History Month

 “The time is always right to do what is right.”—Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

As we near the end of Black History Month, I find myself reflecting on the words of several champions of equality. Dr. King was a pioneer of the civil rights movement and a proponent of kindness, empathy, and social justice.  He believed these qualities when pursued together would make our world a more openhearted, fair, and equitable place for all people to pursue their dreams. That was, after all, Dr. King’s central message—that all people should have the right to dream and the freedom to work toward the fulfillment of such dreams.

I am so proud of the efforts of so many passionate Commonwealth University colleagues who embody Dr. King’s message and are continually doing what is right for our students and our community. Over the past month, close to two dozen Black History Month events have taken place across all CU locations. From “Lunch and Learn” events to movie nights, day trips, and speakers, our students have had the opportunity to engage in a wide-ranging offering of events designed to expand their knowledge, understanding, and appreciation for Black History.

The 2024 Sankofa Conference, hosted by the Bloomsburg Multicultural Center, saw students from all CU locations come together to learn more about the rich cultural heritage of people of African descent. Sankofa has long provided a forum for unity and understanding among students. It is heartening to see students from diverse backgrounds come together with a genuine desire to improve their own understanding and thereby begin to foster change in their own lives and communities.

Students from across CU's locations came together for the 2024 Sankofa Conference 

Sankofa is a tremendous example of what is possible when we strive to live by Dr. King’s principles—to endeavor to do what is right and to bring people along on that journey with us. I want to thank our CU students, staff, and faculty for their heartfelt efforts in celebration and recognition of Black History Month. I truly believe that the work we are doing together is making an impact, both in our campus communities and the communities they call home.

Maya Angelou said, “We may encounter defeats, but we must not be defeated.” Progress does not mean perfection and though there may be times when it feels like every step we take forward leads to two steps back, I encourage you to remember the words of Ms. Angelou. When you encounter defeats or experience hardships, when the world is less than kind and injustice seems to prevail, take heart in knowing that you are surrounded by people who care about you and share your values. Take heart in the words and lessons of leaders like Dr. King who kept pushing forward no matter what. And he did so with the support of good, and kind, and caring people who saw the world the same way he did—for all its beauty, possibility and flaws.

As Black History Month comes to an end, my hope is that you will take its lessons and inspiration with you and work to make positive changes through your words and actions. It is truly amazing what can be accomplished when we all make small steps together in the same direction.

Bashar W. Hanna, President 

Human Together--Celebrating Black History Month

Nobel Peace Prize winner Desmond Tutu said, “My humanity is bound up in yours, for we can only be human together.” As we embark on Black History Month, let us find opportunities to recognize our shared humanity—our histories, personal stories, and struggles. The more we learn about one another, the more we uncover about ourselves.   

 Each of our Commonwealth University locations will host a number of Black History Month events. I encourage everyone in our community to attend and engage in these events on your campus—they serve as meaningful avenues to engage, learn, and grow. Thank you to the students, faculty, and staff who have made these opportunities possible.

Commonwealth University Black History Month Events 

Bloomsburg   

February 6^th—30^th Annual Martin Luther King Jr Commemorative Celebration
6:00pm, Carver Hall

February 9^th –The AME church and Local Black History
4:30pm, Multicultural Center, Room 230, Kehr Union Building

February 15^th—Black History Resources: Why they Matter
3:00pm, Multicultural Center, Room 230, Kehr Union Building
The workshop will Describe how State Historic Preservation Offices treat Black Heritage Resource and Explore differences between states and regions in how these resources are treated.  Recommend how to improve the management of Black cultural resources and consultation. Discuss together how to engage Black stakeholders better across the United States and its territories in the management of their Heritage Resources.

Saturday February 18—28^th Annual Sankofa Conference: "The Multipliers: A Trauma-informed approach to leadership," 
11:00am, Kehr Union Ballroom
Keynote Speaker: Dr. Nathaniel Woods Jr. special assistant to the President for Inclusion Transformation at Pennsylvania College of Technology
Registration is required. Please use link to register: https://www.bloomu.edu/sankofa-conference

Thursday February 23— 2023 Black Wall Street
6:00pm, Kehr Union Building Multi A
Come and support black business during Black wall street as black businesses showcase their products or services. 

Lock Haven

Feb. 7^th – Black History Gallery Opening in the RDLMC 

The saying goes, "a picture is worth a thousand words." In this context, the Black History Gallery has PLENTY to say.  The gallery will be a testament to the contributions of African Americans on a national and local level.

Feb. 8th – Black History Month Celebration
6:30pm,  PUB MPR 
Join the Black Student Union and the Robert and Dolores Lynch Multicultural Center as they celebrate the achievements of African Americans and recognize significant events that impacted US history.  All are welcome, dinner will be provided!

Feb. 15th – “LHU Black History Panel - Focus on the 1970s”
7:00pm, Price Auditorium
The panel is a phenomenal opportunity for members of the Lock Haven University (LHU) community to learn more about LHU history from the perspective of African American graduates. Panelists will share prospective and insights from their time at LHU. 

Feb. 23rd – Hip Hop and R&B Playlist Bingo
7:00 pm, PUB MPR 
Hip Hop and R&B Playlist Bingo is a high-energy take on classic bingo.  It draws from participants’ knowledge of hits from musical artists like Alicia Keys, Usher, TLC, Ludacris and more. Just try not to dance along! Participants are ready to play with just their phone and a tablet or laptop. Customized Hip Hop R&B Playlist Bingo card are provided.  Players will sing along to their favorite songs while they mark off the artist on their Hip Hop R&B Playlist Bingo card. The first person to line up five in a row wins!  All are welcome!  Cash prizes will be awarded! 

Feb. 28th -“Why DEI Is Not Enough: Using the Inclusive Excellence Framework to Create and Sustain a Culture of Belonging”
6:30pm, PUB MPR 
Presented by Dr. Shavonne Shorter Associate Provost for Equity and Inclusion, Chief Diversity Officer, and Associate Professor in the Department of Communication and Digital Studies – During this presentation, Dr. Shorter will examine the importance of an Inclusive Excellence Framework in growing and sustaining a diverse and inclusive learning, living, and working environment that has belonging at its core.

Mansfield

Feb. 9^th I Have a Dream: Vision Board Night
5:00pm, Alumni 307
Pizza and supplies provided.

Feb. 16^th—Epic Rap Battles of History
7:00pm, The Hut

Feb. 21^st—Black History Trivia
7:00pm, The Hut

Feb 22^nd—Mysteries, Murder, and Your Mom Podcast presents the MLK Assassination
4:30pm, Alumni 307

Feb. 23^rd—Lunch and Learn: The Underground Railroad in Tioga County
11:30am, Alumni 317
Now leaving for Lawrenceville, The Underground Railroad in Tioga County: What we can learn from Harriet Tubman. Presented by Phillip Hesser, Ph.D. Light refreshments provided. 

 

 

    Bashar W. Hanna, President

Our world needs more kindness

I recently tweeted a statement that really speaks to me and which I believe can guide us as we live, work, and learn together.

“Leadership does not need to be loud and kindness should never be interpreted as weakness. Lead quietly with kindness.”

Our world needs more kindness. As the late General Colin Powell wrote in his book, It Worked for Me, "You can never err by treating everyone in the building with respect, thoughtfulness, and a kind word."

Whether you find yourself in a leadership position today or aspire to lead others in the future — Let’s choose to lead with compassion, kindness and respect. It’s up to us to create and foster working environments that embody our values of inclusion, growth, and kindness.

During the month of February, our nation celebrates Black History Month. Together we must continue to champion the diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives to make our campuses more welcoming to our underserved populations.

To that end, our campuses, along with our sibling PASSHE schools, are conducting the System-wide Campus Climate Survey which opened Jan. 31. The results will allow our campuses and the State System to assess ourselves and support the development of strategies to promote inclusive campus and system communities.

If you are a student or employee of Bloomsburg, Lock Haven, or Mansfield please complete the survey. Your participation is important and anonymous.

It is our goal to make our university families and communities open and welcoming to all.

Frederick Douglass, one of the great Black scholars of the 19th century, penned many profound words on education. He underlined the importance of education as part of a process of realizing human potential, furthering justice, and achieving freedom: “Education …means emancipation,” he said. “It means light and liberty.”

During Black History Month, I encourage you to engage one another with kindness, respect, and understanding. Let us take this opportunity to embody our values through our actions and bring light and liberty to those around us.

    Bashar W. Hanna, President

Celebrating Black History Month – and striving to become a better BU

While our nation has grappled with a global pandemic for most of the past year, we have also focused on the challenges of racial inequity and racism in our country, prompted in large part by the wrongful killing of George Floyd and the subsequent protests nationwide last spring. 

As we have acknowledged at our town halls for the BU community since last summer, our campus is no different from many communities across this country in that we have work to do in the areas of equity and inclusion. 

While we are proud of the events we have hosted for many years and the ongoing training sessions and programs we have instituted recently, we continue to strive to do more to develop a more welcoming, more inclusive and safer environment for all members of the BU community. As we celebrate Black History month and strive to become a better BU, I would like to highlight a few upcoming events this month that will feature speakers who will both challenge and inspire us:

An Evening Conversation on Equity, Inclusion, and Becoming a Better BU

This conversation will take place on Tuesday, February. 16, at 6:30 p.m., via Zoom. It will be moderated by BU’s own Dr. Shavonne Shorter (Special Assistant to the President for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) and will feature Mr. Chad Dion Lassiter, a national expert on race relations and the executive director of the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission (PHRC). It will be my honor to take part in this discussion.

Lessons from the Later Dr. King

On Wednesday, February 17, at 6 p.m. we will welcome Dr. Eddie S. Glaude, Jr., the James S. McDonnell Distinguished University Professor and chair of the Department of African American Studies at Princeton University. Presenting via Zoom, Professor Glaude will examine a period in Dr. King’s life that is not always highlighted: his later years, a time in which he was doubtful and felt that the country had turned its back on him.

Black in America

Finally, speaking of the late George Floyd, on Wednesday, February 24 at 6 p.m., we will welcome family members of Mr. Floyd as part of the keynote address at the annual Sankofa Conference (join via Zoom). The topic will be a conversation with Nyle Fort and George Floyd’s aunt and uncle, who will provide you a personal glimpse of the George Floyd they knew and loved. Fort is a minister, activist, and writer and the co-founder of The Maroon Project, an activist incubator based in Newark, NJ, that works with students, organizers and residents on issues of social justice.

I am grateful to all my colleagues who are members of our University’s President’s Commission for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, and especially thank Dr. Shavonne Shorter and Ms. Maddy Rodriguez (co-chairs of the Commission) for their leadership. I also thank our guest speakers for sharing their wisdom and expertise with the BU Family. I hope you will plan to join these powerful conversations, as well as others planned for the coming weeks. For a complete list of BU’s events this month and the links to access them, please visit bloomu.edu/black-history-month.
 

Sincerely, 

        Bashar W. Hanna, President

Celebrating Black History Month

During the month of February we celebrate Black History Month. The story of Black History Month begins in 1915, half a century after the 13th Amendment abolished slavery in the United States. It was in the fall of that year that Harvard-trained historian Carter G. Woodson and minister Jesse E. Moorland founded the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History, a group committed to studying and promoting achievements by black Americans and other peoples of African descent.

Known today as the Association for the Study of African American Life and History, the group sponsored a national Negro History week in 1926, choosing the second week of February to coincide with the birthdays of Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass. President Gerald Ford officially recognized Black History Month in 1976, calling upon the public to "seize the opportunity to honor the too-often neglected accomplishments of black Americans in every area of endeavor throughout our history."

Here at Bloomsburg University, I am proud of the programming we currently offer and hope that we'll be able to offer more in the years ahead.

We started BU's Black History Month with a lecture by Mr. Wil Haygood, a distinguished writer, author, Pulitzer Prize finalist and reporter. Mr. Haygood is best known for his book which was later turned into the critically acclaimed film, The Butler. Mr. Haygood gave an inspired talk to a large crowd on where we are as a society and how 'only light can drive out the darkness."

There will be several more lectures and presentations throughout the month in celebration of Black History Month.

But I want to highlight one very important discussion to be held on Friday, Feb. 16. Organized by CGA president Joar Dahn, "Beyond the Fountain", a discussion of racism in our community. It will be held in the Kehr Union Building, multi-purpose rooms A-B from 5 to 7 p.m. As Joar has said it is his goal is to bring people of all colors together to discuss diversity and how we can all learn from each other. This is a young man who cares deeply about this community and wants to make it a better place for all of us. I am so proud of him for what he is doing with this discussion and it is my hope that we come out and share our experiences. I'll be there and I hope you will be, too.

     Bashar