Rowan University celebrates Black History Month with events throughout February

Rowan University celebrates Black History Month throughout February with a variety of educational, cultural and inclusive events.

Many events are led by the Division of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) and include:

The Penny Executive

A collaboration between the Rohrer College of Business and the Department of Theater & Dance in the College of Performing Arts, The Penny Executive is a one-woman play depicting the life of entrepreneur Maggie Lena Walker, the daughter of enslaved parents who became the first woman to own a bank in the United States. The program includes a panel discussion after each of the showings. Showtimes are 5:00 p.m., Feb. 1 and 2 and 2:00 p.m. Feb. 3 in Business Hall.

Politics of Black & Brown Hair – Monday, Feb. 13, 4 p.m., Eynon Ballroom, Chamberlain Student Center

This program creates a brave and loving space for Black & Brown community members to share their hair journey, styles and stories, which are often both personal and political.

Douglass Day Transcribe-a-thon – Tuesday, Feb. 14, 12 p.m., Chamberlain Student Center Pit

For the first time, Rowan University’s History Department will host a Douglass Day Transcribe-a-thon in remembrance of the legendary abolitionist, orator, social reformer, writer and statesman. Transcribe-a-thons are events held to transcribe historical documents to make them more accessible and searchable for future generations.

Soul Food Sunday –  Feb. 26, 4 p.m., Chamberlain Student Center Pit

The Office of Social Justice, Inclusion and Conflict Resolution invites community members to celebrate Black Joy by breaking bread and sharing stories with one another. Program to include games and giveaways as well as free food for all attendees.

18^th Annual Rosa Parks Luncheon – Tuesday, Feb. 28, 11 a.m., Eynon Ballroom, Chamberlain Student Center

Sponsored by the Africana Studies Program, Rowan University’s 18^th Annual Rosa Parks Luncheon will commemorate Black History Month 2023 through the theme “Black Resistance,” which explores how African Americans have resisted historical and ongoing oppression in all forms. The luncheon has become one of Africana Studies' most highly anticipated and well-attended events with hundreds of attendees gathering to celebrate Parks’ civil rights legacy and raise funds for the Dr. Gary Hunter Scholarship program. This year's keynote speaker is Dr. Kellie Carter Jackson, an associate professor in the Department of Africana Studies at Wellesley College. Carter, the author of the award-winning “Force & Freedom: Black Abolitionists and the Politics of Violence,” co-edited “Reconsidering Roots: Race, Politics, & Memory,” and co-hosts the podcast, “This Day in Esoteric Political History.”

For a complete list of Black History Month events, please see the Rowan University DEI Blog.