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Black History Month is a national recognition of the history of Black Americans. The dedicated time started as a week-long event in 1925 and was aimed at raising awareness about African American contributions to civilization. The week became a central part of African American life in the 1950s and expanded to a month in 1976, highlighting the legacies and teachings of Black leaders who advocated for justice. Since then, Black History Month has served as a unique opportunity to recognize the importance of knowing the history of Black Americans and the incredible contributions the Black community has made in American society. The voices of those calling for justice still ring true, and Black History Month is a reminder to listen all year long.
Read more about this history behind Black History Month here: https://blackhistorymonth.gov/about/
NOVA honors Black History Month by offering a variety of events, programs, and activities available in-person and online. Below is a list of upcoming events. Please note that this list will be updated regularly with more information and additional offerings.
If you have an event to add to this list, please contact Sherrene DeLong. ADA accommodation requests should go to the organizers listed.
UPCOMING EVENTS
The NOVA Libraries are proud to host the National Library of Medicine’s traveling exhibit, This Lead is Killing Us: A History of Citizens Fighting Lead Poisoning in Their Communities. The traveling banner exhibition and companion website explore the story of citizen action taken against an environmental danger. Lead exposure can cause neurological problems and sometimes even death; yet this metal has been pervasive in many aspects of American life for over a century. This series is about public health and activism in Black communities.
The exhibit will rotate amongst the six NOVA Libraries from January 17 through February 24. You can find information on the location of the exhibit on your campus and learn more about the topic of lead poisoning prevention in our online guide.
Exhibit week |
Hosting library |
|
January 17, 2023 – January 20, 2023 |
MEC Library |
|
January 23, 2023 – January 27, 2023 |
Annandale |
|
January 30, 2023 – February 3, 2023 |
Loudoun |
|
February 6, 2023 – February 10, 2023 |
Woodbridge |
|
February 13, 2023 – February 17, 2023 |
Alexandria |
|
February 20, 2023 – February 25, 2023 |
Manassas |
The National Library of Medicine produced this exhibition and companion website.
Tuesday, February 7
2-3:30pm
Alexandria Campus, AA 196
National Black HIV/Aids Day Workshop
Join the Office of Student Life and the Alexandria Health Department to learn about HIV in the Black community, the efforts to address stigma and ways to prevent new HIV infections
Free HIV testing will be provided by INOVA’s Project Juniper from 11am-3pm in AA 158
For more information, contact Octavia Young (oyoung@nvcc.edu)
Tuesday, February 7 and Wednesday, February 8
3pm each day
Annandale Campus, CF 213
Free Movie Screenings of Black Panther and Wakanda Forever!
For more information, contact Elizabeth Garibay (egaribay@nvcc.edu)
Wednesday, February 8
11:10am
Alexandria Campus
Popular Education and Resistance
More info soon
Thursday, February 9
2pm
Annandale Campus, Barnes & Noble Café, CA 2nd floor
Trivia Thursday
It’s our (@AN Student Life) favorite day of the week, Trivia Thursday! Come out and compete in teams of up to 4 people in a different trivia topic each week. This week’s theme is Black His-and-Her-story! Each member of the winning team will receive a $25 gift card to Barnes & Noble. We’ll see you on February 9th at 2 PM, CA 2nd Floor, Barnes & Noble Café. Don’t miss your chance to play!
For more information, contact Elizabeth Garibay (egaribay@nvcc.edu)
Thursday, February 9
11am
Woodbridge Campus, The Nest
Black History Month Lunch
Stop by the Nest to pick up some taste Caribbean food. FREE while supplies last.
For more information, contact Toni De Luz (adeluz@nvcc.edu).
Monday, February 13
1:00pm – 2:00pm
Loudoun Campus, Waddell Theater
The Hemmings of Monticello
Round Table Discussion on the descendants of Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemmings of Monticello, presented by Robin Reeves Burke and Pastor Michelle C. Thomas
For more information, contact Nicholas Zefran (nzefran@nvcc.edu)
Wednesday, February 14
Alexandria Campus
Douglass Day Activities
Each February, the legacy of famed orator and activist Frederick Douglass is commemorated with a crowdsourcing transcription project digitizing the papers of significant African Americans. This year’s Douglass Day will focus on the papers of Mary Ann Shadd Cary(1823-1893), a newspaper publisher, lawyer, and educator in Canada and the United States.
The Alexandria Campus Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee will host a NOVA Douglass Day Transcribe-a-thon and is looking for individuals and classes sections to participate in person and remotely. Taking part is as easy as logging in to the Douglass Day Web site and choosing a document to transcribe; no special skills other than typing are needed. Participants will be rewarded with a Douglass Day sticker and at least Alexandria, a Douglass Day Cupcake.
The activity easily fits into History, Writing, Literature and Sociology courses. But almost anyone can find connections and courses. “On the three occasions I have hosted Douglass Day events, I’ve seen how deeply participants get absorbed into the lives of the past. It is easy to get hooked on this type of activity,” says Susan Monroe, English Faculty at Alexandria.
For more information, contact Susan Monroe, Smonroe@nvcc.edu or Laura Garcia Moreyra, LGarciamoreyra@nvcc.edu.
Wednesday, February 15
2:00-3:00pm
Virtual (Hosted by the Loudoun Campus)
Virtual Keynote featuring Amber Starks/Melanin Mvskoke:
Registration: https://vccs.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZEsce6przwsH9bEMkjcnoF2w0LRh3GKEo-X
Amber Starks, a.k.a. Melanin Mvskoke, an Afro-Indigenous (African American and Native American) activist, aspiring cultural critic/commentator, student of decolonial theory, and abolitionist. She is an enrolled member of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation and is also of Shawnee, Yuchi, Quapaw, and Cherokee descent.
Join her for a Black History Month Keynote on:
- The intersection of Black and Native American identity
- Normalize, affirm, and uplift the multidimensional identities.
- Black liberation and Indigenous Sovereignty
- Moving away from compartmentalizing struggles
For more information, contact Natalie Jamison (njamison@nvcc.edu)
Thursday, February 16
2-3pm
Virtual (Hosted by the Alexandria Campus)
From Rodney King to George Floyd: What I’ve Learned by Living Through These Two Riots
Register for this workshop here: https://vccs.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZYqceqqqzopHtW0KwqJYw0pw3rFh_hzg4kM
Zaylore was 17-years old when the police officers who beat Rodney King were on trial miles away from where he attended high school, but it was an incident that occurred on campus that thrust him both into the news and the limelight. He was one of the rare people who lived through both the Los Angeles Riots of 1992 and the riots of 2020 that occurred after the murder of George Floyd. As an attorney and a historian, Zaylore hopes sharing his views regarding how it is that we got here can help prevent us from reaching this place again in the future. Join him in the very personal discussion on race and policing from the perspective of a Black man in America.
For more information, contact Octavia Young (oyoung@nvcc.edu)
Thursday, February 16
11am
Woodbridge Campus, The Nest
Black History Month Trivia
Come out and test your knowledge on Black History. Each winner will have a chance to win a gift card. Don't miss your miss chance to play!
For more information, contact Toni De Luz (adeluz@nvcc.edu)
Thursday, February 16
6:30pm – 8:30pm
Virtual
HBCU Transfer Showcase
Are you interested in transferring to an Historically Black College (HBCU) OR just need help with your transfer application? Well look no further. Click on the links below to learn more information.
- Bowie State University
- Delaware State University
- Elizabeth City State University
- Morgan State University
- Norfolk State University
- North Carolina A&T State University
- Virginia State University
- West Virginia State University
HBCU Transfer Showcase: https://acrobat.adobe.com/link/review?uri=urn:aaid:scds:US:ad4f5d39-7186-4d04-9c27-21c9fb03dc5d
Transfer Application Tips workshops: https://blogs.nvcc.edu/transfer/transfer-application-help/
For more information, contact Rosa Sherrod (rscherrod@nvcc.edu)
Friday, February 17
11:00am – 2:30pm
Virtual
NOVA Student Life 2023 Diversity Institute
On Friday, February 17th we welcome a unique experience with the "Defamation Experience" production. The Experience challenges our preconceived notions about race, class, religion, gender, and even the law. As audience members and then jurors, we learn as much or more about ourselves as we do the plaintiff and the defendant in the production. Participants will engage together in a fully immersive and interactive experience.
Following the production will be a stellar keynote session led by Mrs. Ashley Gaddy, focusing on intersectionality and moving the mind to action. The event will be a fully virtual experience and follow the scheduled outline below.
- 11:00am - 12:45pm: "The Defamation Experience" & deliberation (Part 1)
- 12:50pm - 1:35pm: "The Reality of Intersectionality" with keynote Ashley Gaddy (Part 2)
- 1:40pm - 2:30pm: Concluding and Reflecting (Part 3)
Interested? Register for the NOVA Student Life 2023 Diversity Institute!
For more information, contact Nigel Word: nword@nvcc.edu
Friday, February 17
2:00pm
MEC
DEI 101: A Gentle and Practical Introduction to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
This workshop offers participants context and tools founded in DEI theory that can be gently integrated into daily practice. Facilitated by Sherrene DeLong, this worship is devoted to bringing DEI into our daily lives.
For more information, contact Emily Miller (emiller@nvcc.edu)
The week of February 20
Date/Time TBD
MEC
Trivia with Corrine House
The MEC welcomes back beloved family member, Corrine House, during the last week of February. Join us for a fun-filled trivia game. Test your memory of Black leaders in medicine, learn more about these influential figures, and win NOVA swag!
For more information, contact Emily Miller (emiller@nvcc.edu)
The week of February 20
Date/Time TBD
MEC
Black Leaders in Our Professions Gallery
MEC programs will present a poster/trifold to display the week of February 20th spotlighting a Black leader or caucus in their field.
For more information, contact Emily Miller (emiller@nvcc.edu)
The week of February 20
MEC
Black Leaders in Medicine
Keep your eyes on the campus LCD monitors this month as the MEC DEI Committee has kicked off an information campaign, highlighting Black leaders in the health sciences, nursing, and medical fields. Your attention to and memory of these exceptional leaders will be rewarded!!!
For more information, contact Emily Miller (emiller@nvcc.edu)
Monday, February 20
11:00am-3:00pm
Loudoun Campus, LC Café
Black History Month Embroidery Kits
For more information, contact Natalie Jamison (njamison@nvcc.edu)
Monday, February 20
1:00 – 2:00pm
Loudoun Campus, HEC Conference Center
From Trauma to Triumph
Round Table Discussion on the Impact of Segregated Schools in Loudoun County, presented by Pastor Michelle C. Thomas, President of NAACP, Loudoun Branch
For more information, contact Nicholas Zefran (nzefran@nvcc.edu)
Monday, February 20
2:30pm – 4:00pm
Loudoun Campus, HEC Conference Center
They are ALL Honored: Video Presentation of the Thoughts and Reflections of Students from Alexandria City High School
In the fall of 2022, the Remembrance Project of the Alexandria City Mayor’s Office invited a group of students and staff from Alexandria City High School to join them in a pilgrimage to deliver the ashes of two Alexandria natives – who were lynched in the late 1800s and early 1900s - to the Legacy Museum in Montgomery, Alabama. Students and staff also visited the National Memorial for Peace and Justice, Brown Chapel AME Church, and crossed the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama.
Student Presenters: Jason Reid, Max Rocchio, Ben Delnegro and TV/Production Teacher Ms. Vilma Zefran from Alexandria City High School (Video presentation of the thoughts and reflections of students who participated in the pilgrimage to the Legacy Museum).
For more information, contact Nicholas Zefran (nzefran@nvcc.edu)
Wednesday, February 22
12-1pm
Alexandria Campus
DEI Spotlight Event: Q&A with Host of Afro-Latino Travels with Kim Haas
Kim is the executive producer, host, and creator of Afro-Latino Travels with Kim Haas, a travel show celebrating the African influence in Latin America. Her travels have taken her to meet Black people in Venezuela, Cuba, Peru, Mexico, and more, exploring their lived experiences and historic contributions to local art, food, music, dance, and culture.
This event is sponsored by Micron.
For more information, contact Martha Davis (mdavis@nvcc.edu) or Sherrene DeLong (sdelong@nvcc.edu)
Wednesday, February 22
11am
Woodbridge Campus, The Nest
Black History Month: Paint By Number
Feeling a little creative? Stop the Nest to pick up a paint by number for Black History Month.
For more information, contact Toni De Luz (adeluz@nvcc.edu)
Wednesday, February 22
1:00pm-2:00pm
Annandale Campus, CC Blackbox Theater
Free Screening: The Ginny Battle Story
For more information, contact JoAnn Credle (jcredle@nvcc.edu)Thursday, February 23
11:30am-1:00pm
Woodbridge Campus
Black Farmer’s Symposium
The Woodbridge campus will be presenting a panel of Black agriculturalists for the second annual Black Farmer's Symposium. The purpose is to give black farmers an opportunity to tell their story, the success and challenges of farming in general and farming in a system that has a documented history of discrimination.
For more information, contact Lawrence Nightingale: lnightingale@nvcc.edu
Thursday, February 23
1:00 – 2:30pm
Loudoun Campus, HEC Conference Center
Reflections on the Significance of Black History Month in the Context of Present-Day America
Panel of Speakers:
- Dr. Jen Rainey (Dean, LASS Division)
- Dr. Jen Daniels (Dean, Inclusive Excellence)
- Professor Mike Polcen (Loudoun Campus Forum)
- Representative from the Office of Student Services
For more information, contact Nicholas Zefran (nzefran@nvcc.edu)
Thursday, February 23
2:30pm -3:30pm
Loudoun Campus, LC Café
Poetry reading with Sadiyah Bashir:
A poet and freelance writer. Bashir took to poetry as a means of self-expression to then becoming a two-time youth Grand Slam champion. Her poetry has been showcased for media outlets such as Al-Jazeera and commissioned by Apple and Penny Appeal USA. Bashir’s articles have been published by the Independent, Wear Your Voice Mag and Nazar Newsletter.
Her debut book entitled “Seven” is where she explores her life through her writing from adolescence to the present day. Seven discusses her personal battles with internal and external evils, finding radical self-love, and simply trying to navigate life as a young Black Muslim woman.
For more information, contact Natalie Jamison (njamison@nvcc.edu)
Thursday, February 23
6:00pm
Annandale Campus, CE Forum
Soul Food Dinner: Ginny Battle, a Change Maker
For more information, contact JoAnn Credle (jcredle@nvcc.edu)
Friday, February 24
8:30am-1pm
Alexandria Campus
2023 Alexandria Black History Bus Tour
A FREE bus tour experience of Historic Alexandria hosted by our Dean of Languages, Arts, and Social Sciences (LASS) Jim McClellan. Tour locations to include notable sites of Black History in Alexandria, such as: Freedom House Museum, Market Square, Alexandria Black History Museum, Masonic Temple, Gadsby’s Tavern, and Barrett Branch Library.
Click here for the event flyer with important details.
For more information, contact LASS Office Manager Sah Ara Sanu-t (ssanut@nvcc.edu).
Friday, February 24
2pm
Virtual
Democracy (series)| Maturals — Senior citizen lifelong learning program
More info soon
Monday, February 27
1:00 – 2:00pm
Loudoun Campus, HEC Conference Center
Preservation Sisters: Preserving Black History in Loudoun Country
Telling the Untold Stories in Loudoun County. Presenters:
- Pastor Michelle C. Thomas, President of NAACP, Loudoun Branch
- Donna Bohannon, Chair of the Friends of the Thomas Balch Library’s Black History Committee
- Lori Kimball, Member of the Friends of the Thomas Balch Library’s Black History Committee
- Heidi E. Siebentritt, Historic Preservation Planner and Archaeologist
For more information, contact Nicholas Zefran (nzefran@nvcc.edu)
Tuesday, February 28
2-3pm
Alexandria Campus, AA 158
Black History Month Trivia
60 questions in 60 minutes. Who will get the most right the fastest and win an awesome prize?
For more information, contact Octavia Young (oyoung@nvcc.edu)