AACC Hosts a Packed Schedule of Events for Black History Month

The African American Cultural Center is celebrating its 30thanniversary and will be hosting a series of exciting events to engage the campus community during Black History Month this year.

The AACC was formally established in 1990-1991, although its history dates back to the 1960s when an early iteration was proposed as part of the establishment of a Black Studies program by university administrators. That program would eventually be established by the late Professor Grace Sims Holt in 1974, and would pave the way for the commitment to activism, advocacy, academic analysis, and art that the AACC continues to promote today.

The month will begin with a virtual mural unveiling and open house on Tuesday, February 1stfrom 3PM –5PM. The AACC has commissioned a new mural in commemoration of its 30thanniversary, which will be created by Chicago-based mural artist Damon Lamar Reed. Reed is currently affiliated with several community organizations including the Chicago Public Art Group, the Beverly Art Center, Archi-treasures, The Luv Institute, and the 345 Art Gallery and his work can be seen in various spaces throughout the city.

Two virtual Black Table Talk sessions will be held on Wednesday, February 2ndand Wednesday, February 16thfrom 12PM –1PM. The first session–“Sugarcoating King: Distorting King’s Radical Vision”–will unpack the effects of the widespread appropriation and distortion of Dr. King’s racial justice ideologies by popular media, corporate branding, and political culture. The second session–“Black Men in Film”–will explore the evolving representation of Black men in media, with a particular focus on the historical context of the late Sidney Poitier’s groundbreaking mid-century cinematic career.

There will also be an ongoing virtual film screening series in honor of the actor, director, and diplomat. “Remembering Sidney Poitier” will feature the following films:

Wednesday, February 9th
3PM: Raisin in the Sun
5PM: The Defiant Ones

Wednesday, February 16th
3PM: In the Heat of the Night
5PM: To Sir with Love

Wednesday, February 23rd
3PM: A Patch of Blue
5PM: Buck and Preacher

The final event of the month–the Black History Month Speaker–will be held virtually on Tuesday, February 22nd from 5PM –6PM. This year’s speaker will be Michele Bratcher Goodwin, a Chancellor’s Professor at the University of California, Irvine and founding director of the Center for Biotechnology and Global Health Policy. She is an internationally-recognized voice on women’s rights, reproductive health, health policy, and constitutional law and lectures worldwide on topics surrounding the exploitation of women and girls.

More information and registration links for these programs can be found here!