Black History Month 2024
To join the BHM Committee or share your event please email bhm@csusb.edu
Thank You to our Sponsors
Office of the President, Tomás D. Morales & the CSUSB Cabinet
The President's DEI Board, Programming Subcommittee
Dr. Daria Graham, Associate Vice President of Student Affairs & Dean of Students
Associated Students, Incorporated (ASI)
Black History Month Kick-Off
Date: Thursday, February 1, 2024
Time: 12 – 2pm
Location: Conference Center B, C & D (SMSU North)
Hosted by: Pan-African Student Success Center & Black History Month Committee
The Black History Month Committee is thrilled to host this in person and virtual kickoff for all students, staff, faculty and administration. This event will add fuel to our campaign for Black excellence through discussion and activities and music. We’ll be joined by guest speaker and CSUSB alumni, Tyler Lange. As a CSUSB graduate and Administrative Program Specialist within the Rialto Unified School District, Tyler is poised to share motivational insights and perspectives that uplift Black students, the Black Experience and Black success.
Lunch will be provided for our first 150 students in attendance. We look forward to seeing you!
United States: https://csusb.zoom.us/j/89335016617
International: https://csusb.zoom.us/u/kfaKSkuVb
Myisha Cherry: How to Use Anger for Anti-Racist Change
Date: Thursday, February 8, 2024
Time: 12 – 2pm
Location: Conference Center B, C & D (SMSU North)
Hosted by: Black History Month Committee
The Black History Month Committee invites you to join us for a workshop session with University of California, Riverside Philosophy Professor and Author of "The Case for Rage", Myisha Cherry. This event is an opportunity to learn about, explore and harness what Cherry calls, "Lordean Rage". It's the form of anger that’s crucial for anti-racist action and leads to lasting and long-awaited change in the name of Black liberation and a more equitable world.
Lunch will be provided for our first 150 students in attendance. We look forward to seeing you!
United States: https://csusb.zoom.us/j/89335016617
International: https://csusb.zoom.us/u/kfaKSkuVb
Register for Myisha Cherry: How to Use Anger for Anti-Racist Change
Reverence for Black Artistry: Bob Marley & Kris Bowers
Date: Thursday, February 15, 2024
Time: 12 – 2pm
Location: PART 1: 12:00pm - 2:00pm at CSUSB in SMSU North Conference Centers B, C & D; PART 2: 6:30pm - 9:00pm - Theater #3 at Regal Movie Theaters, San Bernardino & RPX (450 N E Street, San Bernardino, CA 92401. We'll have access to the theater at 6:00pm)
Hosted by: Black History Month Committee
PART 1: The Black History Month Committee invites you to join us for a delightful artist discussion with distinguished “Bob Marley: One Love” film composer, Kris Bowers. We’ll reflect and discuss with Kris on how this week’s theme of “reverence” for our culture, community, music and ancestors continue to not only drive our stories forward today, but also how they have shaped his work on this film, as well as his journey as a composer. This event will precede the complimentary movie showing of “Bob Marley: One Love” at Regal Cinemas San Bernardino & RPX for CSUSB Coyote Card holders.
United States: https://csusb.zoom.us/j/89335016617
International: https://csusb.zoom.us/u/kfaKSkuVb
PART 2: The Black History Month Committee invites you to join us for BOB MARLEY: ONE LOVE. It celebrates the life and music of an icon who inspired generations through his message of love and unity. On the big screen for the first time, discover Bob’s powerful story of overcoming adversity and the journey behind his revolutionary music. The expense of this showing will be fully covered by The Black History Month Committee and is free to CSUSB Coyote Card holders.
Lunch will be provided for our first 150 students in attendance. We look forward to seeing you!
Register for Reverence for Black Artistry: Bob Marley & Kris Bowers
Umoja & Ujamaa: Culture and Navigating the World of Work
Date: Thursday, February 22, 2024
Time: 11:30am – 1pm
Location: SMSU South Fourplex (2nd floor)
Hosted by: Career Center
Join the Career Center for “Umoja & Ujamaa: Culture and Navigating the World of Work”. It will be a 3-part event with opportunities to reflect on your cultural strengths, hear insights, gain tools and engage with our community of Black professionals who will help you to navigate the “World of Work”, in addition to exploring career options that align with your authentic self and interests.
Event topics include –
Session 1 – Culture is Career Capital (11:30am – 12pm)
- Discover your unique cultural strengths and how to express them to professionals and peers.
Session 2 – Black is Not a Monolith: Career Pathways Panel (12 – 12:30pm)
- Learn from a panel of Black professionals discussing their career journey, and how culture impacts navigating their profession and World of Work.
Session 3 – Conversations and Connections Mixer (12:30 – 1pm)
- Ask questions and engage with panelists and peers to create meaningful professional connections!
Register for Umoja & Ujamaa: Culture and Navigating The World of Work
Pioneer Breakfast
Date: Friday, February 23, 2024
Time: 9 – 11am
Location: Conference Center B, C & D (SMSU North)
Hosted by: Black Faculty, Staff, and Student Association
Black Faculty, Staff, and Student Association (BFSSA) of California State University, San Bernardino, will be hosting the 11th Annual Pioneer Breakfast on Friday, February 23, 2024, from 9:00 AM – 11: 00 AM. This year’s theme is “A Tapestry of Time: Celebrating Our Enduring Legacy”. The honorees for this event are Cassandra Butcher (Emerging Leader Award), and Patricia Nichols-Butler (Community Icon Award). The Pioneer Award Honorees are Assemblymember Corey Jackson (Alumni Award), Dee Bowen (Staff Award), Dale West (Administrator Award), Dr. Audrey Matthews (Faculty Award), and Maria Najera-Neri (Lorraine Frost Ally Award). Tickets are $40.00 for faculty, staff, and community members and proceeds from the breakfast will benefit future scholarships for CSUSB students.
For tickets and event information, please contact Anthony Roberson at aroberso@csusb.edu.
Meet Your Mentor Fair
Date: Tuesday, February 27, 2024
Time: 12 – 2pm
Location: Conference Center B, C & D (SMSU North)
Hosted by: Black History Month Committee
The Black History Month Committee invites you to join us for a CSUSB first! Black faculty and staff booths will be set up for current and prospective Black students to build ties of mentorship within the Black community at CSUSB. Students can stop by to learn about different departments and organizations to further expand Black student opportunities while celebrating the Black Experience within CSUSB. Let's honor and celebrate those who’ve paved the way for those who will be walking it as well. Come and find a mentor to support your journey at CSUSB!
Lunch will be provided for our first 150 students in attendance. We look forward to seeing you!
2023 Previous Held Black History Month Events
Thank you to all who attended and supported the events!
Pioneer Breakfast
Date: Friday, February 24, 2023
Time: 9 am - 11 am
Location: SMSU North Conference Center
Hosted By: CSUSB BFSSA
The Black Faculty, Staff, and Student Association is proud to announce scholarship opportunities that will be presented during our annual Pioneer Celebration. More information coming soon!
Men of Color Professional Development and Tie Workshop
Date: Thursday, February 23, 2023
Time: 12:00 - 2:00pm
Location: Santos Manuel Student Union South Event Center A
Hosted By: Pan-African Student Success Center
Students who attend will gain powerful skills to help them nail any interview and secure the career of their dreams. Students will also learn various ways to tie a tie that can serve as a point of interest or a conversation starter that is guaranteed to leave an impression.
Free Headshots
Free Men's Business Attire
Resume and Cover Letter Writing Support
Networking and Job Opportunities
Mexico's Afro-Oaxacan Culture Event
Date: Saturday February 25 & Sunday February 26, 2023
Time: 10:00 am - 4:00p m
Location: In person at The Garcia Center for the Arts, 536 W 11th St, San Bernardino. Also streaming online (Zoom)
Hosted By: CSUSB Anthropology Museum
Join us at The Garcia Center for the Arts in San Bernardino to celebrate Afro-descendants of Mexico's Costa Chica region. Watch or participate in making the traditional bull and turtle structures used in Afro-Oaxaca’s unique Day of the Dead festivities, and view the exhibition “Ébano: La Africanía en México” (Ebony: Africanity in Mexico) by Nicolás Triedo, featuring 35 black and white photographs from Costa Chica, courtesy of the Mexican Consulate of San Bernardino. Oaxacan snacks – some of which are inspired by African culinary traditions – will be served up all day, and between noon and 2pm there will be live Afro-Oaxacan music by Los Angeles-based bands Academia Maqueos (Saturday) and Los Guajes (Sunday). Free and open to the public! 10am to 4pm on Saturday February 25th and Sunday February 26th. Stop by any time or stay all day.
From Student to Scientist: A Talk w/Biology Alumnus Marvin Macharia
Date: Thursday, February 23, 2023
Time: 12noon - 1pm
Location: John M. Pfau Library PL-5005
Hosted By: Black History Month Planning Committee, the College of Natural Sciences, and CSUSB Career Center
The College of Natural Sciences and CSUSB’s Career Center present the professional journey of Marvin Macharia as he details his resiliency and resourcefulness enacted as a Black student pursuing his undergraduate degree at CSUSB. These skills helped prepare Macharia for his career as a researcher in the medical field. Macharia was selected as the 2019-2020 Outstanding Undergraduate Student of the Year for the College of Natural Sciences as well as the 2019-2020 Outstanding Undergraduate Student of the Year for the Department of Biology. As a biology major, Macharia was active in many leadership and research roles at CSUSB. He served as vice president of the Pan African STEM Society, and as the CNS representative for the university’s Associated Students, Inc., board of directors. Working with David Rhoads, an assistant professor in the Department of Biology, Macharia engaged in research on identifying genes in strains of Agrobacterium, a bacterium with the ability to transfer genes to plants that are often used in genetic engineering. He presented at the 33rd CSUSB Student Research Competition in 2019 and was one of 11 CSUSB students to advance to the state level and represent the university at the CSU Student Research Competition that same year. As a former research associate for Curative, a startup diagnostics company focused on COVID-19 testing and vaccinations, he advanced the research community and aided residents within Riverside County to combat COVID-19. Macharia is currently a lab supervisor for Sensible Diagnostics, which develops polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing products to detect infectious diseases.
For more information, please contact Primavera Reza-Nakonechny, Career Center, at primavera.rezanakonechny@csusb.edu or Yolanda Thomas, CNS Office of the Dean, at ythomas@csusb.edu.
Black History Month Kickoff
Date: Wednesday, February 1, 2023
Time: 12noon - 2:00pm
Location: SMSU North Conference Center
Hosted By: Black History Month Planning Committee
The Black History Month Planning Committee is excited to host the Black History Month Kickoff virtually. We welcome all students, staff, faculty, and administration to attend. This annual event will allow campus community members to learn more about our student groups and campus organizations' resources. The event will also feature live music, games, and much more.
Artist Talk: Corey Pemberton and Darnell Moore
Date: Thursday, February 23, 2023
Time: 5 pm
Location: Robert and Frances Fullerton Museum of Art (RAFFMA)
Hosted By: Robert and Frances Fullerton Museum of Art (RAFFMA)
Join artist Corey Pemberton and author Darnell Moore in conversation at the Robert and Frances Fullerton Museum of Art (RAFFMA) on Thursday, Feb. 23 at 5 p.m. Together, Pemberton and Moore will discuss their work, as well as the importance of presence and visibility.
Pemberton is a Los Angeles-based artist and educator. He is the founder and director of Crafting the Future, a nonprofit organization that provides educational and professional opportunities for BIPOC artists. His exhibit, “You know you see us,” is currently on display at RAFFMA.
Moore is the author of the best-selling memoir, No Ashes in the Fire: Coming of Age Black & Free in America. He was a host and co-producer on Seasons 1 and 2 of the award-winning podcast, Being Seen. Currently, he serves as the Vice President of Inclusion Strategy at Netflix.
Showcase Your Blackness
Date: Friday, February 3, 2023
Time: 5:30 pm
Location: CV MPR
Hosted By: Black Residential Scholars
Come kick off Black History Month by showcasing your talents through song, dance, poetry, art, etc. to represent black history!
If you are in need of disability-related accommodation to participate email 006848940@coyote.csusb.edu
No registration needed! Sign in sheet at the door
The Intersectionality of Blackness
Date: Tuesday February 7, 2023
Time: 4:00 - 6:00pm
Location: SMSU North Conference Center A
Engage in insightful dialogue with individuals of Black+ identities as the discuss their own lived experiences and offer tools to student for navigating macro and micro aggressions in both academic and professional spaces while reaffirming their right to hold and occupy space
Film and Discussion: Activism and Coalitions
Date: Friday, February 10, 2023
Time: 10:00 am - 12noon
Location: SMSU North Conference Center (C&D)
Moderator/Panelist: Dr. Marc Robinson
Co-Panelist: Drs. Aaron Brown (Ethnic Studies) and Diana Johnson (Ethnic Studies and History)
Film: The First Rainbow Coalition
This is an in-person event, documentary viewing, and faculty panel discussion. “In 1969, the Chicago Black Panther Party, notably led by the charismatic Fred Hampton, began to form alliances across lines of race and ethnicity with other community-based movements in the city, including the Latinx group the Young Lords Organization and the working-class young southern whites of the Young Patriots. The First Rainbow Coalition tells the movement’s little-known story through rare archival footage and interviews with former coalition members in the present day. While the coalition eventually collapsed under duress from constant harassment by local and federal law enforcement, including the murder of Fred Hampton, it had a long-term impact, breaking down barriers between communities, and creating a model for future activists and diverse politicians across America.” https://www.pbs.org/independentlens/documentaries/the-first-rainbow-coalition/
San Bernardino Civil Rights: Voices from the Bridges that Carried Us Over History
Date: Saturday, February 11, 2023
Time: 3pm - 4:30pm
Location: Feldheym Central Library - 555 W. 6th St. San Bernardino CA 92410
Presented By: Dr. Jennifer Tilton, Romaine Washington, and Vicki Lee
Join us for a look into San Bernardino's Civil Rights History
For more information or if you are interested in sharing photographs, stories, and other materials to help build their collection contact, 909-381-8201 or visit the website Bridges That Carried Us Over Project
"Bittering the Wound: A Conversation and Poetry Reading with Jacqui Germain"
Date: Tuesday, February 14, 2023
Time: 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm
Location: Virtual (Zoom)
Hosted By: The Pfau Library Presents
In this program, St. Louis-based writer, journalist, and poet Jacqui Germain will read from and discuss her debut collection of poetry, Bittering the Wound, a first-person retelling of the 2014 Ferguson uprising. This collection works to share the narrative of the event with more complexity, audacity, care, and specificity than public media accounts typically allow. Throughout the book, Germain also grapples with navigating the impacts of sustained protest-related trauma on mental health as it relates to activism and organizing.
For more information, contact Robie Madrigal, Pfau Library, at rmadriga@csusb.edu.
Langston Hughes Project Workshop: Black Protest Music: From the Negro Spiritual to Rap Music
Date: Thursday, February 16, 2023
Time: 12:00 - 1:00pm
Location: SMSUN 3rd Floor Glass Meeting Room
Hosted By: SMSU Pan African Student Success Center and Black History Month Planning Committee
Take a critical look at the historical impact of music in Black culture
Langston Hughes Project Workshop 2 - From Bee-Bop, to Doo Wop, to Hip-hop: Revolutionary and Evolutionary Music
Date: Thursday, February 16, 2023
Time: 3:00 - 4:00pm
Location: SMSUN 3rd Floor Glass Meeting Room
Hosted By: SMSU Pan African Student Success Center and Black History Month Planning Committee
Join us as we explore the evolution of music and how it has served as the backdrop for Black Liberation.
Langston Hughes Project Theatrical Performance
Date: Thursday, February 16, 2023
Time: 6:00 - 8:00pm
Location: SMSUN 3rd Floor Glass Meeting Room
Hosted By: SMSU Pan African Student Success Center and Black History Month Planning Committee
The Langston Hughes Project is a multimedia concert performance of Langston Hughes’s kaleidoscopic jazz poem suite, “Ask Your Mama: 12 Moods for Jazz.” (Hughes’s homage in verse and music to the struggle for artistic and social freedom at home and abroad at the beginning of the 1960s). It is a twelve-part epic poem which Hughes scored with musical cues drawn from blues and Dixieland, gospel songs, boogie woogie, bebop and progressive jazz, Latin “cha cha” and Afro-Cuban mambo music, German lieder, Jewish liturgy, West Indian calypso and African drumming — a creative masterwork left unperformed at his death.
The Langston Hughes Project is a joyous Multimedia celebration of this masterwork – in music, spoken word and visuals – performed by the impressively versatile Dr. Ron McCurdy (as narrator and on trumpet) and his talented group of musicians (on piano, bass and drums) “who make heads bob, fingers snap and feet tap throughout.” This amazing production was named "Live Experience of the Year" at the 2016 JazzFM Awards in London, England
BHM Celebrates: Me Time! Snack & Relax
Date: Tuesday, February 21, 2023
Time: 12noon - 2pm
Location: SMSU East Amphitheater
Hosted By: Black Scholars Program, Black History Month Planning Committee, The Retreat, and CAPS
The Black community suffers from increased mental health concerns, including anxiety and depression. The Black Scholars Program wanted to make sure you prioritize your mental health because it is an essential part of your overall physical health and satisfaction. The Black Scholars Program has partnered with The Black History Month Planning Committee, The Retreat, and CAPS to ensure you can take time for yourself. We have blocked out times for students who identify as Black or Pan-African to utilize the retreat space. We also hope to provide light refreshments to students who utilize the space.
Don't Get it Twisted: Untangling the Psychology of Hair Discrimination within Black Communities"!
Date: Tuesday, February 21, 2023
Time: 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
Location: Virtual (Zoom)
Hosted By: Marissa Boles, Black History Month Committee
Being in love with hair her whole life, Dr. Afiya grew up as her family’s hairstylist, graduating from lawn chairs at cookouts to eventually holding space in her college dorm room for a mini-salon. Her trait of being a skillful active listener translated smoothly to the field of psychology, earning her degrees from the University of Pennsylvania and Howard University. At the age of 26, Dr. Afiya earned a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology and was a full-time therapist at Columbia University, and then she was a professor at the University of the District of Columbia. Dr. Afiya is a natural hairstylist and partners with N Natural Hair Studio in Silver Spring, Maryland where she loves creating art with locs, twists, and afros.
Please contact Marissa.boles@csusb.edu