Dr. Carter G. Woodson pioneered the first Negro History Week. It was decided that it would be celebrated during the week that held the birthdays of both Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass, two influential figures in the history of Black history. Prior celebrations have been documented as far back as the early 1900s and later was extended to a month-long acknowledgment of the historical contributions of Black people.
With the current social climate, celebrating and acknowledging these historical contributions is vital to preserving the true history of the Black culture.
“Black History Month shouldn’t be treated as though it was somehow separate from our collective American history or somehow just boiled down to a compilation of greatest hits from the March on Washington or from some of our sports heroes.”
– President Barack Obama's speech at the annual reception for Black History Month at the White House on February 18, 2016
This year’s theme for Black History Month is African Americans and the Arts. “African American art is infused with African, Caribbean, and the Black American lived experiences. In the fields of visual and performing arts, literature, fashion, folklore, language, film, music, architecture, culinary and other forms of cultural expression, the African American influence has been paramount. African American artists have used art to preserve history and community memory as well as for empowerment.” (ASALH - Association for the Study of African American Life and History)
Learn more about how we’re celebrating Black History Month through the following events and exhibitions.
Janurary 18 – March 6, 2025 | Subject to Library Hours
Jennifer & Philip DiNapoli Gallery, 2nd Floor, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr Library
Art of the African Diaspora is the longest running event of its kind in the Bay Area. It originated from a salon for African American artists known as Colors of Black that was organized in 1989 by artist and professor Marie Johnson Calloway. In 1996 artists Jan Hart-Schuyers and Rae Louise Hayward established the exhibition The Art of Living Black at Richmond Art Center. Over the next twenty-five years the exhibition ensured the increased visibility for African American artists in the Bay Area that Hart-Schuyers and Hayward conceptualized.
February 7, 2025 | 2 - 3 p.m.
Room 225, 2nd Floor, SJSU King Library
Put yourselves in the shoes of Black Healthcare professionals as they navigate through the decades with firsthand accounts of what it was like to be young, Black and talented in fields typically dominated by the other and how the field has evolved and changed to reflect a more diverse modern population and society. Light refreshments will be served.
February 15, 2025 | 1 - 2:30 p.m. | Hybrid
Room 225/255, 2nd Floor, SJSU King Library / Zoom
Explore the rich artwork of the "Art of the African Diaspora" exhibit and enjoy a panel of the artists themselves to learn of their experiences as creative Black professionals in the Bay Area. Light refreshments will be served.
February 28, 2025 | 12 - 2 p.m. | Hybrid
Room 225, 2nd Floor, SJSU King Library / Zoom
Join Dr. Amber Johnson for a discussion about real strategies to take care of ourselves as we advocate for ourselves and our communities within institutions of higher education.
