Please join the Queer Cinema Series in celebrating the 30th anniversary of Marlon Riggs's landmark documentary Tongues Untied . This classic film chronicles black gay life with a fierce lyricism...
Black History Month
Black History Month at Oberlin, recognized since 1967, has helped to foster greater awareness of the history, politics, culture, and economics of the African diaspora. Our annual celebration features prominent civic and political leaders, scholars, and musicians of African descent, as well as events in arts, literature, and performance aesthetics that make our observance more enriching. Our theme, Liberation is This, features a range of programs that explore the many facets of black liberation.
The annual observation was established by scholar Carter G. Woodson, who, in 1926, established Negro History Week, now known as Black History Month. His extensive research on black life and culture continues today through the organization he founded: the Association for the Study of African American Life and History or ASALH.
Next Upcoming Event
Past Events
Black History Month: Opening Dinner
Sunday, February 3, 2019
5:30 pm
Lord-Saunders Dining at Afrikan Heritage House
Join us at the annual meal to kickoff Oberlin’s recognition of Black History Month, a monthlong celebration to recognize and honor the contributions, achievements, and legacy of African...
Oberlin College Black Musicians Guild Presents: Callie Day
Wednesday, February 6, 2019
7:30 pm to 9:00 pm
Warner Concert Hall
Oberlin College Black Musicians Guild presents Callie Day in concert. She will be singing negro spirituals and gospel songs. Day has performed with the Miami University Opera, the Cincinnati Opera,...
Are You Ready For This: Consent and Women’s Agency in Carnival Culture
Wednesday, February 13, 2019
12:00 pm
Wilder Hall (Student Union)
Beyond dance and pageantry, Carnival traditions in the Eastern Caribbean have origins in resistance to slavery and colonialism. As a contested space that has historically been the site of...
Creative Writing/Music Journalism Workshop with Greg Tate
Monday, February 18, 2019
12:00 pm to 1:15 pm
Afrikan Heritage House (Lord-Saunders)
Join writer and cultural critic Greg Tate for a workshop on creative writing and music journalism. Tate is a writer, musician, and cultural provocateur who lives and thrives atop Harlem’s Sugar...
The Impact, Influence, and Innovation of Tom Wilson
Monday, February 18, 2019
7:00 pm
Afrikan Heritage House (Lord-Saunders)
African American record executive Tom Wilson produced some of the most seminal albums and singles of the 1960s by Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees including Bob Dylan’s The Times They Are a...
Happy Hour Listening Party with Greg Tate
Tuesday, February 19, 2019
4:30 pm to 6:00 pm
Birenbaum Innovation and Performance Space
Join Greg Tate as he spins his favorite tunes. Tate is a writer, musician, and cultural provocateur who lives and thrives atop Harlem's Sugar Hill. Since 1999, Tate has led the Conducted Improv...
Music Production Workshop with Craig Street
Tuesday, February 19, 2019
7:00 pm
Afrikan Heritage House (Lord-Saunders)
Grammy Award-winning producer Craig Street will lead a workshop at the Afrikan Heritage House recording studio on sound engineering and music production. He has worked with such artists as Cassandra...
Marginalized Voices in Music Journalism with Greg Tate and Annie Zaleski
Wednesday, February 20, 2019
12:00 pm to 1:15 pm
Wilder Hall (Student Union)
Join writers and cultural critics Greg Tate and Annie Zaleski as they discuss the challenges of music journalism for people of color, women, and those who are differently abled. T heir work has...
Bridging The Gap: African Immigrants and Black American Culture
Thursday, February 21, 2019
7:30 pm
Afrikan Heritage House (Lord-Saunders)
Barbara Thelamour, assistant professor of psychology at the College of Wooster, will present her mixed-methods research on how African immigrants are perceived to adjust to black American culture...
Please join us in highlighting and celebrating the innovative STEM success of black professionals, Oberlin alumni, and current Oberlin students during Black History Month at Oberlin. STEM in Color is...
Black By Popular Demand: The Black History Month Fashion Show
Saturday, February 23, 2019
8:00 pm
Carnegie Building
The Black History Month Fashion Show is a celebration of black beauty, black style, and their impact on popular style and culture. The show is also meant to be an inclusive space, rejecting the norms...