Muskegon Community College will celebrate Black History Month in February by hosting lectures, a musical performance, a movie, a contest and the annual Love in Action Awards Dinner. All the events, with the exception of the dinner, are free and open to the public.
For more information, contact Mary Williams in the Office of Community Outreach at (231) 777-0582 or by email at mary.williams@muskegoncc.edu.
- On Friday, Feb. 5, a Community Choir Concert titled “Celebrating Black History through Song, Poetry and the Spoken Word” takes places from 6-7:30 p.m. in Collegiate Hall. MCC and K-12 students and community members, accompanied by the MCC Jazz Band and MCC College Singers, will share the struggles and successes of African Americans through song, poetry and the spoken word.
- On Monday, Feb. 15, the movie, “Up from the Bottoms: The Search for the American Dream” will be shown at 1:30 p.m. in Collegiate Hall. A discussion will follow. The movie, produced by GVSU faculty member Jim Schaub, discusses the history of Muskegon and how things were in the 1940s and 1950s. The movie also highlights insightful history from local residents.
- Papa N’Jai, MCC Professor of Geography and Cultural Anthropology and International Coordinator, and his wife, Dr. Sylvia Juta-N’Jai, will share information on the cultures of Africa and African Americans on Wednesday, Feb. 17. The talk, titled “An Overview of African History and Culture” will be held in Collegiate Hall from Noon–1:30 p.m. and again in the evening from 6-7:30 p.m.
- Students and community members are encouraged to show their knowledge and compete for prizes during the fun and informative Black History Jeopardy by Entertainment on the Move on Thursday, Feb. 18. The competition takes place from 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. in the Student Union.
- On Monday, Feb. 22, “Who We Are and How Did We Get Here: A Panel Discussion” will tap into the insights of Muskegonites who have made huge contributions to the building of the community and have been long time equal rights activists for the people, especially African Americans. Taking place at 6 p.m. in Collegiate Hall, The panel discussion will be facilitated by MCC President Dale Nesbary and includes recognition of some local pioneers who have made great contributions to our community.
- The annual Love in Action Awards Dinner on Thursday, Feb. 25, concludes the Black History Month activities. The event runs from 6-9 p.m. with a social hour from 5:30-6 p.m. The dinner in Collegiate Hall celebrates unsung heroes who are nominated by their peers from local businesses, churches and individuals. Nomination applications are available at www.muskegoncc.edu/ce or by contacting Mary Williams at mary.williams@muskegoncc.edu or (231) 777-0582. Tickets for the Love in Action Awards Dinner are $27 each or $210 for a table of eight. The deadline for purchasing tickets is Thursday, Feb. 11.