Virginia Tech celebrates Black History Month with cultural events, tributes

25 Jan 2013

Child's crayon drawing of hands — Art by Damien Cressell of Christiansburg Primary School

The Virginia Tech community celebrates Black History Month with a variety of cultural events focusing on this year’s theme, "At the Crossroads of Freedom and Equality: The Emancipation Proclamation and the March on Washington."

All events are free and open to the public unless otherwise noted. Scheduled events include:

8th Annual Martin Luther King Jr. K-12 Poster and Essay Contest Exhibit. Held in the Perspective Gallery on the second floor in Squires Student Center, the exhibit is on display through Feb. 16. The Perspective Gallery is open from noon to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, and 1 to 5 p.m. on Sunday. Entries to this exhibit were created by local children and reflect the values such as respect and civility that Martin Luther King Jr. used to teach his vision. The office of Multicultural Programs and Services and the office for Diversity and Inclusion are sponsoring this event. Email for more information.
March on Washington: Tribute to Women Fighters for Freedom. The tribute will take place on Wednesday, Feb. 6, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at Deet’s Place at Dietrick Hall. This tribute to the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington is presented by The Student African American Sisterhood of Virginia Tech and will highlight black women’s efforts in the march. Email for more information.
Café Soul featuring Free Verse. The performance will be held Tuesday, Feb. 12 from 7 to 8 p.m. in Squires Colonial Hall and will be followed by a reception from 8 to 9 p.m. in the Black Cultural Center, 126 Squires Student Center. Free Verse is a unique performance poetry group with awe-inspiring content and vocal arrangements. This performance is presented by the Black Student Alliance. Email for more information.

Themed discussions, film screenings, guest speakers, and additional live performances will also be included in the month-long celebration. Events are scheduled throughout the month of February.

For a complete listing of events celebrating Black History Month, visit Multicultural Programs and Services.

For events at Squires Student Center, parking is available in the Squires Lot, located at the corner of College Avenue and Otey Street or the Architecture Annex Lot also on Otey Street. Parking meters within the Squires Lot will need to be paid. A visitor’s pass is required until 5 p.m. and may be obtained Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Visitor Information Center, located at 965 Prices Fork Road, near the intersection of Prices Fork and University City Boulevard next to the Inn at Virginia Tech and Skelton Conference Center. A visitor’s pass may also be obtained from the Virginia Tech Police Station, located on Sterrett Drive, outside of the Visitor Information Center hours. After 5 p.m., free parking is available in the Squires Lot or the Architecture Annex Lot.

For events at Deet’s Place, free parking is available after 5 p.m. in the Coliseum Lot located along Washington Street and Spring Road.

Find more parking information online or call 540-231-3200.

Written by Kimberly Bassler