Black History Month
Southern Connecticut State University Celebrates Black History Month 2025.
Martin Luther King, Jr. Unity Lecture
Wednesday, February 5, 2025
1:00pm – 2:30pm
Adanti Student Center, Grand Ballroom
Event Contact: Dr. Kelvin Rutledge, Interim Vice President of the Division of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
The annual MLK Unity Lecture provides an opportunity for the campus community to celebrate the Legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Don’t miss this exciting opportunity to listen to Dr. Robinson-Morris’s keynote address, “A Time for Reflection & Action: MLK’s Revolution of Values,” enjoy refreshments, and live performances by Southern students. This event is free and open to the public. RSVP is recommended.
Black Success Counseling Group
Wednesday, February 5, 2025
Time: 12pm – 1pm
Explore the unique barriers that exist for you as a black college student, get support from your peers and the Coordinator of Multicultural Counseling, and go from surviving to thriving as a black student on campus! For more information about this group and to learn about the location of the sessions, please contact Chrystal Long, Coordinator of Multicultural Counseling.
Author Cathy Bao Bean on Multiculturalism
Friday, February 7, 2025
Time: 2pm – 3:30pm
The College of Education and the Center of Excellence for Teaching and Learning are delighted to welcome Cathy Bao Bean, author of The Chopsticks-Fork Principle, for an engaging presentation and discussion of multiculturalism.
Black Success Counseling Group
Monday, February 10, 2025
Time: 4:30pm – 5:30pm
Explore the unique barriers that exist for you as a black college student, get support from your peers and the Coordinator of Multicultural Counseling, and go from surviving to thriving as a black student on campus! For more information about this group and to learn about the location of the sessions, please contact Chrystal Long, Coordinator of Multicultural Counseling.
Liberation Table” A Black Diasporic Tradition
Saturday, February 22, 2025
Time: 12pm - 3pm
School of Business
Event Contact: Dr. Sousan Arafeh, Director of IJSC Collaborative
Liberation Table is an opportunity for Black people of the African Diaspora to host family and friends over a traditional meal with African roots and to reflect upon our history of innovation, resilience, and strength. Liberation Table and the Integrated Justice & Social Change Collaborative will be hosting this free brunch and tradition to celebrate Black History Month for members of the New Haven and Southern communities. This event features a free sit-down meal while participants, together, use the Liberation Table Guide — a manual on how to practice the Liberation Table.
Cost: $12 per person
Shining Light on Truth: New Haven, Yale, and Slavery Exhibition
On view through March 1, 2025
Wednesdays-Fridays, 10am – 5pm, Saturday 12pm - 5pm
New Haven Museum, 114 Whitney Ave, New Haven
Event contact: https://www.newhavenmuseum.org/48546-2/
The exhibition opened on February 16, 2024, as part of a set of efforts to share widely the findings of the Yale and Slavery Research Project, including a book, a website, and an audio walking tour. “Shining Light on Truth” presents evidence of the essential role of enslaved and free Black people in New Haven and at Yale. It celebrates Black resistance and community building. And it illuminates knowledge kept alive in archives and memory for more than three centuries—even when the dominant culture chooses to ignore, bury, or forget.
The Roots of Racial Inequities in Breastfeeding: Supporting Black People who Breastfeed through Culturally Relevant Care and Self-Reflection
Monday, February 24, 2025
3:30pm – 5:00pm
HHS 114
Black lactation consultants are significantly underrepresented in an overwhelmingly white field. Black Americans in particular face systemic barriers to breastfeeding — a practice that benefits both babies and parents. Join the School of Nursing as we welcome Tomeka Frieson of the Community Alliance for Research and Engagement (CARE) and Natasha Ray of New Haven Healthy Start as they deliver a training meant to help healthcare providers gain cultural competence in working with Black and Brown patients.
A Taste of Conn Hall: Chef Inspired Cultural Heritage Menu Thursdays
Thursday, February 6, 13, 20, and 27, 2025
11:00am – 2:00pm
Connecticut Hall
Event Contact: Wyatt Cannon, Sodexo Marketing Manager for SCSU
Celebrate the essence of Black culture with delicious cuisines! Each Thursday during Black History Month, enjoy a specialty lunch menu inspired by a few famous Black and African American chefs including Edna Lewis, Joe Randall, Andre Fowles, and Leah Chase! Sponsored by Sodexo Dining Services
Additional Ways to Celebrate and Embrace Culture
Check out our student-led organizations on OwlConnect to learn about their upcoming events and to find out more about their general body meetings!
Black Student Union
Weekly Body Meetings
Mondays, February 3rd, 10th, 17th, and 24th, 2025
1:00 - 2:00 pm
Buley Library, 207
Contact: Ryan Williams, President of the Black Student Union
The purpose of the Black Student Union is to develop an Afro-American consciousness at Southern Connecticut State University, to support the broadening and enhancement of the social and cultural development of the students, and in doing so, promote the general welfare of the University and the national community.
Brotherhood for Scholarship & Excellence (BROSE)
Contact: Dawin Magloire, President of the Brotherhood of Scholarship & Excellence
The mission of BROSE is to unite, educate and empower men of color at SCSU. The objective is to promote brotherhood, accountability and the importance of taking responsibility for one’s academic and personal growth. The aim of the program is to promote scholarship by establishing partnerships within the university and the community at large. The goal is to raise awareness of social and professional issues that can ultimately affect the academic and personal growth of men of color on campus. As a collective body, we will encourage each other to embrace change and develop a vision that fuels academic success and individual growth for the future.
Sisters in School Together Achieving Success (SISTAS)
Contact: Chekeenah Jeudi, President of Sisters in School Together Achieving Success
Our mission is to promote women empowerment, diversity and inclusion by educating the community here at Southern Connecticut State University, on the culture and lifestyle of minority women. Membership is not restricted to just minority women but encourages all women on this campus to become better involved in understanding their peers and society. We believe that this is in compliance with the social justice standard here at Southern.
African Students Association
Contact: Chelsea Safo, President of the African Student Association
“United we Stand Divided We Fall”! The African Students Association (ASA) is an organization that is determined to educate and bring cultural awareness to the community and students of African descent/ all who are interested in learning about the African Heritage in an engaging environment. We are an organization that would like to increase people's knowledge about the different heritages among the different areas around Africa and learn from each other. We strive to do this through weekly discussions, events, community service, and our annual showcase. All are welcome!
Caribbean Student Association
Weekly Body Meetings
Wednesdays, February 5th, 12th, 19th, and 26th, 2025
1:00 - 2:00 pm
Adanti Student Center, 301
Contact: Trician Johnson, President of the Caribbean Student Association
This organization focuses on enlightening those who are interested in acquiring insight on the Caribbean Islands. Our mission is to unite Caribbean students who share a common cultural interest, to raise cultural awareness and sensitivity, while instilling diversity at Southern Connecticut State University. Moreover, we, the members of the Caribbean Student Association (CSA), also aim to educate those not of Caribbean descent, in order to enrich their knowledge on the various Caribbean Islands. We strive to learn the customs and traditions of other cultures as well.
Additional Community Events from the City of New Haven
Mental Health Fair
New Haven Adult & Continuing Education Center
580 Ella T. Grasso Blvd, New Haven, CT
February 5, 2025
10am – 12pm
A community-driven event providing mental health resources for adults and children.
RSVP to adulted@nhboe.net.
Small Business Council Luncheon – Diverse Entrepreneurship for Urban Impact
South Bay
228 College St, New Haven, CT
February 19, 2025
12pm – 2pm
Speakers include Jahkeeva Morgan & Amina Khokhar, discussing diverse entrepreneurship and building an equitable future.
Procurement Readiness Workshop: Introduction to Government Contracting
The Lab at ConnCORP
496 Newhall St, Hamden, CT
February 25, 2025
12pm – 2pm
Learn how to get started with federal contracting and access set-aside contracts with insights from the U.S. Small Business Administration.