VCU news

By Brian McNeill

Keith Knight, the award-winning cartoonist and creator of comic strips “The Knight Life,” “(th)ink” and “The K Chronicles,” will deliver the 18th annual Black History Month Lecture at Virginia Commonwealth University.

Knight will present “Red, White, Black and Blue,” a cartoon slideshow that tackles racial illiteracy in America, on Feb. 11 from 7 to 9 p.m. at James Branch Cabell Library, Room 303. A public reception will follow the presentation.

Knight’s work can be seen in The Nib, The Washington Post and the San Francisco Chronicle. He is currently developing a show for Hulu based off his comic strips.

Knight’s lecture, which is sponsored by the Friends of VCU Libraries and the Francis M. Foster African-American History Endowment Fund, is free and open to all. To register, visit https://www.library.vcu.edu/about/events/2019-20/black-history-month-lecture-2020.html.

The annual Black History Month Lecture is just one of numerous events that will be held at VCU throughout February.

“Although the national Black History Month theme is ‘African Americans and the Vote,’ we decided that at VCU we wanted to focus on something much more vast, inclusive and reflective of the culture at VCU,” said Kim Green, assistant director of the Office of Multicultural Student Affairs. “The theme that the committee created is ‘Shades of Blackness: Fruits of our Roots.’ This theme encompasses the intersecting salient identities that black people hold.”

Among the highlights, Green said, are a weekly lecture series called “Unapologetically Black” by Zoe Spencer, Ph.D., a sociology professor at Virginia State University; an Afro-Latinidad open mic event that organizers hope will create conversation across the African Diaspora; screenings and discussions of the films “Harriet” and “Queen & Slim” in partnership with the Activities Programming Board; and a weeklong interactive collaboration with Recreational Sports that acknowledges the fact that National Eating Disorder Awareness Week falls within Black History Month.

“Overall, we’re incredibly excited about the lineup this year, and we hope that it increases awareness and understanding around the contributions of black people and black experiences,” Green said.

The full schedule of events is:

Exhibit: “Fire and Freedom: Food & Enslavement in Early America"
During regular hours
Tompkins-McCaw Library, 509 N. 12th St.

“Unapologetically Black” lecture series
Mondays, Feb. 3, 10, 17 and 24
6-8 p.m.
Academic Learning Commons, Room 2107, 1000 Floyd Ave.
 

“I Am Not Your Negro” screening
Tuesday, Feb. 4
6:30-9:30 p.m.
Academic Learning Commons, Room 1100, 1000 Floyd Ave.
 

“It Takes a World to Make a Meal: The Human Costs of Feeding Virginia’s Elites”
Wednesday, Feb. 5
Noon-1 p.m.
Tompkins McCaw Library for the Health Sciences, Special Collections and Archives Reading Room, 509 N. 12th St.
To register and for more information: https://www.library.vcu.edu/about/events/2019-20/meal-costs.html
 

Hip Hop Bingo
Wednesday, Feb. 5
6:30-9:30 p.m.
University Student Commons, Richmond Salons I-IV, 907 Floyd Ave.
 

Afro-Latinidad Open Mic Night
Thursday, Feb. 6
7-9 p.m.
Academic Learning Commons, Room 1102, 1000 Floyd Ave.
 

Dispelling Myths: Black Art
Friday, Feb. 7
5-7 p.m.
Office of Multicultural Student Affairs
University Student Commons, Suite 215, 907 Floyd Ave.
 

Black Sexual Health Program
Tuesday, Feb. 11
6-7:30 p.m.
Student Government Association Chambers
University Student Commons, 907 Floyd Ave.
 

18th annual Black History Month Lecture: “Red, White, Black and Blue: Documenting America's Racial Illiteracy,” by Keith Knight
Tuesday, Feb. 11
7-9 p.m.
James Branch Cabell Library, Room 303, 901 Park Ave.
To register and for more information: https://www.library.vcu.edu/about/events/2019-20/black-history-month-lecture-2020.html
 

Black Love Matters: Relationships and Sexual Health in the Black Community
Wednesday, Feb. 12
11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.
Office of Multicultural Student Affairs
University Student Commons, Suite 215, 907 Floyd Ave.
 

Blacks in Media Panel
Wednesday, Feb. 12
6-8 p.m.
Student Government Association Chambers
University Student Commons, 907 Floyd Ave.
 

“The Power to Heal: Medicare and the Civil Rights Revolution” screening
Thursday, Feb. 13
5-7 p.m.
Larrick Student Center, Court End Ballroom, 900 Turpin St.
 

Black History Month “Jeopardy”
Thursday, Feb. 13
7:30-9 p.m.
University Student Commons, Alumni Board Room, 907 Floyd Ave.
 

Black History Museum & Cultural Center of Virginia tour
Friday, Feb. 14
11:30 a.m.-2 p.m.
Black History Museum & Cultural Center of Virginia, 122 W. Leigh St.
Check in at 11:30 a.m. and depart together from University Student Commons, Suite 229, 907 Floyd Ave.
 

“Queen & Slim” screening
Friday, Feb. 14
6-11 p.m.
University Student Commons, Commons Theater, 907 Floyd Ave.
 

Men of Color Listening Group
Monday, Feb. 17
2-3:30 p.m.
Office of Multicultural Student Affairs
University Student Commons, Suite 215, 907 Floyd Ave.
 

Ideate Female Founders Summit Open Mic Night
Tuesday, Feb. 18
5-7 p.m.
Academic Learning Commons, Room 2100, 1000 Floyd Ave.
 

Black and Abroad Panel
Tuesday, Feb. 18
6-8 p.m.
University Student Commons, Commonwealth Ballroom, 907 Floyd Ave.
 

Perspectives of the Black Athlete
Wednesday, Feb. 19
6:30-8 p.m.
Office of Multicultural Student Affairs
University Student Commons, Suite 215, 907 Floyd Ave.
 

Project Positive: Honor Your Body Story
8 a.m.-5 p.m.
Office of Multicultural Student Affairs
University Student Commons, Suite 215, 907 Floyd Ave.
 

Beale Street is Talking: A Discussion about James Baldwin’s Contributions to Black America
Tuesday, Feb. 25
6-7:30 p.m.
Office of Multicultural Student Affairs
University Student Commons, Suite 215, 907 Floyd Ave.
 

Open Book: A Human Library Experience
Thursday, Feb. 27
7-9 p.m.
University Student Commons, Ram’s Lounge, 907 Floyd Ave.
 

“Harriet” screening
Friday, Feb. 28
6-11 p.m.
University Student Commons, Commons Theater, 907 Floyd Ave.
 

Black Excellence Ball
Saturday, Feb. 29
7-11 p.m.
University Student Commons, Richmond Salons I-IV, 907 Floyd Ave.