Upcoming Events to Celebrate Black History Month

January 26, 2017

Theatre, music and art along with two culturally based dinners give Albion College’s 2017 Black History Month Celebration an entertaining and thought-provoking flair. All events are free unless otherwise specified. For more information, contact the Albion College Office of Intercultural Affairs at  ica@albion.edu or 517-629-0501.

Monday, January 30: Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Convocation and Community Celebration
Eugene Robinson, acclaimed columnist for The Washington Post, presents “We’re Someplace We’ve Never Been: Race, Diversity, and the New America.” Robinson won the 2009 Pulitzer Prize for his commentary on the historic 2008 presidential election. His work frequently examines national and international issues through fascinating and personal stories of everyday Americans. 7 p.m., Bohm Theatre, 201 S. Superior St.

Wednesday, February 1: Soul Food Day
Bon Appétit, the College’s dining services provider, welcomes the community to enjoy a variety of African and African American favorite dishes. Cost is $11/adults, $5.60 for children 8 or younger. 5 to 6:30 p.m., Lower Baldwin Dining Hall (Hannah Street between Cass and Porter streets)

Friday, February 3: Michael Dixon Open Studio
Albion College art professor Michael Dixon hosts the community to the grand opening of his studio, just east of the Albion District Library. Dixon’s art explores the personal, societal and aesthetic struggles of belonging to both “white” and “black” racial and cultural identities, while simultaneously belonging fully to neither. 5 p.m., 118 E. Ash St.

Monday, February 13: Blues at the Bohm featuring Michael Trotter, Jr.
Trotter returns by popular demand with a special set of songs reminiscent of different genres in black culture. Albion College students will also perform. 7 p.m., Bohm Theatre

Thursday, February 23 through Sunday, February 26: Albion College Theatre presents Clybourne Park
A spinoff of Lorraine Hansberry’s A Raisin in the Sun, Clybourne Park is a razor-sharp new satire that takes a jab at race and real estate in a fictional Chicago neighborhood. The play begins in 1959 as a black family moves into a white enclave, then jumps to 2009 as gentrification brings white families into the now all-black neighborhood. The Washington Post deemed it “one of the feistiest, funniest evenings in years.” Tickets are $3 at the door. 8 p.m., Herrick Theatre (Dow Recreation Complex) with a 2 p.m. Sunday matinee

Sunday, February 26: Taste of Blackness
Sponsored by Albion College’s Black Student Alliance, the annual event highlights rich traditions of African and African American culture through food, music, dance and art. 4 p.m., Gerstacker Commons, Kellogg Center