During the month of February, university and student organizations are sponsoring programs to celebrate Black History Month.

Diedra Badejo, chairperson for the department of Pan-African Studies, said the first event, a movie titled Little Senegal, is a great film. She said it is about a Senegalese man who decides to learn about his ancestors that were captured during the slave trade. She said his search eventually takes him to his family in New York.

“Testifying Ebonics: Wolof in English” is a presentation by Wendy Wilson-Fall, associate professor of Pan-African Studies. Badejo said Wilson-Fall’s research focused on the language retention in African-American language patterns.

Another film is Rebel Music: The Bob Marley Story, a biography of the evolution of Bob Marley as a singer and composer.

Daniel Gray-Kontar will present “A Hip-Hop Perspective on Malcolm X.” Badejo said he has spoken on campus before and students wanted to expose him to a larger audience. She said he will speak about exploring hip-hop as poetry and its activist roots.

Contact minority affairs reporter Bryan Wroten at [email protected].

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Feb. 3

Black Culture on Film

Little Senegal

Oscar Ritchie Hall Mbari Mbayo Lecture Hall (Room 107A)

8 p.m.

Sponsored by the Center of Pan-African Culture, Harambee, Kent African Student Association and the Atonkwa Society

Feb. 8

Ebony Speakers Series

“Testifying Ebonics: Wolof in English”

Featuring Speaker Dr. Wendy Wilson-Fall

Oscar Ritchie Hall Mbari Mbayo Lecture Hall (Room 107A)

Noon

Sponsored by the Center of Pan-African Culture and the Institute of African-American Affairs

Feb. 10

Black Culture on Film

World Music Portrait: Angelique Kidjo

Oscar Ritchie Hall Mbari Mbayo Lecture Hall (Room 107A)

8 p.m.

Sponsored by the Center of Pan-African Culture, Harambee, Kent African Student Association and the Atonkwa Society

Feb. 13

Lena Williams, Author

It’s The Little Things: Everyday Interactions That Anger, Annoy and Divide the Races

Kent Student Center Kiva

7 p.m.

Sponsored by Black United Students

Feb. 15

Freestyle Rap Battle

Kent Student Center Ballroom

7 p.m.

$5 admission

Sponsored by Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. and Hotcards.com

Feb. 17

Black Culture on Film

Rebel Music: The Bob Marley Story

Oscar Ritchie Hall Mbari Mbayo Lecture Hall (Room 107A)

8 p.m.

Sponsored by the Center of Pan-African Culture, Harambee, Kent African Student Association and the Atonkwa Society

Feb. 20

Blood Drive

204 Kent Student Center

2 to 7 p.m.

Sponsored by Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. and the American Red Cross

Upward Bound Program

“A Day in the Life of a College Student”

Kent Student Center Kiva

8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Feb. 21

Ebony Speakers Series

“A Hip Hop Perspective on Malcolm X”

Speaker Daniel Gray-Kontar

Oscar Ritchie Mbari Mbayo Lecture Hall (Room 107A)

7:30 pm

Sponsored by the Center of Pan-African Culture and the Institute of African-American Affairs

Libraries and Media Services Presents:

Peter N. Kirsanow

“An Empowerment Program for the Underclass”

Library 12th Floor

Special Collections Reading room

7:30 pm

Feb. 22

Black United Students Presents:

“A Night with Author E. Lynn Harris”

Kent Student Center Ballroom

7 p.m.

Feb. 23

Harambee Open Mike

Oscar Ritchie Hall Green Room (Room 207)

7:30 p.m.

Sponsored by the Center of Pan-African Culture, Harambee and the Atonkwa Society

Apollo Junior

Kent Student Center Kiva Auditorium

7 p.m.

$3 admission

Sponsored by Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc.

African Nights

Annual African Food and Cultural Celebration

Kent Student Center Ballroom

7 p.m. to 12:30 a.m.

Sponsored by the Kent African Student Association

Admission will be charged.

Feb. 24

Black Culture on Film

Sometimes in April

Oscar Ritchie Hall Mbari Mbayo Lecture Hall (Room 107A)

8 p.m.

Sponsored by the Center of Pan-African Culture, Harambee, Kent African Student Association and the Atonkwa Society

Down South Soul Food Dinner

Eastway Cafeteria

4:30 to 7 p.m.

Sponsored by University Dining Services

Admission will be charged.