SUNY Oneonta February Events Celebrate Black History Month

ONEONTA—In honor of Black History Month, SUNY Oneonta is hosting two February events to celebrate the lives and achievements of African Americans, both of which are free and open to the public.

On Thursday, February 8 at 7 p.m., Minnijean Brown-Trickey, civil rights activist and a member of the Little Rock Nine, a group of nine African American teenagers who integrated Little Rock Central High School in 1957, will speak on “The Continued Struggle for Civil Rights” at the SUNY Oneonta Alumni Field House on Ravine Parkway. Brown-Trickey’s presentation is sponsored by the SUNY Oneonta Office of Equity and Inclusion, the OIE Capek Family Fund for Inclusive Excellence, Activities Council, Office of Student Life and Leadership, and Hartwick College.

From February 8-29, SUNY Oneonta’s Center for Racial Justice and Inclusive Excellence will host “Our Votes, Our Stories,” an art exhibition that reflects on historical barriers and voter suppression. The exhibit is open to the public Monday through Friday this month, from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m., at Lee Hall. The collection of paintings, sculptures and installations was created by African American-focused artists to share their views on voting rights. It is the result of a collaborative partnership between the SUNY Oneonta Cooperstown Graduate Program and Golden Artist Colors in New Berlin.

“To commemorate and honor Black History Month, SUNY Oneonta and Hartwick College are partnering to bring these activities to our students, faculty, and staff, and engaging our broader community of neighbors in Oneonta,” said Bernadette Tiapo, vice president for diversity, equity and inclusion and chief diversity officer, SUNY Oneonta Office of Equity and Inclusion. “Our aim is to bring campus-hosted events that will continue to further both the institution’s DEI and social justice goals and deepen our understanding of our shared humanity through in-depth reflections and open discussions.”