Under the baobab: Black History Month events continue in Centre County

Black history is American history.

The Centre County Board of Commissioners — Mark Higgins, Amber Concepcion and Steve Dershem — issued a proclamation naming February as Black History Month. Accepting for the community was Leslie Laing, Carmen Wong, Kesla Elmore, Gary Abdullah and Terry Watson.

In other Black History Month events, Marta Plumhoff, the food system coordinator for the Penn State Student Farm, hosted the documentary film “Farming While Black,” produced by Mark and Liz Decena, which featured Soul Fire Farm, Black Dirt Farm Collective and Rise and Root Farm.

I will be reading from my writing at The Print Factory bookstore in Bellefonte on Friday, Feb. 28 from 5-6:30 p.m. Before that, a tour of “Defining the New Negro; Voices of the Harlem Renaissance a Century Later” will meet outside the Paterno Family Humanities reading room, second floor central Pattee Library, on Thursday, Feb. 27 from 11-11:30 a.m. It will be followed by an open house of the Charles Blockson Collection of African American and African Diaspora materials.

Watson, director of CCU; Laing, NAACP officer; Chiluvya Zulu, State College DEI officer; and Jacqueline Watkins convened “Strategies for Justice Symposium” at 3 Dots last week. Shawn Kennedy, retired Chicago police officer, Elinor McNeel from Los Angeles and others joined via Zoom. The group discussed innovative ways to expand the efforts of the organization.

The Democratic Party also held their petition signing event at the Ramada Inn. About 100 supporters attended to hear remarks from candidates and party officials.

Rayna Williams, conference chair, and Alana Nesmith, president of the Multicultural Undergraduate Law Association, held a Diversity in Law Conference at the Nittany Lion Inn. MULA’s prelaw faculty advisor, Kathy Garren, conducted a personal statement workshop. Several law school admissions officers were available to advise on their schools’ criteria for entrance.

The first annual Juneteenth Sneaker Ball, which benefits the 1865 Freedom Legacy Scholarship, will be held at the Graduate Hotel on Saturday, Feb. 22 from 7-10 p.m. An unforgettable night of dinner, dancing and community is planned.

Friday, former PSU visiting professor Ronnie Burrage and his group performed at 101 Heister St. The same night, top-ranked Penn State wrestling team closed out its home regular season against American at Rec Hall, hoping to finish the season with a 71-match win streak, the second longest in the history of NCAA Division I. Our men’s basketball team broke a seven-game losing streak with a 89-72 victory over Nebraska at the BJC.

Coming up, world renowned saxophonist Lakecia Benjamin will perform at Eisenhower Auditorium on Wednesday, Feb. 26.

The School of Theatre’s production of “How to Succeed in Business ...” directed by Christopher Campbell will open on Feb. 25 and runs until March 7. Acclaimed PSU professor Steve Broadnax directed “A Raisin in The Sun” at the People’s Light and Theatre Company. The play opened Feb. 19 and will close on March 30. Playwright Lorraine Hansberry was the first African American woman to have a play on Broadway. In 1997 it was the first play written by an African American to appear on the mainstage at Penn State. The production featured theatrical legend Frances Foster, Mitch Little, Carla Hargrove, Cynthia Henderson, Anthony Irons, Ephraim Lopez Walter Pagan and Carlton Currington.

Finally, the Penn State IFC/Panhellenic Dance Marathon is happening this weekend at the BJC. What started as a dance marathon with only 78 dancers back in 1973 has blossomed into the world’s largest student-run philanthropy. This year an estimated 16,500 students will be taking part in a 46-hourlong, no-sitting, no-standing dance marathon to raise awareness and funds for children and families impacted by childhood cancer.

In addition to participants there will be thousands of observers at the BJC and countless viewers of the Bellisario College student produced simulcast. Last year a record breaking $16.9 million dollars was raised ... for the kids.