The Sousa Archives exhibit, “Willie Summerville: A Life of Music, Faith, and Service” opened at the School of Music lobby.  In Kathya Alexander’s 2017 memorial essay to William “Willie” Thomas Summerville (1944-2017), she describes him as Urbana-Champaign-University of Illinois’ unique musical and spiritual force who brought people together through song and service to the community. 

Presented in collaboration with Illinois Soul 101.1 FM in celebration of Black History Month. Haki N’ Dem (Demonstrators) is an exceptional R&B/soul group hailing from Champaign-Urbana and Chicago, led by the immensely talented young musician Haki (Drake Materre), who not only dazzles with his incredible vocals but also showcases his mastery of multiple instruments. Alongside

The Black and Latinx Summit is an annual conference and summit that seeks to bring students from all intersections into shared a space to learn and connect. This focus is an intentional understanding of the traumas that communities of color in the United States have faced both historically and contemporarily. It is also cognizant of

Professor Lara Waldrop will discuss her NASA research project, The Carruthers Geocorona Project. The name honors Dr. George R. Carruthers, a prominent, three-time Illinois alumnus. As one of the first African American men to earn a doctorate degree in astrophysics, Dr. George R. Carruthers is known as a trailblazer. He invented the camera that took

Students in grades 3 to 5 can celebrate Black History Month by challenging their book knowledge in our 19th annual Battle of the Books. Find copies of the required books at the Douglass Branch and Main Library. Every participant will receive a prize book. Teams can have up to 12 students. Contact your school to

Walking with My Ancestors: Cape Coast Castle (2019), the award-winning and nationally recognized performance piece, is about a mother’s search for guidance from the spirits of her ancestors in the dungeons for enslaved Africans. The story takes the audience through a ritual journey that includes dance, music, and drama and leads to revelation, reconciliation, and rebirth. Walking

Join this celebration of Black history, which is American history, at Boomerangs Bar & Grill on February 25 from 7–9 PM. The show will include comedy, poetry, live music, and more. For more information, visit: https://www.facebook.com/events/1083892879499686.

Join us for ANCHOR - a free concert dedicated to the music, message, and movement of Black American Artists. This special evening is set to take place on Wednesday, February 28th, at the Smith Recital Hall, starting at 7:30 PM. Department of Dance Dr. C. Kemal Nance Lily Freebery Jade Lajeune Department of Theatre Lisa

Presented in collaboration with Illinois Soul 101.1 FM in celebration of Black History Month. The recipient of a Grammy nomination, an MTV Video Award, the 2005 Artist for a Better World award, and the 2006 Spirit of Youth award, Nadirah Shakoor is best known as the former lead female vocalist of acclaimed hip hop group

Come out to celebrate and support CU's youth! The program is full of performances by local artists and DREAAMers.

Kameelah Janan Rasheed (artist, educator, and writer, Cooper Union) will present an artist talk. This event is part of the Interseminars series for "Improvise and Intervene," supported by the Mellon Foundation. About the Speaker A learner, Kameelah Janan Rasheed (she/they), grapples with the poetics-pleasures-politics of Black knowledge production, information technologies, learning, and belief formation. They are a recipient of a 2022

Theresa Runstedtler (American Studies, American University) will be presenting, with Daniel Gilbert (Labor and Employment Relations, History) commenting. Part of the symposium Sporting Publics: History, Sports, and American Culture, which is taking place March 28–29, 2024. About the Speaker Theresa Runstedtler, PhD is an award-winning scholar of African American history whose research focuses on the intersection of race, masculinity,

Professor Louis Moore will speak about his book I Fight for a Living: Boxing and the Battle for Black Manhood, 1880-1915 (University of Illinois Press, 2017). Respondent Daniel Nasset (Editor-in-Chief, University of Illinois Press) will share the editor's perspective on turning one's idea into a book that speaks to sporting publics. Part of the symposium Sporting Publics: History, Sports, and American

Shakeia Taylor is a Chicago-based award-winning writer and storyteller, whose work focuses on the intersection of sports, history, and culture. She is currently a Deputy Senior Content Editor at the Chicago Tribune, host of the Society for American Baseball Research’s (SABR) monthly interview series “Ballpark Figures,” and a member of the Negro Leagues and Teams Committee, a

The Urbana Park District is hosting the Martin Luther King Day Peace March on April 4, from 5:30 to 7pm. The march takes place on the 56th anniversary of the civil rights leader’s assassination. Originally scheduled for January 15th (King’s birthday), the event was postponed due to weather. The Peace March will now be on

A nature-based community building event for BIPOC community members of Champaign County! Join us for a community, nature-based community wellness event intentionally for Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) community members of Champaign County. Organized by the Nurtured in Nature team of Healthy Champaign County and led by Chicago-based non profit BPO Hikes guiding BIPOC community members

The Rare Book and Manuscript Library will be at the library to discuss blackout poetry and the Gwendolyn Brooks poetry collection. You'll then be able to try your own blackout poetry with upcycled book pages! Registration opens April 1 at 9:00 am (closes April 9). Registration is required. These workshops are very popular and "sell

MacArthur "Genius" award-winner Kyle Abraham brings his unique choreography and internationally renowned dance company, A.I.M, to perform a repertory of new and exciting works for Urbana Champaign audiences. Considered “one of the most consistently excellent troupes working today” (The New York Times), A.I.M. by Kyle Abraham provides multifaceted performances, educational programming, and community-based workshops across

Ollie Watts Davis will conduct.

Dr. Hector Adames and Dr. Nayeli Chavez-Dueñas will be presenting a public Zoom lecture titled, Joy is Our Superpower: Healing and Therapy with Communities of Color. This is part of a larger Society of Counseling Psychology initiative on Justice & Joy: Transforming Healing Praxis. This hybrid event will be held at BNAACC and on Zoom

9pm doors / 10pm show w/ $imba P & A$AVV Purchase tickets here: https://canopyclub.com/event/open-mike-eagle/red-room/ Humor can conceal and alleviate the pain of trauma, but no joke will erase it. Even Wu-Tang Clan told you that tears come after laughter. Relief comes only from opening every emotional and psychological wound. Open Mike Eagle spent the 2010s finding comedy in rap

This year, the 2024 Poet Laureate is none other than one of the Black Joy Project curators, Ruby Mendenhall, and the Spurlock Museum is proud to host a poetry-writing workshop in her honor. Learn what inspires Ruby to express herself creatively and hear from her mentors. Then, discover what inspires you! Workshop attendees will enjoy: Hearing

The City of Urbana Office of Human Rights and Equity and the Juneteenth 2024 Committee enthusiastically announce an event in honor of the Juneteenth holiday! The event, “Juneteenth 2024: Reflections and Reverence Ceremony,” occurs at 11:30 a.m. on Friday, June 14, 2024, at Urbana City Hall. This public event will feature a very special program

Please join MTD for a Juneteenth Block Party on Friday, June 14, from 4:30pm to 7:30pm in the parking lot of Illinois Terminal in downtown Champaign. Black history is American history and MTD invites the entire community to join us for this family-friendly event that celebrates the emancipation of enslaved African Americans. MTD and our

Juneteenth, the oldest known celebration commemorating the abolition of slavery in the United States, is one event you don’t want to miss. At Douglass Park, enjoy music and visit different vendors while learning about this important holiday. Children can make arts and crafts, play on the bounce house and obstacle course, or get soaked in

Pre-Juneteenth Celebration at Neil St. Blues! Join us for an unforgettable night of music, food, and celebration as we kick off Juneteenth festivities early!  Date: Saturday, June 15, 2024 Time: 10:00 PM Location: Neil St. Blues, 301 N. Neil St., Champaign, IL 61820 We're bringing you the best vibes curated by the one and only Greg 2

All welcome to celebrate! Join Urbana Park District and The Urbana Free Library for a family friendly Juneteenth celebration at the Lake House in Crystal Lake Park! Enjoy music, food and refreshments, fishing, UrVANa Mobile Recreation Unit games and activities, community resources, and more as we celebrate Black freedom and achievements in Urbana and beyond.

The Campus-Community Compact to Accelerate Social Justice, The Illinois Broadband Lab, The Urbana-Champaign Independent Media Center, and i3 Broadband are proud to host a Juneteenth screening of the Media Justice film "Deeper Than a Div/ide," to be followed by a panel discussion with the filmmakers and local leaders about racial disparities in digital equity in

The celebration will take place at Dana Colbert Park, 203 E. Church St., in Savoy. For more information, visit: https://www.facebook.com/events/421631033967257/?ref=newsfeed

It's that time again! Join Neil St. Blues for their annual Juneteenth Celebration! Juneteenth falls on a week day this year, but that don't stop the celebration! Featuring a full dinner buffet, sounds by DJ Frostbyte, drink specials, and unlimited fun! Juneteenth Day Party June 19th at 4:00 PM Neil St. Blues, Champaign, Illinois Sounds by DJ Frostbyte Bring your friends

Join the Krannert Center for the Performing Arts on Thursday, June 20 at Krannert Center Uncorked for a special Juneteenth celebration presented in collaboration with Illinois Soul 101.1 FM! The party begins at 5pm with a cash bar, promotional giveaways, and music provided by Illinois Soul, with a performance on Stage 5 at 6pm by

Join us for a community, nature-based community wellness event intentionally for Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) community members of Champaign County. Organized by the Nurtured in Nature team of Healthy Champaign County and led by Chicago-based non profit BPO Hikes guiding BIPOC community members on a communal, social-oriented hike that aims to foster new friendships, mitigate

In partnership with the City of Urbana, the Jettie Rhodes Neighborhood Committee is excited to invite you to join us for the 26th Annual Martin Luther King Jettie Rhodes Neighborhood Day Celebration. This event was founded by the late Mrs. Jettie Rhodes who had a famous quote: “Who’s your neighbor?” This day is all about