Cal State Fullerton is celebrating Black History Month during February with a range of virtual programs focusing on culture, arts, and politics, organized by the African American Resource Center.

Event topics include protests and dissents, Black foods, the Angela Davis lecture that took place at CSUF 49 years ago, and research on African diasporic family histories. This year’s theme for the month is Black Publications.

“Black Publications have been a vital component to the survival of Black people in the United States since the mid-1800s,” said Torrell Forree, coordinator of the African American Resource Center.

“Black newspapers, magazines, and journals provided Black people the opportunity to center Black voices and experiences, often striving to counter racist and oppressive narratives and images of Black people,” Foree said. “These publications, such as Ebony and The Chicago Defender, have served the Black community since the times of slavery, and continue to be vehicles in which Black people preserve history and express our culture.”

The complete schedule of the virtual events, open to the public, and Zoom links and registration information, can be found on the African American Resource Center website (www.fullerton.edu/aarc/). Here are some of this month’s programs:

Feb. 16, 11:30am to 1pm: Titan Table Talks—Black History Month, with panelists that include the first Black Associated Students president at CSUF and others who are active in local and national civic engagement.

Feb. 18, 1-2pm: Black Foods Showcase, a lecture by Natalie Graham, associate professor of African American studies, examining the importance of food in Black culture.

Feb. 22, 3-4pm: The Freedom of Our Hair, a presentation by Gwen Alexis, lecturer of African American studies, on the ways natural hair has been depicted throughout history, and the beauty and versatility of Black hairstyles.

Feb. 22, 4-5pm: Black and Able, focusing on deconstructing and redefining the stereotypes of disability and mental health within the Black community.

Feb. 23, 1-2:30pm: Critical Consciousness: Protest and Dissent, highlighting the attack at the Capitol.

Feb. 25, 4-6pm: Between Roots and Routes: Strategies for Researching African Diasporic Family Histories and the Power of Place, showcasing key record collections, tools and strategies for tracing African diasporic ancestry in the U.S.