Central College Celebrates Black History Month

Pella, IA (02/04/2021) — Central College will celebrate Black History Month with activities and events throughout February, beginning with the Black History Month 20-Day Challenge.

The Crier and DutchConnect will highlight African American history and culture that challenges broadening awareness and understanding of the experiences of others. Content will include a variety of facts, articles and videos to celebrate the accomplishments and contributions of African Americans.

Angel Del Rio, Class of 2021, will present the Redlining Exhibit at 11 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 11, in Room 204 of Cox-Snow Music Center. A link to the livestreamed event will be provided in The Crier and Dutch Connect. Del Rio will discuss the "Undesign the Redline" Exhibit created by the Polk County Housing Trust in Des Moines, Iowa. This interactive, thought-provoking exhibit connects the history of housing discrimination and segregation to the political and social issues of today through pictures, maps, timelines and stories of residents. The exhibit is intended to inform and compel future policies that support equitable housing.

The Zuzu African Acrobats will perform at 8 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 20, in Douwstra Auditorium. A link to the livestreamed event will be provided in The Crier and Dutch Connect. Originating in Mombassa, Kenya, the Zuzu African Acrobats perform traditional acrobatics set to high-energy beats, all wrapped up in a cultural experience that is truly representative of the coastal regions of Kenya. The group has appeared on America's Got Talent and performed at Superbowl LIII.

Comedian Kiry Shibazz will perform at 8 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 27, in Vermeer Banquet Hall at Graham Conference Center. The event will be in person and livestreamed on Central CAB's Facebook page. A charismatic, witty, off-the-top comedian, Shibazz's hilarious punchlines have made him one of the best up-and-coming comics in Northern California. He has won the World Series of Comedy Competition and 2018 Stand Up NBC. Most notably, Shibazz performed on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon in 2018.

Central's Black Excellence Club will conclude with a discussion on racism from 7:30-8:30 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 28, in Maytag Student Center BMW rooms.

Black History Month activities and events are sponsored by Central College Student Development; Central College Student Support Services; Central College Community-Based Learning Program; Central College Wellness; and Central College Athletics.

Central College of Pella, Iowa, is a private, four-year liberal arts college. Central is known for its academic rigor, leadership and character development, global experiential learning, STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) and sustainability education, athletics and service. For more information about Central College: www.central.edu.

Media Attachments

“Nephew Got Game” by visual artist and photographer Bharat Ajari.