The University of Central Oklahoma's Office of Diversity and Inclusion will celebrate Black History Month with a series of events throughout February to honor the history and accomplishments of African Americans and foster the examination of current issues within the community.
The month’s events reflect the theme “The Reclamation: Knowledge, Power, Space" and will kick off at 2 p.m. Feb. 3, via the UCO Office of Diversity and Inclusion’s YouTube and Facebook page, with a panel of speakers who embody the event theme. Speakers include Fred Hammond, Ph.D., professor of educational sciences, foundations and research at Central; Camille Landry, owner of Nappy Roots Bookstore in Oklahoma City; and, Norman Markland, Markland Motivates Foundation.
At the kick-off for UCO’s Black History Month, the African American Faculty and Staff Association will honor Central employee Stephanie Driver, Academic Advisement Center assistant director, with the Dr. Judith Wakefield You Made A Difference Award for 32 years of outstanding service and dedication to UCO students, faculty and staff.
Black History Month also will include the Martin Luther King Jr. Oratory Competition, which was postponed from the original date. The competition now is scheduled for Wednesday, Feb. 10.
Those attending in-person events are required to wear a face mask and physical distancing measures will be in place. For a complete schedule of UCO’s Black History Month events, visit https://www.uco.edu/student-resources/odi/diversity-education-events/black-history-month or contact UCO’s Office of Diversity and Inclusion at 405-974-3588.