Black History Month events at UR and in RVA

There is no shortage of virtual events for University of Richmond students to attend sponsored by on-campus groups and community organizations in the city to celebrate Black History Month. 

For an interactive movie discussion, tune in to the Virginia Museum of History and Culture’s Movie Mythbusting event starting with "The Color Purple" on Tuesday, Feb. 2. 

Students can watch the movie ahead of time through Amazon Prime or with an HBOMax subscription and tune in for a discussion to analyze the truths and falsities portrayed in the movie with the museum education team. The museum is featuring a different movie every week through the end of March. Be sure to register for the event ahead of time. 

Virginia Commonwealth University Libraries are hosting their 20th annual Black History Month Lecture on Wednesday, at 7 p.m. on Feb. 3, featuring Georgetown University professor Marcia Chatelain. The online lecture will offer a discussion of Chatelain’s recent book "Franchise: The Golden Arches in Black America" followed by a Q&A session. For more information about Chatelain’s book and to register for the event, visit VCU Libraries’ website.  

Beginning this Thursday, Feb. 4, the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts is hosting an African American Read-In event. The four weekly events will feature a work of art paired with readings from local Richmond community artists and authors. Students can visit the museum’s website for more event details and a full list of events happening throughout the month.  

There are also a variety of virtual events happening through UR programming. 

To kick off the month, UR’s annual Black History Month Dinner will be held at 5 p.m. on Feb. 2. Students can pick up food from the Heilman Dining Center or the Alice Haynes Room. 

Rafael Palacios, artistic director of Sankofa Danzafro, and Alicia Díaz, professor of dance, are hosting a virtual conversation after the performance of Sankofa Danzafro, "La Ciudad de los Otros" ("The City of Others") at 7 p.m. on Feb. 3.

This dance theater performance retells the lives of Columbia's community members while educating its audience on the racial undercurrents of the country. 

“The intersection of capoeira, Latin and African dance, hip-hop, live drumming and singing tell the powerful story young Afro-Colombians who are struggling to combat Colombia’s historical legacy of slavery and racism,” according to the event description. 

Students can register online to attend the event. 

Along with the break from classes on Tuesday, Feb. 9, students have the opportunity to participate in a Black Lives Matter printmaking event at the Boatwright Memorial Library from 12 - 2 p.m. Pre-created printing blocks honoring the Black Lives Matter movement will be available for students to stamp their own 9x12 print. Be sure to reserve a spot through the registration link. 

Students can watch a virtual performance of the department of theater and dance's "Blood at the Root" from Feb. 11 to Feb. 14. The drama is based on the events surrounding the Jena Six case and analyzes issues of justice and racial tensions. Registration for students is open now.  

A recorded performance of Richmond-based musician Héctor Coco Barez is being offered on Feb. 22 at 7 p.m. through the UR Museums Exhibit "Action & Reaction: Looking at the Art of Social Justice." 

“Barez, one of the most active Puerto Rican percussionists of his generation, uses Bomba, an Afro-Puerto Rican music and dance form used to voice freedom, individuality, and cultural affirmation,” according to the event description. 

Registration to the event also gives on-demand access to the recording after the performance.  

From Feb. 26 through Feb. 28, students can tune into a showing of the documentary "Good Trouble," which is an account of Rep. John Lewis’s life. Look out for registration for the event, which will be made available soon.   

The range of events being offered this month are all free to attend. Check out this list created by the Richmond Free Press for more city of Richmond virtual events. 

Contact lifestyle editor Emma Phelps at emma.phelps@richmond.edu.