Black Heritage Month is a campus-wide event to honor black leaders of the past, present and future in scheduled programs throughout February.

Van Anthony Amos, coordinator of Student Cultural Programming, said, “The purpose of this month is to present a historical and future overview of people of African descent in this country.”

This year’s Black Heritage Month theme is “A Heritage to Stand for, a Present to Fight for and a Future to Dream of,” said Amos.

Chris O’Banner, Black Student Union president, said the programs scheduled for February were planned by students and faculty of a black heritage committee during the fall semester.

BSU Faculty Adviser Admasu Zike said NIU started celebrating Black Heritage Month as a campus activity in 1970.

Amos said this campus-wide event was sponsored by several organizations on campus, with the Campus Activities Board as a major sponsor.

On Feb. 3, NIU graduate and well-known black artist Kevin Cole will come to campus to exhibit some of his artwork, Amos said.

Cole will also give two presentations during the weekend. He will give a lecture on “Contemporary Black Artists of the 1980’s” and present a workshop on art education in the middle school level.

Amos said another event taking place is a production performed by the Muntu Dance Theatre on Feb. 28. The production blends traditional African dance with contemporary African dance and African- American dance.

In 1987, the late Mayor Harold Washington declared Nov. 26 Muntu Dance Theatre Day because of its contribution to the Chicago community.

“Black Heritage Month is designed to encourage people to learn more about black leaders and the contributions they have made to America,” said Amos.

“Black history is also American history,” Zike said. Organizers of Black Heritage Month want to draw attention to black leaders that have been missing from history books, Zike said.

To advertize for Black Heritage Month, the BSU will put up fliers, have a calender of events printed in surrounding community papers and some radio stations will announce scheduled events, Zike said.

Events are scheduled throughout the month of February and the BSU encourages students to attend.

Black Muslim leader Louis Farrakhan will speak at Chick Evans Fieldhouse at 7:30 p.m. on Jan. 30. Tickets are $3 in advance and $4 at the door.

On Feb. 13, there will be a panel discussion “Black or African-American” at 7:30 p.m. in Douglas Hall’s Blue Room.

On Feb. 21, there will be a tribute to Malcolm X and Marcus Garvey in Cole 100 at 8:30 p.m.

A Miss Black NIU Cultural Pageant will be held on Feb. 24 in the Music Building at 8:00 p.m.

Rockford Mayor Charles Box will speak on “Politics of Urban Centers” in the Holmes Student Center’s Sandburg Auditorium at 7:30 p.m.