In recognition of Black History Month, NIU’s Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender (LGBT) Resource Center is hosting two events to encourage dialogue of black and LGBT identity.

“This event was to felicitate dialogue and discussions and talk about the black LGBTQA leaders throughout history,” said senior LGBT intern Michael Brown. “It is also to prompt awareness of what it means to be black and what it means to be LGBT.”

LGBT student programmer Romeo Jackson believes that these discussions will help students become more accepting.

“I think it’s important to have these discussions on campus,” Jackson said.

The LGBT began its first conversation on culture at 6 p.m. Monday in the Illinois Room in the Holmes Student Center. The goal of this event was to highlight the cultural significance of black LGBTQA individuals in history and explore the cultural impacts made by those individuals.

At the start of the event, the members of the LGBT Resource Center went over the terminology used commonly in the LGBT community. This was meant to help the audience understand the vocabulary that will be use throughout the discussions.

In the first segment, the LGBT staff wanted to recognize Bayard Rustin, a gay civil rights leader. Rustin was the organizer of the 1963 march on Washington. This led to an open discussion in the crowd.

In the second segment, work by writer and activist Audre Lorde was presented to the crowd.

Samantha Newman, graduate assistant for the LGBT Resource Center, is involved in the Resource Center activities.

“Building inclusive relations are the most impactful thing you can provide for students,” said Newman.

In the third segment, E. Lynn Harris was recognized. Harris was the first black male cheerleader at the University of Arkansas. He was also a part of the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity.

The conversation will continue at 6 p.m. on Feb. 25 in the Illinois Room in the Holmes Student Center. For more information, call 815-753-5428.