February is Black History Month, of course, and it is good and timely to remind folks that African American studies programs across the county — and ethnic studies generally — owe a debt of gratitude to our local community colleges.
The first African American studies program in the nation began in the East Bay at Merritt College, largely thanks to the Black Panther Party.
The Panthers, which were founded by Merritt students Bobby Seale and Huey Newton, pushed for African American and ethnic studies programs at the college as part of its social justice platform. Make sure you watch Peralta TV’s award-winning documentary, “Merritt College: Home of the Black Panthers,” narrated by U.S. Rep. Barbara Lee — a Peralta Colleges alumna. The film will be shown on Peralta TV, Comcast cable channels 27 and 28 and AT&T U-verse channel 99, at 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. Monday, Feb. 20 and at 8 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 25. This great learning resource is available to stream anytime on the Peralta Colleges’ YouTube Channel at http://bit.ly/PanthersDoc.
There are many events to commemorate Black History Month: At the College of Alameda, at noon on Feb. 23 in the college library (Room L-237), is a panel discussion, “Controlling the Narrative, Who Tells Our Story.” The talk’s focus is on “Soldiers Without Swords: Blacks in the Media.” CoA is located at 555 Ralph Appezzato Memorial Parkway in Alameda.
Berkeley City College, just down the block from UC Berkeley, is holding a number of Black History Month events. One that you don’t want to miss is “Black Magic,” a mixed media art show from 6 to 9 p.m. Feb. 28 in the college’s auditorium, 2020 Center St. in Berkeley.
The Laney College Black Student Union is presenting a number of events, including a Holistic Health Fair from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Feb. 21, on the second floor of the student center at 900 Fallon St. in Oakland. Laney College is also hosting the 14th Annual Black College Expo on Feb. 18. For tickets to this must-attend event, visit https://www.eventbrite.com/e/black-college-expo-oakland-ca-tickets-27964910801.
Merritt College has a full slate of events this month, include a keynote on Feb. 21: “Black Youth and Radical Healing,” a candid dialogue about black youth led by Speaker Dr. Shawn Ginwright. The event will be held in the Newton-Seale Student Lounge, Room R-110, from 12:30 to 3 p.m. at 12500 Campus Drive.
Also this month, don’t forget to visit the Africana Studies Community Research Center, on the Merritt campus. There you can experience African American history in a virtual environment with displays on classical African civilizations, slavery and colonialism, Pan Africanism and Oakland’s Black history. For more information about the African American Studies program and the Research Center at Merritt College, call department chair Jason Seals at 510-434-3935.
Contact Jeffrey Heyman at jheyman@peralta.edu and follow him on Twitter at @JeffHeyman.
