Black History Month begins February 1, and MiraCosta College will be celebrating with an array of discussions, open mic events, and a Black Nerds Expo highlighting everything from Black authors and comics to the influence of African Americans in science, technology, engineering, and math.

All events are free and open to the public. Among them:

• Friday, February 3, from noon to 1:30 p.m. RSVP – Disrupting Racism Through the Lens of the Arts: From Civil Rights Movement to Hip Hop with Dr. Ronald C. McCurdy
• Monday, February 6, from 1:30 to 3 p.m. in Aztlan B – Umoja Porch Talk: Family Feud. Oceanside Campus, Student Center, Building 3400, Aztlan B. RSVP
• Tuesday, February 7, from noon to 2 p.m. – Voice 4 Change Virtual Writing Workshops And Glassless Minds Open Mic. Oceanside Campus, Social Justice and Equity Center, Building 3400. (Email kcordero@miracosta.edu for details)
• Thursday, February 9, 2023, 6-7PM on Zoom, Real Estate for Everybody - Part 1 RSVP
• Wednesday, February 15, 2023, 2-3:30PM History of Wraps via Zoom
• Monday, February 20, 2023 - Sunday, February 26, 2023, online- Virtual Global Literacy Fair RSVP
• Thursday, February 23, 2023, Aztlan A/B 5:00 - 7:00 p.m. Glassless Minds Open Mic (Rudy Francisco) 
• Saturday, February 25, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. – Black Nerds Expo. Oceanside Campus, Student Center, Building 3400.
• Monday, February 27, 2023, 1:30-3PM in Aztlan B - Umoja Porch Talk: Racialization of Gynecology RVSP
• Wednesday, March 8, 2023, 11AM-1PM @ OCN Pavilion (Aztlan A as backup) Headshots and Hors d'oeuvres
• Thursday, March 9, 2023, 6-7PM on Zoom, Real Estate for Everybody - Part 2 RSVP
• Thursday, April 27, 2023, 6-7PM on Zoom, Real Estate for Everybody - Part 3 RSVP
• April 2023 - United Black Student Conference (UBSC) – Email ojimenez@miracosta.edu for details
• Follow us on our Instagram for the most updated information and a look at our online campaigns that will run throughout Black History Month

Black History Month’s roots stretch back to the establishment of Negro History Week in 1926 and was the brainchild of Dr. Carter G. Woodson, who dedicated his life to educating African Americans about the achievements and contributions of their ancestors. Black History Week was celebrated during the second week of February, which coincided with the birthdays of Frederick Douglass on February 14 and Abraham Lincoln on February 12. President Gerald Ford, in 1976, recognized February as the first nationwide Black History Month during the celebration of the United States bicentennial, stating that America should “seize the opportunity to honor the too-often neglected accomplishments of Black Americans in every area of endeavor throughout our history.”

Celebrating Black history at MiraCosta College is not confined to Black History Month. The United Black Student Conference, for example, is being planned for March and a Black Student Success Week is scheduled for the week of April 24. In addition, an online campaign dubbed Effectively Supporting Black Undocumented Students through Higher Education also is in the planning stages.

The MiraCosta College Oceanside Campus is at 1 Barnard Drive, Oceanside, 92056.