(Above) The third annual Black History Month variety show, one of the many special activities in February, is set for Feb. 22. (SIU Carbondale photo) (Second photo) Sarah Lewis, author and associate professor at Harvard University, will be the keynote speaker for the Feb. 2 kickoff event. (Photo provided)
January 21, 2026
SIU plans insightful activities for 2026 Black History Month
CARBONDALE, Ill. — “A Century of Black History Commemorations” is the theme as Southern Illinois University Carbondale observes Black History Month in February with guest speakers and a host of special activities and events.
Everything is open to the public, and virtually everything is free.
“Black History Month is celebrated to recognize and honor the contributions, achievements and history of Black Americans who have often been overlooked or minimized in mainstream historical narratives,” said Dina Timmons, Black Resource Center program coordinator.
Kickoff is Feb. 2
Sarah Lewis, award-winning author and associate professor of African and African American studies and humanities at Harvard University, will be the keynote speaker for the kickoff event, 4:30-6 p.m. Feb. 2 in the Student Center’s Ballroom B.
Lewis is the founder of Vision & Justice, a publishing and research initiative for artists, scholars and leaders who explore the foundational role visual culture has in America’s democracy. She has earned a national spotlight for her groundbreaking efforts focusing on creativity and the gift of failure for innovation.
Her publications include “The Unseen Truth: When Race Changed Sight in America” and the bestselling work “The Rise: Creativity, the Gift of Failure and the Search for Mastery,” which has been translated into seven languages. Her “Embrace the Near Win” TED Talk garnered 3.1 million views, and her awards include the American Book Award, the Walter Channing Cabot Fellowship at Harvard University, the Andrew Carnegie Fellowship and others.
Celebrating Black changemakers
“Voices of Impact: Celebrating Black Alumni Changemakers” is set for 11:30-1:30 p.m. Feb. 6 in Ballroom B at the Student Center. The event will recognize some notable SIU alumni for having a tremendous impact on untold lives and the Saluki community. The honorees include:
- Harold R. Bardo, director of SIU’s Medical/Dental Education Preparatory (MEDPREP) program who served the university and region for more than half a century as an educator, administrator and mentor.
- Linda Flowers, an educator with nearly 40 years at various schools in the Carbondale area who was the first female president of the Carbondale NAACP.
- Michael Glenn, a Saluki scholar-athlete, Academic All-American, NBA player and author who founded a free basketball camp for hearing impaired athletes
- Joan Higginbotham, a former NASA astronaut who was the first Saluki to fly aboard a space shuttle.
- Ella Lacey, professor emerita at the SIU School of Medicine and longtime Peace Corps volunteer.
- Terrence Roberts, a former faculty member, author, clinical psychologist and member of the “Little Rock Nine,” who attempted to desegregate Little Rock Central High School in Arkansas in 1957.
- Melvin Terrell, an educator and administrator whose career spanned more than 40 years in higher education and student affairs.
Sponsored by the SIU Foundation, it’s the only event of the month that has a charge.
Tickets are $25 per person, and seating is limited. RSVP by Feb. 2 to attend. To sign up or for more information, visit the website.
Experiencing history
Plans also include an impactful visit to the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis, Tennessee, departing campus at 8 a.m. Feb. 19. Visitors to this special series of buildings constructed around the Lorraine Motel, the site of Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination, will explore numerous exhibits that highlight U.S. civil rights history from the 1600s to today. Since its opening in 1991, the museum has welcomed millions of visitors and in 2016 became an affiliate of the Smithsonian Institute.
For details about participating in the trip, call the Black Resource Center at 618-453-3470.
Entertaining evening
The third annual Black History Month Variety Show promises an enjoyable evening for all as people from campus and the community come together to show their diverse talents in song, dance and more. The show is at 5 p.m. Feb. 22 in Ballroom D at the Student Center.
There will also be numerous vendors offering assorted services and items for purchase. Organizers say the popular event is always a treat for participants.
Sharing their stories
The Blacks in Government panel discussion, set for noon Feb. 27 at the John C. Guyon Auditorium at Morris Library, will offer audience members an inside look at the experiences of SIU alumni and community members who are currently employed or previously worked within various parts of the government.
The panel will feature Carolin Harvey, Carbondale mayor; Vanessa Sherrill, retired postmistress and longtime Army Reserve sergeant; Sean “Flash” Gordon, a 2006 SIU graduate who has served as a pilot and director of operations for the 964th Airborne Air Control Squadron for the Air Force; Kouri Marshall, director of State and Local Government Affairs at the Chamber of Progress, and Joe Hill, retired Army sergeant.
Giving back
SIU is also partnering with the City of Carbondale and Mayor Carolin Harvey to sponsor a food drive throughout the month. Participants are encouraged to bring a nonperishable food item to each Black History Month event on campus. Donation boxes can be found in February at local churches, businesses and other places.
Organizers have set a goal of collecting 3,000 items, which will be distributed to the Saluki Food Pantry, the Salvation Army and other local food banks.
Additional details
Numerous other special activities are planned in February, including a Black business expo, guest speakers and panel discussions, a Black History Scholar Bowl, the Ebony Ball and much more.
Find the complete Black History Month schedule of events on the Black Resource Center website.