For the past decade, throughout February, Dartmouth’s Office of Pluralism and Leadership has presented a wide range of events honoring the Black experience at Dartmouth and beyond.

This year marks not just the 10th anniversary of Black Legacy Month at Dartmouth, but 50 years of Black History Month and 100 years since the creation of Negro History Week. In recognition of that fact, the theme this year is “Lighting a Fire, Leaving a Legacy.”

Black Legacy Month is a time to reflect on both struggles and triumphs, says OPAL Assistant Director Zantasia Johnson.

“What makes this month so engaging is that all the events are designed and planned by students,” she says. “They put in long hours finding ways to honor their own heritage by inviting the larger college community to learn about Black history, culture, and accomplishments on and off campus, and through time. They’re making sure to honor the legacies of those before them while creating their own.”

“It brings us common joy to put so much programming together,” says Kayla Pena ’27, co-chair of the celebration. Born and raised in the Bronx, Pena says most students in her high school were Black or Hispanic. “Celebrating our heritage and being proud about where we came from was very important, and it’s also important that I didn’t lose pride in my culture coming into a different space here at Dartmouth.”

Aminata Bathily ’28, a Harlem native in charge of publicity for Black Legacy Month, says she found last year’s opening ceremony deeply moving. “The theme was ‘Afro-Requiem: Reclaiming Our Culture.’ Every speech spoke to me and many brought me to tears,” she says. 

Both Pena and Bathily say they are learning a lot by taking on real-world tasks: meeting deadlines, designing and distributing brochures, and collaborating with partners across campus. 

The celebration launched Feb. 1 with an opening ceremony in Collis Common Ground, and will be followed by a full slate of films, social gatherings, and presentations, including: 

• Feb. 3 at 6 p.m. in Loew Auditorium, hear Mae Jemison, a Black pioneer in space exploration, and Geisel professor Jay Buckey, also a former astronaut, discuss their career paths, challenges, and visions for the future of science, technology, engineering, innovation, and medicine. Reservations are closed but a livestream will be available.
• Feb. 6, take a trip to Black history exhibits at Boston’s Museum of Fine Arts.
• Feb. 7, at 7 p.m. in Loew Auditorium, attend a free screening of The Wiz.
• Feb. 8, at 6:30 p.m., gather at Shabazz for a Super Bowl watch party.
• Feb. 9, at 7 p.m., head to an Afro-Asian Solidarity Dinner at Shabazz.
• Feb. 11, at 6 p.m., attend an informal session at Shabazz on Black hair care and history.
• Feb. 14, at 7:30 p.m. in Collis, celebrate Valentine’s Day with a Black Love Gala.
• Feb. 15, at 5 p.m., drop in at Boys Talk and Girls Night social gatherings at Shabazz.
• Feb. 17, at 6 p.m. in Rauner Library, explore holdings that document Black experience at Dartmouth.
• Feb. 21, at 5 p.m. at Shabazz, join the Al-Nur Muslim Student Association and Black Student Advising for a community potluck iftar, maghrib prayer, and a presentation on the life of Malcolm X.
• Feb. 22, at 6 p.m. at Shabazz, help create “Echoes of Us,” a time capsule preserving shared stories, celebrating diversity, and honoring the voices that continue to shape Dartmouth’s history.
• Feb. 24, at Triangle House, watch a film depicting historic Black and queer legacies. (More details to follow on the OPAL website.)
• Feb. 26 at 7 p.m. in Loew Auditorium, attend a screening of The Blackening, a horror-comedy.
• Feb. 28, at Collis, wrap up the monthlong celebration with a “Family Feud”-style game, movies, relaxation activities, and crafts.