Nicholls is hosting a wide variety of displays, presentations and events to educate students and faculty about the important role African Americans played in the Civil War for February’s Black History Month.

“We wanted to compile an event schedule so that the community as a whole would know about it,” Eugene Dial, associate professor of education and vice president for student affairs and enrollment services, said.  “It takes in the whole spectrum:  past, present and hopefully even future.”

There are events and gatherings scheduled for nearly every day of the month happening all over campus.  Numerous faculty members, colleges and student organizations are participating with unique celebrations of African American History.

Several displays will be featured throughout the month, including an African American book display in the Student Union bookstore, a film series in Le Bijou Theater, a literature showing in Ellender Memorial Library and a poster series and information table set up in the Student Union.

A Sociology 204 class, Cultural Diversity, will host a short presentation on “Slices of the African-American Experience” at 9 a.m. today in Le Bijou.  Sociology instructor Deborah Moorehead will lead the class.

Apart from covering a timeline of African American history, Moorehead plans to add “meat” to the presentation, hoping to help the audience understand the African American experience in America.  Music, videos, readings and audience participation will be used to create a unique and interesting experience.

“We hope to go through some portions of the African American timeline, simply by showing important events and when they happened,” Moorehead said.  “We’re going to have an overview that the audience is able to follow.”

On Feb. 15, a student presentation on African American Pioneers and Leaders in Nursing will take place in Betsy Cheramie Ayo Hall, as well as an NAACP Financial Empowerment Seminar in the Lafitte Room.

Feb. 16 will feature a group reading of African American fiction, poetry and nonfiction by students and faculty from the Languages and Literature Department.  There will also be a special meal served in the cafeteria for dinner.

A public forum will take place in Le Bijou on Feb. 17, discussing President Obama’s first two years in office.

Relate, Nicholls’ open-mic expression program, will feature Freedom as a theme on Feb. 24.  Special guest speaker Asia Rainey, a spoken-word poet, artist and actress from New Orleans, will attend.