Black History Month commemorations continue with candlelight vigil, themed dinners

Roanoke College will continue to commemorate Black History Month with a candlelight vigil to memorialize enslaved people in the history of Roaoke College and two more themed dinners in a monthlong series. 

The candlelight vigil is being organized by the College's Office of Multicultural Affairs and the Black Student Alliance. It will take place from 5:30 to 7 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 26, and it is open to all members of the campus community and the general public.

The candlelight vigil is meant to honor the enslaved individuals who played a pivotal role in the history of Roanoke College. The vigil will begin at Morehead Hall at 5:30 p.m. and then proceed with a short walking tour. Guests should plan to wear comfortable shoes for the tour.

On Feb. 21 and Feb. 28, Dining Services will continue its Black History Month dinner series to shine a light on the influences of Black and Aftican culture on American cuisine. The menu on Feb. 21 will feature Creole dishes, while the Feb. 28 dinner will include recipes from contemporary Black chefs recognized for their ability to merge modern culinary traditions with historic influences. Earlier dinners in the series celebrated West African cuisine and the recipes of famed Southern Black chef Edna Lewis.  

The College kicked off Black History Month on Feb. 1 with a “living wax museum” in the Colket Center presented by third-grade students from Hurt Park Elementary School in Roanoke. The students came dressed as important Black historical figures and presented educational information about their assigned figures in the event, which was organized by the Education Department.

On Feb. 8, the Center for Studying Structures of Race welcomed Ainsley Carry for the latest installment in the Memorials, Monuments & Memory Lecture Series. Carry, who is vice president of students at the University of British Columbia and author of “Washington Next? Disputed Monuments, Honorees, and Symbols on Campus,” offered background and advice for schools confronting their ties to systemic racism.

The Museum of Black Excellence, hosted by the Office of Multicultural Affairs, was held in Wortmann Ballroom on Feb. 15. That event featured a variety of displays about historic Black activists, all presented in a museum-style setting. Later that evening, the Black Student Alliance presented a Black History Month panel discussion in the Cregger Center foyer that included Roanoke College faculty, staff and students. 

For more information about events at Roanoke College, including additional Black History Month happenings, keep an eye on the events calendar.    Ainsley Carry