FAYETTEVILLE, Ark — The Black Action Collective (BAC) and collaborative partners are celebrating Black History Month with a number of events open to the public.
The 8th Annual Northwest Arkansas Black History Month Celebration is a month-long event featuring exhibits, business expos, health fair, keynote speakers and several networking events throughout NWA. This year’s theme is A Celebration of Life, History, and Culture.
2022 Black Action Collective Black History Month Events
- Racial Healing Community Discussion will be held virtually Wednesday, Feb.2, from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Fayetteville Council member and Rev. Wheeler Parker will host “Reflecting on a moment in history: A Conversation on Racial Injustice and the murder of Emmett Till." discussing his visit to Mississippi with his cousin, Emmett Till. He will discuss the incident at Bryant’s store, the night Till was kidnapped, and the funeral in Chicago. Rev. Parker will also discuss how the murder and publicity affected his family, the reopening of the case in 2004, and efforts to memorialize Till. Click here to register.
- Racial Healing Community Discussion will be held virtually on Wednesday, Feb. 9, from 7-9 p.m. The event will begin with a film screening by local leaders including Danyelle Musselman, Nelson Peacock, Mayor Lioneld Jordan, Rod Bigelow, Mayor Doug Sprouse, and Steve Clark reading excerpts from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s text “Letter from Birmingham Jail." Following the screening, a community discussion will be held featuring the local leaders who will reflect upon the words from the letter and speak to the meaning of Black History Month for the Northwest Arkansas community. Click here to register.
- Building Racial Equity Workshop will be held on Thursday, Feb. 17, at 2 p.m. with no charge to attend. Through engagement in large and small group discussions, participants will be able to collaborate in learning by sharing experiences, questions and perspectives related to workshop content. Participants will also leave with resources to help guide further reflection, conversation, and action to counter unconscious/implicit bias and to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion. Click here to register.
- The one-page Black History Month Essay, due Friday, Feb. 18, is about an Arkansas African American who has made a notable contribution to society in education, history, government, science, business, entertainment, and the arts. The contest is open to middle and high school students residing in the NWA area. Middle school students, grades sixth through eighth should submit a 350 to 500-word essay. High school students, grades ninth through12, should submit a 500 to 750-word essay 500-750 words. Submit your essay with their name, school, city, and grade level to programs@bacnwa.org.
- The Collective Expo. will be Saturday, Feb. 19, from 1-5 p.m. Nonprofit and civic organizations will provide information about topics including housing, jobs, public safety, and education; as well as social services including health screenings, utility assistance, and financial literacy. Black Businesses will also have the opportunity to showcase products and participate in pitch competitions. All attendees are required to visit all of the resource booths before receiving free items. Click here to register.
- The "Black Men Deserve to Grow Old" Virtual Town Hall will take place on Monday, Feb. 21, from 6:30 p.m.-8 p.m. The town hall will discuss the trauma and tribulations experienced by Black men and how to overcome adversity. Click here to register.
- The 3rd Annual Leading with Excellence Awards Gala is Saturday, Feb. 26, at the Fayetteville Town Center with Mayor James Perkins of Selma, Alabama as the keynote speaker. The 2022 Leading with Excellence honorees and 2021 Showing up for Racial Justice Champions will be recognized for their outstanding dedication to building better futures for African Americans and other underserved communities. To purchase tickets, click here.
Due to limited seating, guests will be asked to wear masks at events regardless of vaccination status.
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