Celebrating Black History Month – Lafayette College – News

Office of Intercultural Development spearheads month of events and dialogue
By: Madeline Marriott ’24
Starting Feb. 1, Lafayette College and the Office of Intercultural Development (OID) will kick off events in celebration of Black History Month.
Celebrations date back to 1915 when historian Carter G. Woodson proposed a weeklong observance of Black history. It was codified nationally in 1976 by President Gerald R. Ford and has been recognized by every president since.
Joined by Ernest Jeffries, vice president for inclusion, students stand outside of Portlock Black Cultural Center after an event / discussion about the experience of being a student of color, sponsored by Association of Black Collegians. | Photo submitted by Kimberly Weatherly
The 2025 nationwide theme is “African Americans and Labor,” putting a focus on the role of work—both voluntary and involuntary—in the Black experience in America.
“To me, Black History Month is a powerful reminder of resilience, creativity, and progress—a call to reflect, learn, and build an equitable future,” says Kimberly Weatherly, executive director of OID.
“It is a time for deep reflection and intentional care. It’s an opportunity to honor and celebrate the achievements we’ve made here at Lafayette and within the broader Black community, while also acknowledging and mourning the challenges and injustices we’ve endured,” Shahking Gomez Jr. ’25, a student adviser for the Association of Black Collegians (ABC), says. “Creating space and amplifying voices to address these matters has always been one of my primary goals—both personally and professionally as a member of ABC.”
Ariana Welch ’26, Jermaine Grant ’25, and Shahking Gomez Jr. ’25 (pictured with Karina Fuentes) receive awards during 2024’s McDonogh Network Spring Celebration. | Photo submitted by Shahking Gomez Jr. ’25
“This month is a time for us to honor those who paved the way for us today and educate ourselves on our history, which is quite often overlooked and forgotten,” says Paris Francis ’26, president of the National Society of Black Engineers. “This month is a time for me to take pride in my identity as a Black woman, recognizing the intersectional challenges I face, and the achievements that have come out of that. I feel as if it’s important to not only reflect, but to celebrate Black achievements.”
The College will kick off its events Feb. 1 with a Kwanzaa Vendor Fair and Celebration and Dinner. The fair, which will take place in Farinon College Center from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m., will feature Black-owned businesses. A Kwanzaa ceremony and dinner will follow in the Marlo Room. Co-sponsors of these celebrations include: the Association of Black Collegians (ABC), Brothers of Lafayette, NIA, Lafayette African Caribbean Student Association (LACSA), National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE), and Phi Sigma Chi Multicultural Fraternity. Register for the event.
“The importance of supporting Black-owned businesses and service providers is not just an act of economic empowerment but also a way to uplift the contributions, creativity, and resilience of the Black community,” Weatherly says. “This aligns with the Kwanzaa principle of Ujamaa (cooperative economics), which emphasizes the importance of building and maintaining businesses that benefit the collective community.”
An MLK March begins at 1:30 p.m. Feb. 8 at Portlock Black Cultural Center. The march will feature stops across campus, including the Gendebien Room in Skillman Library, where Ana Ramírez Luhrs will present items from the College’s Rare Books and Manuscripts Collection.
Additional events include a Black history display Feb. 8, A Taste of Soul Feb. 10, ABC’s Black Arts Festival Feb. 15, and guest speaker Angelina Darrisaw, a business owner and leadership coach, Feb. 24.
The Lafayette College NSBE Chapter will be partnering with Lehigh University’s NSBE Chapter to host Lafayette College & Lehigh University NSBE Game Night Feb. 16.
NSBE members joined by Kenneth Parks, global vice president of engineering and technology at Victaulic, during a speaker discussion. | Photo submitted by Paris Francis ’26
“NSBE has offered a lot to me the moment I stepped on campus, in terms of academic and career support, and a community of engineers I can be myself in. Being a part of this organization and being surrounded by engineers who like me, has eased my experience in engineering, and we want to offer this experience to our members,” Francis says. “We want to use this time to recognize the various obstacles BIPOC engineers may face and give our engineers opportunities to celebrate themselves and their accomplishments.”
The Brothers of Lafayette (BOL) will be hosting a Barbershop event Feb. 23.
The Brothers of Lafayette received the 2024 Student Organization of the Year – Serving Their Membership Award. Pictured from left are Ruben Hernandez ’24, Brandon Harding ’26, David Antwi ’26, and Matwos Tadesse ’24.
“In the Black community, the barbershop is a form of community,” Brandon Harding ’26, BOL president, explains. “You bond with your barber, chop it up with the other customers in the shop, and talk about different topics. We’ll be remaking that here in the form of bringing together all the Black male faculty members as well as bringing in Black barbers from downtown Easton.”
A full list of all activities will be available on the College’s calendar of events.
“Black History Month fosters engagement across cultures, encouraging dialogue and understanding,” Weatherly says. “It’s a moment to bridge divides and recognize the rich diversity that strengthens our communities.”
“Black history is often told in the lens of negativity and how we come from traumatic beginnings in America,” Harding continues. “While this is important to recognize, as a society the advancements made by Black people have been largely overlooked. That’s why this month is important: It starts the conversation of celebration that should last for the rest of the year.”
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