Throughout the month of February, Sacramento State will be hosting events to celebrate and commemorate Black History Month.

Black History Month is an educational event that was established in 1926 by black historian Carter Goodwin Woodson. Originally known as “Negro History Week,” the event was expanded to a month during the 1976 Bicentennial celebration.

February was selected as the month of choice because of the coinciding birthdays of Abraham Lincoln and black abolitionist Frederick Douglas.

Beginning Feb. 12 in the University Union Redwood Room at noon, Lisa Brock will give a lecture entitled, “Black in Two Americas: Identity, History and Struggle in the United States and Cuba.” Brock is a professor of African History at the Art Institute of Chicago, as well as a longtime activist and author. She is the leader of the “Hands Off Assata Campaign,” which seeks to defend escaped U.S. prisoner Assata Shakur, who is currently living in self-imposed-exile in Cuba. For more information on this event, call (916) 278-6101.

Continuing the celebration on Thursday, Feb.14 in the University Union and Library Archives, Sac State history professor Shirley Moore will direct a Year of Unity symposium entitled, “Race, Gender and Power: People of Color Along the American River.” The symposium will be held from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and will include national and local scholars, as well as social, cultural and educational program representatives. The event will provide the audience with a chance to explore historical and contemporary issues regarding race, identity, gender and community. For more information, call (916) 278-6669.

The CSUS Department of Theatre and Dance will present “African Creative Expressions” at 8 p.m., Feb. 14 through 17 at the Dancespace in Solano Hall. Admission is $12 for general and $10 for alumni, students and seniors. Tickets are available at the CSUS Central Ticket Office (916) 278-4323.

Friday, Feb.16, Reverend Alfred Smith will give a Year of Unity seminar, “What Does a Radical Transformation of Values Mean According to the Ideals of Martin Luther King, Jr.?” at noon. For more information, call (916) 278-6331.

Continuing the following Monday, Feb.19, in the University Union Redwood Room, Chief Ifagbenusola Atanda will give a lecture and demonstration about the ancient African religion, Ifa, entitled, “Ifa: Traditional Healing From Nigeria.” Atanda is the founder of the Healing, Teaching and Tourism Temple of African Faith International and the secretary general of the association of Therapists of African Medicine. For more information, call (916) 278-6101.

At noon on Thursday, Feb. 22, in the University Union Hinde Auditorium, Reggie Graham will give a lecture and performance on the history of gospel music.

Graham is a local jazz musician and the music director for the New Testament Baptist Church in Sacramento. For more information, call (916) 278-6595.Concluding the celebration will be Bamboozled, the first in a three-part African film series, and a group discussion following the screening. It will be shown in the University Union Ballroom at 6 p.m., Monday Feb. 26. For more information on this event, call (916) 278-6101.

All events are free to attend, excluding the theatre and dance performances in Solano Hall. Several of the events are part of the University’s Year of Unity, a campus-wide commitment to promote peace, tolerance, learning and understanding.