MLK Jr. Commemoration, Sankofa Conference highlight Bloomsburg's Black History Month programming

BLOOMSBURG — Commonwealth University-Bloomsburg will host a variety of events in observance of Black History Month.

CU-Bloomsburg's Multicultural Center will hold a 30th anniversary celebration on Wednesday, Jan. 31, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Kehr Union, Multicultural Center, room 230.

On Thursday, Feb. 1, there will be a performance of Dr. Martin Luther King's speeches, at 6 p.m. in Carver Hall, K.S. Gross Auditorium. The program, "Reflections: The Life and Times of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.," is by Jim Lucas, a noted public speaker who has performed at over 100 colleges and universities throughout this country as well as Japan, South Korea, and Germany. An expert on the life and times of King, Lucas is also an accomplished actor, currently co-starring in the critically acclaimed play "The Meeting," a powerful drama about the lives, philosophies, and times of Dr. Martin Luther King and Malcolm X.

The annual Sankofa Conference will be held on Saturday, Feb. 17. Hosted by the Multicultural Center, the annual conference is designed to help students learn, understand, and appreciate the rich cultural heritage of people of African descent.

The keynote address, "The Audacity: Moving from Promise to Purpose," at 11 a.m. in the Kehr Union Ballroom, will be given by Marvin Worthy, Founder & CEO, of Worthy Consulting & Training. The keynote is open to the public. Registration is required for the conference.

On Wednesday, Feb. 21, the film "Rustin" will be shown at 4 p.m. in the Kehr Union, Multicultural Center, room 230. The film tells the story of the charismatic, gay civil rights activist Bayard Rustin, who organized the March on Washington in 1963. Over 200,000 people gathered in front of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., and called for an end to racial discrimination in the United States. Martin Luther King gave his famous "I Have a Dream" speech at the event.