African-American History Month Celebration" 

SALISBURY, MD--Salisbury State University’s celebration of African-American History Month–with presentations ranging from the role of the church in the Black community to the legendary Buffalo Soldiers–is part of a national theme aimed at bolstering cultural awareness of a unique and vital culture.

“The primary purpose of the celebration is to instill in African Americans a sense of pride and accomplishment and to inform the campus and the public of Black America’s glorious past,” said Vaughn White, director of SSU’s Multiethnic Student Services.      

The events for African-American History Month begin Saturday, February 10, and run through Thursday, March 1. Multicultural Festival Week will follow and run from April 30-May 3. All activities are open to the public and free of charge except for an African American dinner in the Commons for $8.25 per person.

White said the presentations at SSU were based on the national theme-Creating and Defining the African American Community: Family, Church, Politics and Culture.

Special events include an African-American dinner, how to research family lineage, church history and a presentation about the buffalo soldiers. Rev. Jesse Abbott of the Family Worship Center will be the keynote speaker for Church and Family Day. Dr. Akwasi Osei, Delaware State University professor of history, philosophy and political science will lecture on the state of black politics in America. 

Dr. Carter G. Woodson first celebrated African-American History in 1926 when he initiated Negro History Week. Wilson chose February for African American History Month because the month contains the birthdays of Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln.

For more information call 410-548-4503 or visit the Web site at www.salisbury.edu.