Black FUTURE month is here 

The University of Cincinnati’s annual Black History Month celebration is back and better than ever. This year’s celebration has been renamed Black FUTURE Month by organizers, and includes something for everyone—from tours of historical Black churches to cosplays to Drink n’ Thinks, field trips and food.

Join the campus community at the Bi-Okoto Cultural Center, 5601 Montgomery Road, for an evening of dancing, drumming, play reading and networking from 1-6 p.m. on Feb. 10. The event, transportation from campus, and African food will be free for the first 50 students who RSVP.   

The elegant Onyx and Ruby Gala, an annual celebration of UC’s African-American alumni, faculty, staff and students, takes place on Feb. 17 at the Graduate Cincinnati hotel, 151 Goodman Ave. Registration is required, and you can sign up here.

On Feb. 24, Airship Ashanti will bring their steampunk anime cosplay to campus. Feel free to come dressed as your favorite characters from an anime, video game, or the like. You can join them in Tangeman University Center from 2-4 p.m.  

Historical Black church tours will be given every Sunday in February starting with Allen Temple A.M.E Feb 4 at 10 a.m. The second week there will be a tour of Gaines United Methodist and the last week will entail a church and cemetery tour of Union Baptist, the oldest Black Baptist church in Ohio, on Feb 25 at 10:45a.m. The Union Baptist Tour is also available via Zoom.  

Every Monday in February starting Feb. 5, drop into the Tangeman University Center atrium at 12p.m. to enjoy the African American Cultural Resource Center choir’s Lift Every Voice and Sing-A-Long performance.  

For those more interested in the edible side of things, the African American Cultural and Resource Center (AACRC),  60 W. Charleton St., will host its annual Soul Food Cook-Off Wednesday Feb. 8 from 6:30-8:30  p.m. Stop by to grab some free food and cast your vote for the best beans, greens, mac and cheese, tea, and the like. 

Professor Holly McGee will be hosting her third annual Drink n’ Think at Ludlow Wines,  every Wednesday in February from 6:30-8:30 p.m. Pay for a taste of Ludlow Wines’ best cheeses and wines, receive free refreshments, and see what McGee has to say about the relevance – or lack thereof – of Black History Month, AP African American Studies in High School Curriculum, Uncle Tom’s Cabin, and  David Walker and his appeal.

For the bookworms out there, Black Future Month contains many good reads and discussions. In accordance with the third week of Drink N’ Think, anyone can pick up a free copy of Uncle Tom’s Cabin from Ludlow Wines, 343 Ludlow Ave., any time before Feb. 21.

The campus community may also pick up a free copy of Janelle Monae’s “The Memory Librarian” from room 248 in the Arts and Sciences building in preparation for the sociology class and English Department’s common read seminar Feb. 23rd.  

For fans of cinema and visual representation, UC’s History club will be hosting "Hidden Figures" movie night from 7:15-9:30 p.m. on Feb. 8 in the Africana Studies Lounge, 3616 French Hall West.  

In addition, the Esquire Theatre, 320 Ludlow Ave., will screen the Lincoln School Documentary on Feb. 25 at 1p.m. The Lincoln School documentary covers the story of a school in Hillsboro, OH that became the first school to put the Brown v Board of Education decision to the test.   

Find out more about Black Future Month events here, or contact professor Holly McGee at mcgeehy@ucmail.uc.edu. For more information about AGIDIGBO, contact Olivia Riggs at riggsom@ucmail.uc.edu.