USC Celebrates Black History Month
“Now more than ever, Black History Month remains relevant because it sets aside time for us to learn and reflect upon the ways this history highlights the ideals and failures of the U.S. experiment with democracy. Through social movements and political and cultural traditions, the Black community has engaged notions of freedom and equality since its founding.”
Elaine Bell Kaplan, USC Dornsife Professor of Sociology
Featured Events
USC’s Black History Month Kickoff Event
Join us as we kick off the university’s celebration of Black History Month with a hybrid virtual and in-person event exploring the month’s theme:
“Reclamation through Resistance, Rebirth through Reconciliation.”
‘Voices of a Movement’ premiere and Q&A with Lora King
Join the Voices of a Movement series with special guest Lora King, daughter of Rodney King and the inaugural subject of the Lab’s groundbreaking oral history collection titled The Second Draft Project.
Charlotta Bass Day Screening of ‘The 1619 Project’
Join the USC Charlotta Bass Journalism & Justice Lab as we celebrate the formal proclamation of Charlotta Bass Day with a screening and Q&A of The 1619 Project with the Onyx Collective.
For more events, visit the USC Event Calendar.
USC News Stories
The celebration — moved indoors at the last minute because of inclement weather — culminates a month of events.
“We can be the country of our greatest ideals, but we have to tell the truth first,” Nikole Hannah-Jones says at debut of Charlotta Bass Media Trailblazer Speaker Series.
The USC Thornton School of Music shares music performed, written and/or produced by some of the school’s Black faculty and alumni.
USC Athletics Celebrates Black History Month
Every February, USC Athletics celebrates and documents its proud African-American heritage on Black History Month. Over the course of the month, we will tell stories about iconic Trojans who serve as role models for our school and the African-American community. And, we will pay tribute to the pioneers who fearlessly broke racial boundaries and dared to succeed in the face of resistance.
Voices Across USC
Student Voices from BHM Kickoff
What USC students had to say during the Black History Month kickoff.
MLK in Los Angeles Exhibit
Join USC on social media for a virtual tour of the MLK in Los Angeles exhibit at the USC Fisher Museum of Art.
Black History Month Reading List
Check out this USC student-curated list of essential reading for Black History Month.
#WeAreListening
Hear from Black student storytellers from the USC Annenberg #WeAreListening series.
Why activism thrives in L.A.’s Black churches
Pastors advocate for their communities from the pulpit and on the streets — and training at USC gives them the tools to take their work further.
The Cardinal Divas are fighting on
From the stands, the Cardinal Divas have made their mark on the college dance world – could the football field be next?
MLK/FBI screening is centerpiece of USC’s Martin Luther King Jr. celebrations
Other highlights include the Trojan Marching Band and Cardinal Divas participating in the Kingdom Day Parade and an exhibit at the USC Fisher Museum of Art.
Q&A with USC Price Professor LaVonna Lewis
As an African American studies course sparks debate, a DEI expert warns against ‘erasure’ of Black history.
Watch the 2023 Black History Month kickoff
Trojans celebrate the theme: “Reclamation through Resistance, Rebirth through Reconciliation.”
Get Involved
USC Student Organizations
Find your community in one of USC’s dozens of Black student organizations.
Center for Black Cultural and Student Affairs
The Center for Black Cultural and Student Affairs provides intentional, holistic, scholarly and co-curricular programming designed to strengthen the understanding of Black diasporic heritage.
USC Black Staff and Faculty Caucus
The Black Staff and Faculty Caucus’ motto “People Building People” is about you and me, collectively making a difference. It is an important strategic alliance comprised of staff and faculty for the benefit of our future… and that of our students.
USC Black Alumni Association
Founded in 1976 by Rev. Dr. Thomas Kilgore Jr., the USC Black Alumni Association is a leadership network established to strengthen the legacy of educational attainment and excellence of USC’s Black students.
Celebrate Black History Month With USC
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- Add your Black History Month events to the USC Event Calendar
- Join the USC BHM programming committee