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SALT LAKE CITY — February is Black History Month, and a long list of activities are planned or in the works throughout the month to mark the contributions of African Americans in Utah and the country as a whole.
The University of Utah, Salt Lake Community College, Brigham Young University, Utah State University, Weber State University, the Black History Museum and the Utah Jazz, among many other entities, have events planned.
Meligha Garfield, director of the Black Cultural Center at the U., says the varied activities spread over February are important in conveying the contributions of the African-American community, even if it is relatively small in Utah. The number of Utahns identifying as Black or African American totals around 67,000, according to 2020 U.S. Census Bureau data cited by the U.’s Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute. The total includes multiracial respondents.
“At this moment, more than ever, we need to sit down and really have thoughtful conversations around the contributions of Black people. And we need to pay homage,” Garfield said. “More than ever, it is important that we celebrate the contributions of our people, but also what it means for the future of our country.”
The theme for this year’s activities, coming from the Association for the Study of African American Life and History, is “African Americans and the Arts.” Many of the varied activities in Utah focus on literature, film and other artistic endeavors. “In the fields of visual and performing arts, literature, fashion, folklore, language, film, music, architecture, culinary and other forms of cultural expression, the African American influence has been paramount,” the association said in a statement.
Among the varied Black History Month kickoff activities on Thursday are the Black and African Diaspora High School Conference at the University of Utah. Salt Lake Community College actually had a kickoff event on Jan. 25 and will host a poetry slam on Thursday evening. USU’s Black Student Union is hosting its annual “Soul Food Night-themed Tiana’s Place” on Friday, the first event at the Logan-based school.
BYU will hold an event called “Stories of Life” on Monday, a journey through Black history “through music, song and dance.”
Beyond that, the range of activities runs the gamut.
The U. is holding talks and other events related to hip-hop music, dating for Black people in Salt Lake City, gaming, the Black LGBTQ community and more. SLCC will hold a “read-in” featuring African-American writers, a fashion extravaganza and more. The USU activities include talks on the legacy of slavery and the U.S. Supreme Court decision last June deeming affirmative-action policies at universities unconstitutional.
The Weber State activities include talks by representatives from the Divine Nine, a group of historically Black fraternities and sororities, and a student panel discussion offering a look into the diversity within the African American community.
“As February unfolds, we honor and celebrate the rich tapestry of African American history, resilience and contributions that have shaped our nation,” said Maryan Shale, program manager of WSU’s Black Cultural Center. “This month is an opportunity to recognize the powerful stories and achievements that often go unacknowledged.”
The Utah Jazz will distribute a revamped version of the Utah Jazz Black Book, a listing of Utah-based Black-owned businesses and resources. Moreover, during some Jazz home games in February, Black-owned businesses and their goods will be featured on the Delta Center concourse.
“By uplifting Black businesses within our community, we honor this rich history, elevate Black voices and help create a more inclusive and prosperous future for all,” said Jim Olson, president of the Jazz.
The Utah Black History Museum brings a traveling exhibit around Utah and several events are planned around the state in February.
Utah’s Black or African American population represents 2.1% of Utah’s overall population. According to the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute, just Idaho, Montana and Wyoming have smaller concentrations. Just over half of Utah’s population in the demographic lives in Salt Lake County.
“Black Utahns are more likely than Black Americans nationally to be out-of-state migrants. Only 31% of Black Utahns were born in Utah, while 61% of Black Americans live in their birth state,” the policy institute said in a report last year.
