SLIPPERY ROCK — Slippery Rock University will celebrate Black History Month in February with a theme of “The Dream in Motion.”

The motion in question is about fulfilling the dream of Martin Luther King Jr., articulated in his 1963 “I Have a Dream” speech.

Black American history as a social movement is something deeply rooted at SRU, with the school first recognizing Black History Week in 1970 before it became a monthlong celebration in 1983.

“We've made so much forward movement that we wanted to recognize, with the selected theme, that the dream is happening now,” said Keshia Booker, assistant director for multicultural development in SRU's Office of Inclusive Excellence.

While the OIE serves as the hub for organizing Black History Month events, many student organizations, academic departments and other entities on campus are participating.

“There's a lot of excitement this year,” Booker said. “(Black History Month is at) the start of the semester, so everyone is full of energy, and it gets a lot of people involved with collaborative programming and things are happening around one cause. We have great programming and it gives African-American students an opportunity to showcase their heritage.”

Reasons for excitement this year, said Booker, are the addition of the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity, which joined the established Zeta Phi Beta sorority and Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity as chapters of historically black Greek-letter organizations at Slippery Rock; and the Black Action Society taking its annual cultural immersion trip to Memphis.

This is an excerpt — pick up Sunday's Butler Eagle or subscribe to butlereagle.com to read the full story and a schedule Black History Month events at SRU.

<br />

<br />