CSULB Celebrates Black History Month

Published February 4, 2025

By Justin Lagace

California State University, Long Beach (CSULB) is proud to celebrate Black History Month throughout the month of February. This heritage month celebration engages the entire campus as we honor the life and legacy of those who have come before us, and highlight the contributions and accomplishments of the Black community at The Beach.

Group of Black people posing together and smiling.

Throughout the month, CSULB will offer an array of events, resources, workshops, and opportunities complemented by food, music, and fun. We invite our campus community to learn more about our Black students, staff, and faculty as we honor the traditions, histories, and voices of the community.

The Division of Academic Affairs is committed to inclusive excellence and the success of all students, staff, and faculty. As such, we support academic programs, curriculum, and professional development initiatives that promote the holistic success of our campus community.

Black Programs and Resources to Know:

Black Excellence Collegium - A collaborative and consultative group of faculty and staff who are dedicated to promoting Black excellence and advancing Black Student Success at CSULB. We welcome CSULB faculty, staff, students, alumni, and community partners to join our efforts.

Black Resource Center - The mission of the Black Cultural Resource Center is to provide a facility for Black/African students, staff and faculty to come together in a secure, supportive, well maintained, functional, and Black/African centered environment. The focus of the center is to benefit the cultural growth and development of the CSULB Black/African community. All students, regardless of sex, race, color, national origin, and/or any other protected identity, who are interested in the program’s mission and focus are welcome and eligible to participate in BRC events and programs.

Black Faculty and Staff Association - The mission of the Black Faculty & Staff (BFAS) Association is to build a community amongst Black professionals at California State University, Long Beach that cultivates a supportive atmosphere, provides an opportunity to connect, and contributes to student success by building a foundation of resources for the community and support for Black students at the Beach.

Black Student Union – The mission of the Black Student Union is to be of service to the CSULB Black community and the Black community throughout the Long Beach/Greater Los Angeles area.

Black & Pan-African Scholars House – The Black & Pan-African Scholars House provides a welcoming place for students who are a part of or are in support of the Black community on campus. Living in this community will provide opportunities to engage in discourse about the Black/African American/African experience on campus and at large. Residents will also receive mentorship from staff and faculty, explore their multiple identities, plan and attend events, and create lifelong friendships. The community will connect residents to offices across campus and provide academic, social, wellness, and cultural resources.

Africana Studies - The Africana Studies major is designed to provide students with a rich intellectual experience through the critical and systematic study of the life, thought and practice of African peoples, Continental and Diasporan, in their current and historical dimensions. The Discipline of Africana Studies focuses on critical study of African Americans, Continental Africans, Afro-Caribbeans, and Afro-Latinos, but also allows for study of African peoples in Asia and Europe. Africana Studies seeks to critically examine and understand the Africana experience from an Afrocentric or African-centered perspective, i.e., from a position internal to the culture of the people studied, while retaining a respect for and openness to the multicultural character and instructive value of the total human experience.