College of Charleston Celebrates Black History Month
The College of Charleston will celebrate Black History Month with programming and events throughout the month of February.
Black History Month, celebrated during the month of February, is a time to recognize the accomplishments and reflect on the struggles of African Americans. And, as we look back on history, it’s an opportunity for us all to better understand our present culture and improve upon our future as a country.
The College of Charleston will celebrate Black History Month with everything from lectures to workshops to basketball. The month is jam-packed with events for everyone.
Below are some of the events the College is hosting in honor of Black History Month. Check back often for updates and additions to this list!
Self-Guided Tours of the Avery Research Center for African American History and Culture
Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays
10:30 a.m.–12 p.m. or 2–3:30 p.m.
Avery Research Center for African American History and Culture
Come celebrate the Avery Research Center’s 160th anniversary with a tour of the living legacy that is the Avery Research Center. Founded in 1865 as the Avery Normal Institute, the Avery has spent the last 30 years collecting art and archival materials that document the history, traditions and legacies of African Americans and their influence on American society and culture, as well as their place within the American narrative. Space is limited, and registration is required.
Men’s Basketball Cougar Trailblazer Presentation
Thursday, Feb. 5
7 p.m.
TD Arena
In celebration of Black History Month, College of Charleston Athletics will honor former men’s basketball player Jermel President ’03 as the 2026 Cougar Trailblazer. President will be honored at the Cougars’ men’s basketball game vs. North Carolina A&T and the Cougars’ women’s basketball game on Feb. 6 vs. UNCW.
Women’s Basketball Black History Month Celebration
Friday, Feb. 6
7 p.m.
TD Arena
Calling all College of Charleston alumni, employees, students and friends: Come celebrate the powerful impact of the Cougars’ former and current Black athletes and coaches while cheering on the women’s basketball team as they take on University of North Carolina Wilmington! The team will be celebrating a variety of different individuals – including the 2026 Cougar Trailblazer Jermel President ’03 – and groups throughout the game. There is no admission fee to the game.
EXU Logic: Contributions to Education and Emancipation
Wednesday, Feb. 11
4 p.m.
Tate Center, Room 202
Join us for a lecture about education, race and religion in Brazil, presented by Ellen Omilemi de Lima Souza, vice dean and provost for student affairs and affirmative policies and an associate professor at the Federal University of São Paulo. Her work focuses on the following themes: Black territories, religious racism, ethnic racial relations education and philosophy of childhood.
The Battle for Black History: Profiles in the Memory of Slavery
Thursday, Feb. 19
4 p.m.
Simons Center for the Arts, Room 380
Vincent Brown will present The Battle for Black History: Profiles in the Memory of Slavery. Brown is a Charles Warren professor of American history and professor of African and African American studies at Harvard University. He teaches courses in Atlantic history, African diaspora studies and the history of slavery in the Americas. He is the author of The Reaper’s Garden: Death and Power in the World of Atlantic Slavery and Tacky’s Revolt: The Story of an Atlantic Slave War and the producer of Herskovits at the Heart of Blackness, an audiovisual documentary broadcast on the PBS series Independent Lens, and the short video series The Bigger Picture for PBS Digital Studios. This event is sponsored by the International African American Museum, the Carolina Lowcountry and Atlantic World Program, the Avery Research Center and the African American Studies Program.
Dr. Conseula Francis Reading Circle Book Discussion of Harlem Rhapsody with Author Victoria Christopher Murray
Thursday, Feb. 19
6:30–7:30 p.m.
Virtual via Zoom
Join the Avery Research Center for a special reading circle with New York Times best-selling author Victoria Christopher Murray for a discussion of her latest historical fiction book, Harlem Rhapsody, named a Best Book of the Year by NPR and nominated for a 2026 NAACP Image Award in the Outstanding Literary Work category. Event URL will be sent via email upon registration.
Rethinking Reconstruction in the Lowcountry: A Student Conversation with Robert Bland
Wednesday, Feb. 25
10–10:50 a.m.
Maybank Hall, Room 320
Robert Bland, assistant professor of history and Africana studies at the University of Tennessee, will hold an informal conversation with students about his timely new book, Requiem for Reconstruction: Black Countermemory and the Legacy of the Lowcountry’s Lost Political Generation. Set in South Carolina’s Lowcountry – a hub of Black freedom, landownership and activism – this book shows how late 19th-century Black leaders, educators and journalists built a powerful counter-memory of Reconstruction, defying the dominant white narrative that sought to erase their contributions. Food will be provided and participants in the workshop will be gifted a copy of the book. Because space is limited, students must complete this form by Friday, Feb. 13, committing to attend and read a chapter of the book. All CofC students are welcome to apply and will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. Accepted students will receive an email with a PDF of the required reading.
Requiem for Reconstruction: Black Countermemory and the Legacy of the Lowcountry’s Lost Political Generation
Wednesday, Feb. 25
5 p.m.
School of Natural and Environmental Sciences, Room 129
For this year’s Department of History Black History Month Lecture, Robert Bland, assistant professor of history and Africana studies at the University of Tennessee, will deliver a lecture based on his book, Requiem for Reconstruction: Black Countermemory and the Legacy of the Lowcountry’s Lost Political Generation. The lecture will be followed by a Q&A with the audience. This Department of History event is co-sponsored by the African American Studies Program, Avery Center for African American History and Culture, Program in the Carolina Lowcountry and Atlantic World, Center for Public Choice and Market Process, Center for the Study of Slavery in Charleston, Department of Political Science, Civility Initiative, Office of Community Engagement, School of Humanities and Social Sciences and the Women’s and Gender Studies Program.
Black and Brown Interpreters Network Tour of Angel Oak Preserve
Saturday, Feb. 28
11 a.m.–1 p.m.
3688 Angel Oak Road, Johns Island, S.C. 29455
Join this guided walk through the future Angel Oak Preserve with Emelyn Talento, the community lands associate for the Lowcountry Land Trust. The tour will provide a behind-the-scenes look at the vision, design and community-led effort to protect the Angel Oak, an iconic Lowcountry landmark. The tour will explore the natural and cultural history of the Angel Oak and offer a preview of the trails, exhibits and living museum experience to come. Please dress comfortably for the outdoors. The tour involves standing and walking up to two miles. Sunscreen, water bottles, bug spray and binoculars are all encouraged. These meetups are appropriate for ages 16 and up. Registration is required.
