University-wide Black History Month celebrations at ASU began in 2014. Over a decade later, student organizations are at the helm of these events honoring Black history across campuses.
As a part of the University's push for its "one university in many places" initiative in 2014, Black History Month celebrations rolled out its cross-campus event calendar, former Black History Month Committee Chair Emeka Ikegwuonu said.
All four ASU campuses prepared three to four additional signature events for Black History Month to add to the master calendar, according to a 2014 article from ASU News.
"I created a calendar with all Black History Month events, and then I said that because every campus already had a signature event, I just put their signature event on a calendar," Ikegwuonu said.
The Black History Month planning committee was given a budget of $4,000 for the entire month. The committee spent $1,500 on posters and the remaining $2,500 went toward food for the events, Ikegwuonu said in a written statement.
One of the disparities of the budget was that the Black History Month planning committee could not host events on its own; instead, it relied on signature events done by student organizations to bridge the budgeting gaps, Ikegwuonu said.
"So it was really utilizing relationships to make things work, and that was what really made the University-wide Black History Month come together," Ikegwuonu said.
2026 marks a century since Carter G. Woodson launched Negro History Week on the second week of February. The week coincided with the birthdays of Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass, according to the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.
Woodson's original vision for the week, which eventually expanded to the whole month of February, was not meant to be confined to one symbolic timeframe. Instead, it was aimed to expand awareness and celebration, Ikegwuonu said in a statement.
Ikegwuonu believes it is important to acknowledge students' responsibility in keeping this work up.
"Students must take an active role in learning their history to become thoughtful stewards of the legacy established by those who came before them—and to determine how they will contribute to that legacy moving forward," Ikegwuonu said in a statement.
Today, student organizations continue to carry the torch honoring Black History Month across campuses. For the Black African Coalition, Black History Month is an ongoing initiative.
"Taking back the culture" is BAC's chosen theme for this year's Black History Month celebrations, said BAC President Karess Melanie, a senior studying journalism and mass communication.
"Just acknowledging the culture within the Black community, that the Black community is very diverse," Melanie said. "We want to make sure that we are bringing light over all of the diversity that we have within our community."
BAC has its own signature events for this month, which are planned in reference to the organization's pillars, including civil engagement, health and wellness, and community service, Melanie said.
The Black Excellence Ball is among the organization's signature events, and has taken place in February since 2020. Melanie said the theme of the ball this year is dandyism.
The roots of Black dandyism came into full force during the Harlem Renaissance. The term Black dandy referred to someone who asserted themselves through their clothing to defy racial stereotypes, according to Vogue.
"The Black Excellence Ball is just to celebrate all the student leaders here at ASU and all of the accomplishments that we've had ... and just come together and celebrate our culture as one," Melanie said.
Black History Month celebrations are budgeted through the funding the coalition receives at the beginning of the academic year. Similar to Black History Month committees in the past, BAC works closely with other member organizations to host events, Melanie said.
READ MORE: A Sun Devil's guide to celebrating Black History Month on campus
BAC community liaison Maya Richman, a sophomore studying Spanish linguistics and psychology, said the organization is focusing on student engagement this month.
Prioritizing student interest and making events more interactive for all students was a goal in the planning process for BAC, Richman said.
READ MORE: ASU's Black African Coalition used student feedback to celebrate Black History Month
"Right now, especially with everything going on in the world, it can feel like you're under dark, heavy clouds all day and every day," Richman said. "Just getting the chance to celebrate yourself and your community and the people around you is good."
According to Richman, everyone is welcome to events through the BAC.
"So definitely show up, come support, have fun, interact with people — we could be your community too," Richman said.
Edited by Natalia Rodriguez, Senna James, Emilio Alvarado, Sophia Braccio and Pippa Fung.
Reach the reporter at dbell39@asu.edu and follow @dhemibell on X.
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Dhemi Bell is a reporter on the Community and Culture desk at The State Press. She is a second-year at Arizona State University. This is her first semester with The State Press.
