Black History Month is a nationally recognized observance each February dedicated to honoring the profound contributions, achievements, and lived experiences of African Americans throughout U.S. history. This year, the celebration carries special significance as it marks the 100th anniversary of Black History Month.
At Rice University, 2026 commemorates more than 60 years of Black student excellence. In 1962-1963, Rice initiated the process of desegregation and in 1964, Rice admitted Raymond Johnson, its first Black student. The milestone began a legacy of perseverance, achievement, and leadership that continues to shape the university today. We honor those trailblazers while reaffirming a commitment to access and institutional excellence.
Black History Month at Rice is designed to be dynamic, expansive, and reflective of the many dimensions of Black culture and identity. Moving beyond a singular narrative, the monthlong programming highlights the richness of Black history, creativity, scholarship, labor, and community life. The celebration stands both as a tribute and a call forward, honoring those who came before while creating space for dialogue, joy, and collective growth for generations to come.
We invite you to join us throughout February as we come together as a community to celebrate Black history, culture, and excellence at Rice University.
(To add your event to the calendar, please contact Rosie Nguyen at rosie.nguyen@rice.edu)
RECURRING EVENTS
Black History Month Book Displays
Feb. 1-28 (All Month)
Fondren Library (first floor near the East and West entrances)
Hosted by Fondren Library (For more information, contact Jeanette Sewell at jcs14@rice.edu)
A presentation of book displays for Black History Month throughout the month of February, chosen by BHM committee members and Rice faculty, staff, and students.
"Documenting America: Black History in Government Records" Display
Feb. 9-28
Fondren Library Basement across Kelley Center Information Desk
Hosted by Fondren Library (For more information, contact Anna Xiong at jax2@rice.edu)
From laws and reports to statistics and public programs, government publications offer critical evidence of Black history in the United States. This exhibit features the history and development of the Federal agency - U.S. Commission of Civic Rights, how it has recorded, shaped, and responded to Black experiences over time.The display is curated by Fondren Library Kelley Center for Government Information and Civic Engagement. It is part of 2026 America 250@Fondren library program.
Two activities:
- "Favorite Black Media Board": Write your favorite Black movie, music, or art and why on the sticky notes & post it
- "Heritage/Visit": Push pin map (red pins for where your heritage originates and green pins for where you'd like to visit)
Thursday Hangouts
Every Thursday in February
3:30-5:30 p.m.
Multicultural Center
Hosted by Office of Access and Institutional Excellence (For more information, contact Avery Hartwell at ah150@rice.edu)
Join us at the Multicultural Center every Thursday for great food and fellowship in a relaxed atmosphere!
FEB. 1-7, 2026
3rd Annual Kickoff Showcase
February 2, 2026
5:30 p.m.
Grand Hall, Rice Memorial Center
Hosted by the Black History Month Committee (For more information, contact Avery Hartwell at ah150@rice.edu)
Experience a vibrant showcase of talent with captivating performances, including dance, spoken word, singing, and stepping. Join us for delicious food and arrive early to receive a FREE Black History Month 2026 at Rice t-shirt, featuring some of Rice's trailblazing alumni. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. Showcase begins at 6:00 p.m.
The Black Experience at Rice: The Past, Present, and Future
February 3, 2026
6-8:30 p.m.
Kraft Hall 130
Hosted by the Center for African and African American Studies at Rice (For more information, contact CAAAS at caaas@rice.edu)
The Center for African and African American Studies kicks off Black History Month with a discussion of Black experience and history at Rice from its founding to the present.
Panelists include Alexander X. Byrd ’90 (Vice Provost for the Office of Access and Institutional Excellence and Associate Professor of History), W. Caleb McDaniel (Mary Gibbs Jones Professor of Humanities and Professor of History), Portia Hopkins (University Historian), Fay Yarbrough ’99 (Senior Associate Dean of Faculty and Graduate Programs and the William Gaines Twyman Professor of History), Joyce Deyon-Sallier ’76, and Craig Jackson ’77.
Black Student Association General Body Meeting: Vision Board Bingo
February 4, 2026
7:30 p.m.
Multicultural Center
Hosted by the Black Student Association (For more information, contact Eneye Gbedee at ejg6@rice.edu)
Vision board event with a twist! Write down your goals in bingo form and cross out the goals as you achieve them.
FEB. 8-14, 2026
Basketball Tailgate
February 10, 2026
7-8 p.m.
West Gym in Tudor Fieldhouse
Hosted by ARUBA, ROC-U, BSA, and RASA (For more information, contact Lademi Ogunlana at lo15@rice.edu)
Come enjoy food, games, and a DJ to get you hyped for tip-off before our Women's Basketball team plays North Texas. FREE shirts for the first 60 students to register! (Game starts at 8 p.m.)
Sign up here: https://forms.gle/WzTN5jcdEicC6iY97
CAAS Speaker Series: Dr. Christien Philmarc Tompkins
A Burdensome Experiment: Race, Labor, and Schools in New Orleans after Katrina
February 11, 2026
4-5 p.m.
Anderson Hall 117
Hosted by the Center for African and African American Studies (For more information, contact Canecia Smith at cs153@rice.edu)
In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, many powerful constituencies across the United States viewed the city of New Orleans as an alluring blank slate for ambitious political and ideological experiments, including the total remaking of housing, public education, and the local and regional economy. Drawing from a broader labor ethnography on the transformation of education work in the city as racialized labor, this talk examines how experiments in racial expertise are the grounds upon which a multi-racial technocratic elite has determined the future of schooling in New Orleans and poses that this commitment to technocracy has come at great cost to our collective capacities to defend democratic ways of living.
"Slavery, Segregation, and the Second Founding of Rice University" Book Event
February 11, 2026
7 p.m.
Kindred Stories (2310 Elgin St. #2, Houston, TX 77004)
Hosted by Kindred Stories Bookstore
Join the authors, Dr. Alexander X. Byrd and Dr. Caleb McDaniel for an event about their new book. This is a ticketed event. See the Kindred Stories website for further details.
Faculty & Staff Social
February 12, 2026
5-7 p.m.
FRNDS (2441 University Blvd, Houston, TX 77005)
Hosted by Office of Access and Institutional Excellence (For more information, contact Grant Stephens at gs78@rice.edu)
Join us for a relaxed and engaging Black History Month faculty & staff social, created to bring colleagues together in a setting that encourages conversation, connection, and community!
This event will take place at FRNDS, a modern Black-owned lounge known for its inviting atmosphere and stylish design. It’s a great chance to step away from the usual routine, connect with coworkers from across campus, and enjoy the evening in a social, comfortable environment.
FEB. 15-21, 2026
Black History Month Coffee Chat
February 18, 2026
2-5 p.m.
Multicultural Center
Hosted by Black Graduate Student Association (For more information, contact Mohamed Mohamed at mm272@rice.edu)
A relaxed coffee chat designed to build community and connection with meaningful conversations highlighting Black history, including Black queer history in collaboration with QGSA. It will also be an informal space to share experiences, network, and support one another. All are welcome, bring a friend and come as you are.
Black Student Association Hump Night
February 18, 2026
8 p.m.
Academic Quad
Hosted by the Black Student Association (For more information, contact Eneye Gbedee at ejg6@rice.edu)
Come out for an event celebrating Black student experiences and community with Rice BSA and Houston-area D9 organizations!
CAAS Speaker Series: Dr. Quito J. Swan
Too Dark for the World: Oceania and the Black Pacific
February 19, 2026
1 p.m.
Sewall - Anthropology Seminar Room
Hosted by Center for African and African American Studies (For more information, contact Canecia Smith at cs153@rice.edu)
Too Dark for the World explores Black internationalism and decolonization in Oceania. Drawing from archival research conducted across Oceania, the Americas, Africa, and Europe, it will discuss how Melanesian liberation struggles engaged Black Power, Negritude, and Pan Africanism in their insurgent battles for self-determination. It is based on Quito Swan’s Pasifika Black: Oceania, Anticolonialism, and the Africana World (NYU Press, 2022), which was awarded the Association for the Study of African American Life and History’s 2023 Best Book in African American History prize.
"Violence, Culture, and the Black Experience"
February 19, 2026
3-4:30 p.m.
Multicultural Center
Hosted by the SAFE Office (For more information, contact Savasia Sanguinetti at ss535@rice.edu)
This program is a conversation for all that examines how structural, cultural and interpersonal violence has historically shaped the Black experience while creating space for healing, belonging, and affirmation. It ends as a love letter to Black students navigating our Rice community. Light snacks and refreshments will be available.
Black History Month Social
February 19, 2026
5-7 p.m.
Tudor Fieldhouse Patio
Hosted by Rice Owls of Color United (For more information, contact Jordan Edmondson at jde8@rice.edu)
Come out and celebrate Black history with ROC-U! We'll have grilling by Rice Football alum Byron (NOLA Catering), line dancing, fellowship, and games!
We Were Here Film Screening
February 20, 2026
6:30 p.m.
Moody Theater
Hosted by the Department of Art History, History Department, Center for African and African American Studies, Department of Modern and Classical Languages and Cultures, and Medieval and Early Modern Studies (For more information, contact Zeenia Iqbal at zi1@rice.edu)
We Were Here unveils the untold history of Black Africans in Renaissance Europe through iconic artworks. This multilingual film, shot across Europe, challenges the notion that all Blacks were slaves or servants. It reveals a diverse presence, including princes, ambassadors, merchants, and religious figures. Narrated from an Afro-European perspective, it explores stories absent from traditional history books. The film interweaves art history with social narratives, offering a fresh lens on European Renaissance and the complex tapestry of Black presence often overlooked in conventional historical accounts.
Stick around after the film for a reception and Q&A with the film’s director, Fred Kuwornu.
FEB. 22-28, 2026
Black History Month Open Mic
February 23, 2026
4-6 p.m.
Dean's Commons, Anderson-Clarke Center Building
Hosted by the Rice Education Department (For more information, contact Miriam Vicente at miriam.vicente@rice.edu)
Join us for an inspiring open mic night featuring powerful storytelling, spoken word, music, and artistic expressions that uplift and celebrate the voices of the Black community. All are welcome. Sign up in advance to secure a space.
The Prophetic and the Prosperous: Religious Worldviews and American Political Behavior
February 25, 2026
12-1:30 p.m.
Herring Hall 100
Hosted by Rice Department of Political Science (For more information, contact Taylor Damann at tjdamann@rice.edu)
Please join the Department of Political Science for a special talk by Professor Eric McDaniel, a member of the Department of Government and co-director of the Politics of Race and Ethnicity (PRE) Lab at UT Austin.
RSVP requested at https://tinyurl.com/poliBHM
"The Inquisitor" Documentary Screening
February 26, 2026
7:00 to 9:30 p.m.
Sewall Hall 309
Hosted by Sid Richardson College & Will Rice College (For more information, contact Melissa Marschall at marschal@rice.edu)
Barbara Jordan made history as Texas’s first Black state senator and the first Southern Black woman elected to the U.S. House of Representatives. In a world dominated by white men, she moved with deft skill, earning both their respect and their fear. At a time when the idea of a Black woman holding power seemed inconceivable, Barbara Jordan created a roadmap for change.
The documentary screening will take place at 7:00 p.m., followed by a panel discussion at 8:30 p.m. and a reception at 9:00 p.m.
Black History Month Closing Event
February 27, 2026
4:30 to 7:30 p.m.
Academic Quad
Hosted by Office of Access and Institutional Excellence (For more information, contact Grant Stephens at gs78@rice.edu)
Join us as we close out Black History Month with community, culture, and celebration! Come enjoy a live DJ, line dancing, catered food, fun outdoor games, and a special music performance you won’t want to miss. Bring your friends, bring your energy, and come ready to vibe as we celebrate 100 years of Black History together!
Soul Night (Sincerely Carter - A Love Story)
February 28, 2026
5:30 to 10:00 p.m.
Grand Hall, Rice Memorial Center
Hosted by the Black Student Association (For more information, contact Samantha Peltrau at sp152@rice.edu and Ajanay Butts at ab307@rice.edu)
Soul Night is an annual cultural showcase situated within the context of an original play directed and written by a student that incorporates outside acts (singer, dancers, etc.) and a fashion show to showcase African American culture.
Use the digital ticket form to purchase tickets from the U-store or buy tickets in person in the RMC the two weeks before the show.
MARCH
Africaye: A Cinderella Story
March 7, 2026
4 p.m.
Grand Hall, Rice Memorial Center
Hosted by the Rice African Student Association (For more information, contact Taofeekat Lamina at tol1@rice.edu)
This year's annual Rice African Student Association showcase takes you on a journey all across Africa in search of the bride. "If the shoe fits, wear it."
Tickets can be purchased two weeks before the show and at the door.
Food starts at 4:00 p.m., doors open at 5:30, and show starts at 6:00.
Black Excellence Gala
March 8, 2026
6-8 p.m.
Grand Hall, Rice Memorial Center
Hosted by the Black Student Association (For more information, contact Stacy Couillard at sac18@rice.edu)
The Black Excellence Gala honors current students and alumni for their remarkable achievements, invaluable contributions, and unwavering dedication to the Rice University community!
Online Resource Guides for Black History studies:
You are invited to visit featured Fondren Library Online Resource Guides for Black History studies:
- African-American Studies https://libguides.
rice.edu/african-american- studies - Black History-Government Resources https://libguides.
rice.edu/blackhistory - Slave Narratives from the Federal Writers' Project, 1936-1938: https://libguides.
rice.edu/WPASlaveNarratives
Special thanks to the Black History Month committee members: Avery Hartwell, Grant Stephens, Heather Holley, Marina Chavez, Rosie Nguyen, Shanese Valyan-Robinson, Stacy Couillard, Ajsia Johnson, Altha Rodgers, Anna Xiong, Antoine Culbreath, Arthur Gottschalk, Asia Donald, Britni Bowles, Christina Jones, Christopher Freeman, Danielle Jones, Davon Robb, Daziyah Sullivan, Deric Childress Jr., Fay Yarbrough, Heather Bennett Mallory, Indre Rapalaviciute, Jeanette Sewell, JeQuan Smith, José Negroni Cicerchia, Kennedy Bosie, Khadene Harris, Loren Bryant, Lisa Mayzone, Luján Stasevicius, Mariam Falana, Nicole Owens, Paul Scott, Phalon Ervin, Portia Hopkins, ReAnna Mathis, Shanequea White, Sherrigo McNeil, Sydney Batts, Taofeekat Lamina, Taylor Gee, and Triniti Dozier.
