UIS students and staff host Black History Month kick off event

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND) - The Diversity Center at UIS held a Black History Month opening event and candlelight vigil.

The theme for Black History Month on campus at 2023 is "Looking back and moving forward." School leaders and organizers say events like this help students learn in all elements of their lives.

"So in that spirit of remembering our past and knowing what is going on in the future, that was a spirit of collective action," said Justin J. Rose, the Director of Diversity and Inclusion at UIS. "That was the spirit of community and tribe and just being together despite the plight."

Students at the event said it is important for students of color to learn about their history in a safe space. They mentioned this can be especially tricky at Predominantly White Institutions, also known as PWIs.

"UIS is a PWI in Illinois so it's kind of hard to celebrate our culture and our experiences on campus," said Josh Rowzee, the graduate assistant at the Diversity Center for underrepresented students. "So that's why we talk about history and that's why it's important that we express ourselves in a way where we don't feel like people are judging us as well."

At the candlelight vigil section of the event, students took a moment of silence to remember the lives of Earl Moore Jr., George Floyd, and others. Organizers say the unique history of Springfield is important for students to recognize.

"We have the creation of the NAACP due to the 1908 race riots and so we are sitting in the epicenter of where a lot of the movement and advancement of black people took place," said Rose. "We have to stand firm and steadfast that we've been here before and we've come from underneath, bur we still have a long way to go."

While the event was dedicated to Black History Month, speakers at the event say its important that black history is prioritized throughout the year.