COLLEGE OF THE CANYONS : Events Mark Black History Month

College of the Canyons is celebrating Black History Month for the first time.

Art exhibits, films, performances and lectures on campus through Feb. 28 are highlights of the monthlong celebration.

So far, organizers say, the events have attracted students, as well as residents of the surrounding community of Santa Clarita.

“People have been very excited,” said Cornelia Crawford, an academic adviser who is coordinating the event. She called the celebration “a tremendous opportunity to educate, raise consciousness and develop the foundation to sensitize non-blacks to the cultural beauty and history of black people.”

Events scheduled include a Feb. 20 panel discussion featuring local African-Americans, including businessmen and a professional athlete, and a keynote speech by UCLA sociologist Alex Norman on Feb. 25.

Performances by African-Americans are being held throughout the month. A one-woman play about a sharecropper’s daughter, “I Wanna Tell You My Story,” will premiere Wednesday. A touring ensemble will perform dances, music, drama and poetry Feb. 26.

For those with the acting bug, a talent coordinator for Cosby Productions will be on campus Feb. 28 to sign up students for current productions and discuss how to break into the entertainment industry.

A collage in the student lounge depicts proud moments in black history, and original works by black artists are on display in the administration building.

The college is also sponsoring an arts and crafts fair Tuesday through Feb. 28. A film series, scheduled to end Thursday, probably will be extended through the end of the month because of the positive response, Crawford said.

All activities are free and open to the public.

Campus spokeswoman Sue Bozman said the celebration of Black History Month illustrates the growing influence of minorities on campus. The college has celebrated Cinco de Mayo, and it holds a World Cultural Festival in March.

“When we have a special event, it’s usually because we have somebody at the college decide they want to do it,” Bozman said. “We have a growing black population and they wanted to do it.”

Efforts also are under way to form the first black student union on campus.

About 30 of approximately 300 African-American students are forming the group, which Crawford said will “foster a sense of institutional belonging for the students of this campus while promoting academic excellence.”