Soak Up the Sounds of Black History at Ole Miss

This performance has been canceled due to snow.

Black History Month ends on Friday, but you still have a chance to celebrate in style. Presented by the Ole Miss Department of Music, the annual Black History Month Concert takes place at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 26 at the Gertrude Ford Center for the Performing Arts.

The free concert includes the Ole Miss African Drum and Dance Ensemble, the jazz ensemble, the steel band, the marching band and others.

“Because African-American culture was a big part of creating music in our country… it should be recognized and shared, and I think you’ll see a lot of that in the concert with different styles,” said Randy Dale, the assistant director of bands at Ole Miss.

Shawnboda Mead, the director of the Ole Miss Center for Inclusion and Cross Cultural Engagement, says the concert is part of a month-long celebration that included more than two dozen different events.

“I am glad that we have the concert as a part of the calendar of events. We’ve had speakers, lectures and excursions, so it adds variety to everything else we have,” Mead said.

Student Cedtavious Colemansays says he plans to go.

“I haven’t really taken part in any of the other events for Black History Month so far, but I think music has always played a really big role in black history and I think it’s important to recognize that, so the concert seems like a really good way to celebrate the history of black music, and I think it should be entertaining,” said Coleman.

Mead agrees.

“This will be a more formal event that displays African music. It’s important to display all the different styles of music. The concert will be a way to engage students and it’s entertaining as well as educational.”

Thursday’s concert is a chance to soak up some history along with the sound of great music.

This story contributed by Ole Miss broadcast journalism student Lillian Wheelis, lewheeli@go.olemiss.edu.