Black History Month, celebrated annually in February, serves as a dedicated time to honor the achievements, contributions, and rich history of African Americans. Originating from the efforts of historian Carter G. Woodson and other influential African Americans, the celebration aims to shed light on the often overlooked impact of Black individuals on society. President Gerald Ford officially recognized Black History Month in 1976.

In October 2023, a Black Student-Athletes (BSA) group was established at CC. Since its inception, the BSA has actively worked to expand on campus and foster connections within the Colorado Springs community. READ MORE ABOUT THE BSA »

Clarence Shivers: Experimenting with Form Exhibition 

The exhibit runs from Feb 2-July 6, at the FAC. More information below in the Fine Arts Center Corner.

11th Annual Multi-Cultural Black History Program 

Sunday, Feb. 25, at 4 p.m., head to the ENT Center for the Arts for a fashion show, live musical performance, and more! The event is donation based.

Can’t make it to our campus or local events? In honor of Black History Month, consider donating to one of the following nonprofit charities.

National Organizations

Local organizations that contribute to higher education access 

President L. Song Richardson is being honored with the 2024 Inclusive Leader Award for Higher Education by GlobalMindEd. These awards recognize leaders in key industries for their innovations and bold actions to promote access and equity for women, people of color, and underrepresented populations in their recruiting, development, senior management on their boards, and in their pipeline strategies from education to employment.

Richardson will be honored at the Inclusive Leader Awards Dinner on June 17 at the Colorado Convention Center in Denver. The ceremony recognizes these award winners who are setting the national and global standards for inclusion across business, society, and government. Richardson will then participate in GlobalMindEd’s 10th anniversary conference, “Powerful Voices Across Generations: Past, Present, and Future” from June 17-19.

The Office of Sustainability and the CC Exchange, in collaboration with the Career Center, are hosting a Professional Wear Clothing Drive from Jan. 29-Feb. 9. to support students in career preparedness. Clothing from this drive will expand the professional wear section in the CC Exchange, located in the basement of Worner. Faculty and staff are encouraged to contribute gently used professional clothing items to help our students dress for success as they embark on their professional journeys.

Drop-off Locations and Open Hours
Office of Sustainability: Mon.-Fri., 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
Career Center: Mon.-Fri., 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m.
CC Exchange: Thursdays, 2-4 p.m.

***look for the green bins

 Let’s make this clothing drive a fun and rewarding experience for everyone involved! Please spread the word and participate in this initiative. If you have any questions or require additional information, please feel free to reach out to Megan Mrkonjich t the Career Center, or Malia Rivera at the CC Exchange.

Have you attended one of Work of the College Series events? These events aim to build community and connection, increase decision-making transparency, clarify structures and decision-making, and offer campus community members the opportunity to dialogue with leadership. This series came about directly because YOU shared the desire for more transparency in the Project 2024 listening sessions. Find out more.

Do you know a CC alum who has significantly impacted Colorado’s nonprofit sector?

The Livesay Award was created in honor of Professor Emeritus of Sociology Jeff Livesay, who brought the Public Interest Fellowship Program (PIFP) to CC and has shepherded it through years of growth to become a signature program on campus. The award is presented each year to a CC graduate who is living out the mission, spirit, and goals of the PIFP in their life and career by contributing to systemic change, increasing the capacity of the nonprofit sector, and helping to build a new generation of nonprofit leaders.

The PIFP invites you to nominate a CC grad for the Livesay Award for Social Change. Nominations open February 1 and must be submitted by April 1. We invite everyone and anyone to submit a nomination by completing this form.

The FAC’s newest exhibition Clarence Shivers: Experimenting with Form, will open in the museum on Friday, Feb. 2. Over the course of his career, Clarence Shivers (1923-2007) demonstrated a commitment to artistic experimentation, working across different media—both two- and three-dimensional—and cultivating a range of stylistic approaches.

A Tuskegee Airman—and career military person—one of Shivers’ most celebrated works is his statue dedicated to these pilots and their legacies, located at the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs. Joining this highly selective and segregated group of aviators shaped the artist’s commitment to celebrating Black experience and creativity in his work. Clarence Shivers: Experimenting with Form presents over 30 works of painting, print, and sculpture, that offer an expansive view of the artist’s prolific career.