Celebrating black history every day

Elgin Community College aims to give students the opportunity to celebrate Black History Month one day at a time.

Beginning Friday, the college will feature daily events that center around a theme -- respecting the past, honoring the future through our history and our culture.

"You know the month is so small, we wanted to put as much as we could into it," said committee co-chair Anitra King.

A 7 p.m. Gospel Fest on Friday features the McDonald Gospel Choir, praise dancers and Elgin area church choirs.

At 11 a.m. Feb. 11, Larkin High School's Black History Club will present "Who Am I?" where the club's members will assume the personas of figures from African-American history.

On Feb. 20, former Temptation G.C. Cameron will perform at 10 a.m. and 7 p.m.

Each Wednesday of the month, soul food dishes will be offered in ECC's cafeteria.

On Thursdays, renowned movies including "God Grew Tired of Us" and "Imitation of Life" will air at 12:30 p.m.

In addition to the events, black entrepreneurs and vendors will sell a variety of collectibles and treasures in campus hallways.

For a full schedule of events, visit www.elgin.edu or call (847) 214-7262.

"In the past, we've had a couple of big events spaced throughout the month," King said. "We thought this route would be more accessible to students. If they can't attend one thing, there are plenty of other opportunities."