The city of Philomath’s Inclusivity Committee invites the community to celebrate Black History Month with a special program at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 7, at Philomath Museum.
Local resident Zina Allen and Oregon State University’s Robert D. Thompson Jr., an associate professor of ethnic studies, will serve as the event’s speakers.
Organizers describe the program as a “collective reflection of the myths and realities of African American history, Oregon’s complex Black history and the lived experience of growing up and living in Philomath as a person of color.”
Allen is an artist and poet who has been involved in local inclusivity efforts and works as an architect, designer and wellness and equity ambassador at the Disability Equity Center.
Thompson serves as co-adviser faculty of the African Students Association and faculty adviser of the Black Cultural Center at OSU. He has been involved with various scholarly writing projects, including as co-editor of the forthcoming “Oregon Mosaic: A Multiethnic History of the State.”