GRAND FORKS – For those who planned the activities designed to celebrate Black History Month in Greater Grand Forks, the importance of building a sense of community and creating deeper understanding took center stage.

For the first time, the Love in Action organization and the Empire Arts Center partnered to present a celebration to honor Black history and culture, in recognition of Black History Month.

Featuring a diverse lineup of events throughout the community, “this collaboration brings together community members, local artists and cultural leaders for a powerful series of experiences,” according to an announcement.

“I hope that the community and the greater Grand Forks area can appreciate what Black history has to offer,” said Eryn Killough, of Crookston, who helped plan the roster of events.

“Black history is American history,” she said. “And so there are many things that were not taught in school – and there are some (who are) even trying to erase Black history.

“What I hope to accomplish is an awareness. I hope that everybody takes away something new that they learned and can feel the pride of the Black history, whatever they learn, whatever form it takes.

“What I want Black people to take away most is historical pride,” she continued. “Society, the media and even the news teach us that Black people are not significant and not important. And so to combat that narrative, I’d like Black people to take away a sense and pride of themselves, because we do have a history and (the) mainstream does not show us that history.

“So Black History Month is a time to highlight all that we have achieved, whether it’s in our own families or other Black people that we can look up to and the achievements that they’ve made.”

Killough added, “For Black Americans, specifically, it’s an opportunity to feel pride in their history that they may not know about — and they can celebrate their own personal history.”

For example, she inherited a ring that belonged to her great-great-grandmother, she said, estimating it to be about 150 years old. “This thing that may look insignificant, let’s celebrate it. … (The ring) is significant to me. It’s something that I can pass on to my children and give them pride in some shape, form or fashion.”

About joining forces with the Empire Arts Center for Black History Month, Doris Lebby, president of Love in Action, said, “This collaboration is about more than events – it’s about building connections, celebrating culture, and creating lasting impact.

“Bringing together multiple organizations to honor Black history in this way is something our community hasn’t seen before.”

The extent to which community groups have come together to create this month’s celebration is unprecedented, organizers said.

There have been Black history events in the past, the result of collaboration between Love in Action, Gospel Outreach Ministries, UND and the University of Minnesota Crookston, Killough said, “but on this level, not that I know of.”

The executive director of the Empire Arts Center, Debra Pflughoeft-Hassett, agrees.

“In my recollection, I don’t think I’ve seen this much effort put into any of the heritage months in the past …” she said. “I don’t recall anything quite so well planned and across all the different locations and types of events across the community.”

The group of about 10 volunteers who worked on Black History Month events “really put a lot of effort in finding different ways of connecting with the community in different locations,” Pflughoeft-Hassett said.

The Empire Arts Center has made a concerted effort to highlight different cultures, such as Native American, Hispanic American and Asian-Pacific American, she said. “If we could have events like that where people feel comfortable attending and comfortable discussing in a group of people who are maybe not necessarily always familiar with one another, that is kind of the ideal situation.

“So I think we all feel that’s where we would like these events to be. We would like them to be community-wide events and to help build community through the arts or through activities.”

In regards to Black history, Pflughoeft-Hassett said, “I think Black History Month is important because we do have a significant number of Black people in our community, and I think it’s good that we see that.”

Special events to celebrate Black History Month – all open to the public and many presented free or at low cost – include “Downtown Alive,” highlighting the visual arts and music, 5-8 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 20, and the Love in Motion dinner and dance, 6-9:30 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 22, Eagles Club, 227 10th St. NW, East Grand Forks.

Other events include “An Evening of Gospel Music and Worship,” 5:30 to 8 p.m., Sunday, Feb. 23, Gospel Outreach Ministries Church, 2587 S. 42nd St., and “Marketing Strategies for Change,” 6 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 27, at the Love in Action headquarters, 818 University Ave.

Several movies are planned at the Empire Arts Center. They are “The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman, 6 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 19, and “Black Panther,” 6 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 26. “I Am Not My Skin and Hair” movie (“Hairspray”) and vendor night is set for 7:30 p.m., Friday, Feb. 21. Admission is $5; popcorn is free.

Other organizations have hosted events, such as readings at the East Grand Forks Campbell Library, Taste of Culture at UND, a book-signing at Love in Action headquarters, Open Mic Night at the Empire Arts Center, and Arts of Vets’ Snack and Paint.

“(Black history and American history) are not separate,” Killough said. “Everything that happened in this country to Black people is part of this country.

“There’s so much that we don’t learn in schools that is significant to what we should know,” she said. “It kind of plays into that adage of, if you don’t know your history, you’re doomed to repeat it.”