A local activist group will kick off Black History Month with an educational and reflective event Feb. 2.
The Norman Citizens for Racial Justice will host an event at the Friendly Market from 4–7:30 p.m. on Feb. 2 to learn about historically black towns in Oklahoma, according to the event's Facebook page.
James Shaw Sr., author of "Boley: Oklahoma's Famous Black Town," will give a lecture on historically black towns in Oklahoma, said Deon Osborne, political communications senior.
The discussion aims to educate people about the rich history of Oklahoma and to share each other's cultures and learn from the past, Osborne said.
“We want this event to be a safe, public and encouraging place for people to have these difficult conversations,” Osborne said.
This is the first event that the Norman Citizens for Racial Justice will host for Black History Month, but Osborne said they have more planned.
“This is part of a larger series of discussions we want to have on race, specifically in Oklahoma, and the reason for that is we want to encourage cultural competence,” Osborne said.
