The College of New Jersey’s annual celebration of Black History Month began on Wednesday, January 28, 2026 with the raising of the Pan-African flag outside of Trenton Hall and an opening ceremony hosted by TCNJ’s Black Student Union.
The ceremony marked the start of a monthlong series of educational, cultural, and social events across campus. This year’s theme, “Celebrating Black Expressionism,” selected by the BSU, highlights and honors the contributions and influence of Black and African American artists and creators on modern-day developments in crafts, design, film, music, performing arts, publishing, software and gaming, and television.
“This year’s theme speaks to the origins of the Black Student Union, which was founded 45 years ago this year,” said Jay Pearson ’26, BSU president.
“Black expressionism is creativity as survival,” said Ebony Riley ’26, BSU vice president. “It is the art, activism, storytelling, rhythm, and resistance that have carried us through every dark and uncertain period in our history. When injustice grows louder, our voices grow more luminous. When uncertainty threatens to strip us, our creativity expands. This is the power of our history.”
The kickoff event also included remarks from BSU event chairs Amaia Foster ’28 and Janai Burke ’28; Tacquice Wiggan Davis, vice president for inclusive excellence; and Zakiya Adair, professor of women’s, gender, and sexuality studies and African American studies. Robert Scott ’28, BSU treasurer, performed “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” often referred to as the Black National Anthem. Anthony Berchie ’27 and Carl White ’27 assisted in raising the Pan-African flag.
Black History Month at TCNJ is an annual celebration of Black and African American culture and history, featuring events organized by the BSU in collaboration with student organizations, campus offices, and academic departments. This year’s programming includes an African American Studies faculty teach-in on environmental and social injustice; a collaborative event with TCNJ Dining featuring specially prepared foods in Eickhoff Hall; and a guest lecture by J.T. Roane, assistant professor of Africana studies and geography at Rutgers University.
All members of the campus community are invited to participate in the scheduled events. A full calendar of events, including registration information where applicable, is available online. Questions or feedback may be directed to inclusion@tcnj.edu.
The series is organized by the Black History Month Planning Committee and coordinated by the Division of Inclusive Excellence, TCNJ BSU, and the Department of African American Studies. All events are free and open to the public unless otherwise noted.