The School of Visual and Performing Arts kicked off the celebration with a poetry slam featuring nationally known flutist Galen Abdur-Razzaq and his jazz ensemble on Feb. 2 in Brown Auditorium. Abdur-Razzaq spoke gave insights into the jazz and African-American influences on his music and several ULM students read poetry focused on black history.

VAPA’s Division of Theatre will present a two-person play titled “The Meeting,” directed by Assistant Professor of Theater Kyle Zimmerman, at 7:30 p.m., Feb. 10-12, in Spyker Theatre.

The play presents a fictional account of a meeting between civil rights leaders Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X. The production will tour area schools after premiering at ULM.

Students, faculty and staff with proper identification are admitted free; general admission is $10 for the public.

In addition to the performances, ULM will present various special lectures on black history throughout the rest of the month:

• ULM Assistant Professor of History Dr. Jeffrey Anderson will give a lecture on the civil rights movement at 6 p.m. on Feb. 9 at the Bastrop Visitor’s Center at 124 N. Washington St.

• The ULM chapter of the NAACP will hold the first presentation titled “The Arts of Black History, Past and Present” from 6 to 9 p.m. on Feb. 24 in Student Union Building’s Ballroom A.

• ULM Professor of History Dr. Richard Chardkoff will give a presentation on African American history from the Civil War to the present at 11 a.m. on Feb. 28 at the St. Phillips Missionary Baptist Church, located at 1802 Swayze St. in Monroe.

Find out more about how you can be a part of diversity at ULM by visiting www.ulm.edu/diversity.