2025 marks the first year Weber State University celebrates Black History Month without the Black Cultural Center. With big shoes to fill, students, clubs and organizations prepare to answer the call.

In the United States, Black History Month occurs every February to celebrate the achievements and contributions of Black men and women throughout history and recognizes struggles endured by Black communities in the past – a tradition dating back to the summer of 1915.

Students at Weber set out to prove this year will be no different than the past as clubs and organizations unleash a flurry of events across campus. Some groups, such as the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, have already begun their campaign.

The NAACP jumped into Black History Month on Jan. 31 with a conference called “Expect the Great,” a two-day event focusing on college career readiness. The event gave both college and high school students tools and advice in committing and progressing through college.

“We really want to showcase support and overall just let people know we’re here,” Isabel Adame, WSU branch president of the NAACP, said. “In order to feel seen, you need to be seen.”

The NAACP won’t stop there, as they have various events with local Black businesses and licensed professionals throughout the month of February.

“From hair braiders to health care services and anything in between,” Adame said. “ It’s a really good opportunity to support and discover businesses that directly benefit the people of color in Ogden and Weber State.”

The NAACP is not alone, as multiple other groups, such as Black Scholars United, the African Student Union and the Student Success Center, contribute to a month of recognition.

“We work together with ASU and BSU quite a bit,” Adame said. “They have a lot of events coming up as well.”

Students can learn more about these events in multiple ways: flyers posted around campus, joining email announcements via Weber State clubs and organizations page, or club websites. The Student Success Center also posts detailed, week-to-week information on the official website.

Students on campus have expressed interest in the upcoming celebrations, saying that events are a good way to recognize the importance of Black history.

Malcolm Rolling, WSU student and advocate for Black History Month, claims he has personally witnessed classmates lost during class discussions, saying students were never taught or never impactfully taught about Black history and Black culture.

“When I was growing up, I didn’t really understand the impact that black history had,” Rolling said. “I understood a lot more as I grew older that Black History Month, for just my culture, it’s 28 to 29 days of celebration of all of the ones who helped us get to where Black culture is today.”

Student engagement with those unfamiliar with Black culture has been a common goal among supporters of the cause.

“I think it’s important to learn our culture and the way that we see the world,” Kalijah Robinson, vice president of Weber State’s NAACP branch, said. “People can kinda step in there and learn about it, hear about it, see it, maybe possibly feel it.”

Despite a month filled with celebration, some members of the Black community claim the holiday won’t be enough to force an impact.

“I understand that February is Black History Month, but as much as I’d like to say ‘Hey, support Black-owned businesses,’ it should not just be during Black History Month,” Adame said.

Adame doesn’t stand alone in this belief.

“We can’t just start the last week of January and end right before February ends,” Rolling said. “It’s gotta be a full effort, 365 days out of the year.”

This issue has sparked another debate as Diversity, Equity and Inclusion has reemerged in headlines, causing many to believe celebrations like Black History Month are the only tools left to have a voice.

A little over a year ago, Gov. Cox signed HB261 into law, which forced all educational institutions to make changes to DEI school centers and programs. Weber State complied, removing and replacing centers like the Black Cultural Center with the Student Success Center.

“I think the Student Success Center has done a great job supporting the cause,” Student Engagement Program Manager Maryan Shale said. “HB261 doesn’t let you have programming that’s only for one demographic, but I think with the Student Success Center, they still have importance.”

Supporters of the removal of DEI programs argue it would allow job offers and educational opportunities to be given to individuals who are most qualified, regardless of race and gender. Critics of this decision contend that rescinding this act would lead to a resurgence of prioritizing “white-male” interests, mirroring a Jim Crow era.

“This is not gonna be the last of it,” Rolling said. “Now they’re saying it’s about merit and equal opportunity. Next, they’ll say it’s because they want to allocate the right funds to the right places.”

Rolling stands amongst a crowd feeling these set of changes gives a glance of what’s to come.

“If anything, enough people have enabled this behavior that people in the future are going to use this as a stepping stone to keep doing stuff like this,” Rolling said. “They’re just gonna find other ways to put a mask on it and label it whatever they want.”

Others, like Robinson, have a different perspective hinting opportunities for change and empowerment.

“I’m not really so much worried about history repeating itself just as much as more people learning about it and learning that people do have a voice and that your voice can make a big change, no matter whether it’s about civil rights, civics, politics, anything like that,” Robinson said.

Regardless of how you see Black History Month, Weber State proves it’s alive and well, ready to launch off.

“There are seeds of people who have been able to break through,” Rolling said. “Students who are still here on this campus, and another campus around the state, are going to propel themself and really want to make a difference. Students, like myself, really want to be a part of that difference as much as we can but it all starts with being able to celebrate the ones who did it before us.”