The theme for the 2023 Black History Month celebration is “Black Innovation.” The month’s events will celebrate and explore Black inventors, creators, and change agents and how Black innovators changed the way we live through their contributions, from the traffic light to the cell phone. Most people have heard about famous inventions like the light bulb, the cotton gin, and the ironing board. But there are countless others, often overlooked creators and inventions that make our daily lives easier.

Monday, January  30

• Showers City Hall Council Chambers

• 401 N. Morton St., Bloomington, IN

• Reception: 6:00 pm • Free

• Program: 7:00 pm • Free 

Black History Month Gala

Join us for an evening of fine dining, great music, and dancing, as we recognize the 2023 Living Legend Recipients, and the Commission on the Status of Black Males’ Outstanding Black Leaders of Tomorrow recipients. Reception and Silent Auction will begin at 6:00 p.m., program will begin at 7: 00 p.m. Tickets: $60 each ~ Available January 30th at the Buskirk-Chumley Box Office, BCTboxoffice.org, or by phone at 812-323-3020.

Saturday, February 25

• Woolery Mill

• 2250 W. Sunstone Dr., Bloomington, IN

• Reception: 6:00 pm 

• Program: 7:00 pm 

• Ticketed Event • $60 in advance

The City of Bloomington 2023 Black History Month Calendar is a free publication of the City of Bloomington Community and Family Resources Department. The City of Bloomington 2023 Black History Month Calendar lists events sponsored by the City of Bloomington Black History Month planning committee and community partners to share events. Members of the community are encouraged to submit events for inclusion in the calendar related to Black History Month. Please review the following information for usage.

• All events are reviewed, edited, and added to the calendar at the discretion of the calendar administrator. For questions, contact Shatoyia Moss, Director of the Safe and Civil City Program, at 812.349.3559 or by email at safeandcivil@bloomington.in.gov.

• If you need to change information associated with a submitted event (updates, cancellations, etc.), please email Shatoyia Moss your requested updates.

• Deadline For submissions is Monday, January 23, 2023

Disclaimer: City of Bloomington 2023 Black History Month Calendar has been designed to share information about events and happenings of interest to the Bloomington Community. Events that appear do not constitute official endorsements of The City of Bloomington Black History Month committee

Like many HBCU graduates from the South, because of racial segregation in the 1960s Charlie and Jeanetta could not pursue graduate studies in their home state of Arkansas. Encouraged by several mentors and Dr. Jimmy Ross, a graduate of UAPB, Jeanetta and Charlie enrolled at Indiana University and earned graduate degrees in Mathematics and higher education, respectively. Jeanetta was an NSF Fellowship recipient in mathematics, while Charlie served as an RA in Foster Quadrangle. They were the first Black couple to serve in this role at Indiana University. 

Jeanetta is a lifelong educator who has taught mathematics at the middle and high school levels in Arkansas, Indiana, New York, and Ohio. In addition, she taught mathematics at UAPB and IU East. Administratively, she has served as Learning Resource Manager with the Flint Community Schools, Academic Advisor, IU University Division, Academic Advisor, IU Kelley School of Business,  and founding director of the Indiana University Twenty-First Scholars Program. 

A former student body president at UAPB, Charlie decided early in life that he wanted to be a college president. He went on to become a three-time university chancellor with service at universities in Indiana, Michigan and North Carolina. He recognized the difference between leading and presiding, and never lost sight of three things. First, he recognized the importance of using his leadership position to positively effect change in the lives of marginalized people. Second, he recognized the importance of speaking truth to power, even if it cost him his position. Third, he recognized the importance of serving as a mentor and sponsor for aspiring Black executive level university leaders.  In fact, more than twenty-five of his mentees have become college presidents.

Charlie and Jeanetta are Life members of the NAACP, the UAPB and Indiana University Alumni Association. Jeanetta is a life member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., and an active member of the Kappa Tau Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. Charlie has been a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. for more than fifty years, and is a life member as well. Each year, 30-40 students at UAPB, Indiana University, University of Michigan-Flint, Antioch University, and North Carolina Central University, are recipients of endowed scholarships made possible through the philanthropy of Jeanetta and Charlie Nelms.

Charlie and Jeanetta Nelms have never lost sight of who they are, and the responsibility they have for making the world a better place for marginalized people. They both have an unswerving commitment to racial equity, justice and equality and they share the belief that voting is the sine qua non of democracy.  Jeanetta is an active member of the Monroe County League of Women Voters, and she is never without information related to voting!

Jeanetta’s and Charlie’s proudest accomplishment is being parents to Rashad Zakee Nelms, a global citizen with a commitment to changing the world through his work for nearly twenty years with the United Nations World Food Program.

City of Bloomington Community & Family Resources Department

City of Bloomington Office of the Clerk

Boston Scientific

Ivy Tech Community College Bloomington

Indiana University, Office of the Vice President for Diversity, Equity, & Multicultural Affairs

IU Credit Union

Order of Eastern Star, Southern Star #50

Stone City Lodge #54

Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., Bloomington Alumnae Chapter

Unveiled

Uplands Maker Mobile

Be Finer Tees

 I. James Torry

 Maqubé Reese