An agenda has been set for Black History Month festivities in February at Nicholls State University.

The events will begin Thursday, Feb. 1 with an opening ceremony beginning at noon in the snack bar area of Bollinger Memorial Student Union. Guest speakers will address the Nicholls Civility Campaign, the national “N” word campaign that seeks to end the use of derogatory or offensive speech and the national Black History Month theme of “From Slavery to Freedom: Africans in the Americas.”

Also on that day, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., several campus organizations will host tables in the student union with information about famous black Americans, games and general information about Black History Month. The University Bookstore will feature books by African-American authors all month and Le Bijou Theater will show movies highlighting black Americans.

Students in the Multicultural Education course in the Department of Teacher Education will sponsor a black history trivia game from 9 to 11:30 a.m. Friday, Feb. 2 in the student union.

On Tuesday, Feb. 6, a black history forum will take place from noon to 1:30 p.m. in Le Bijou Theater. The forum will feature members of the first integrated class at Nicholls; Dr. Alfred Delahaye, professor emeritus of journalism and university historian; and forum facilitators Erace, a non-profit group from New Orleans that popularized the Eracism movement.

Thursday, Feb. 8, a black history health fair will be held in the snack bar area from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., with health information and free blood pressure monitoring and blood screenings for diabetes, cholesterol and HIV.

Also Feb. 8, the Players Ball will offer people the chance to dress up as smooth-talkin’ “players” from the 1970s. Admission is free to students and $1 for all others. The ball is scheduled from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. in the snack bar area.

A gospel concert will be held from 7 to 9 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 13 in Peltier Auditorium. An admission price and performers have yet to be determined.

A variety show on Thursday, Feb. 15 will feature poetry readings and members of the Nicholls Players performing scenes from their spring production of “To Kill a Mockingbird.”  Admission will be free with the donation of a canned good to benefit Second Harvest Food Bank.

The festivities will conclude with a Unity Gala, a closing to the month-long celebration of black history. Guest speaker Dr. James Butler, associate professor of sociology at Nicholls, will discuss making a commitment to diversity. Black students and employees will be honored for their contributions. Student organizations will also be invited to contribute a piece to a unity quilt. The gala is scheduled to take place in the Cotillion Ballroom from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 28.

All events are open to the public. For details, contact Allie Johnson, chair of the Black History Month Planning Committee, at (985) 448-4533.