Belmont marked Black History Month 2025 with a vibrant array of events celebrating Black excellence, fostering meaningful dialogue and inspiring the campus community through music, literature, film and thoughtful discussions. The month-long celebration featured more than a dozen events designed to honor the rich contributions of African Americans to our shared history and culture.
Stick to Your Guns: PJ Morton’s Journey of Authenticity
Grammy Award-winning musician and songwriter PJ Morton headlined the month's festivities with a compelling appearance at the Fisher Center for the Performing Arts on Feb. 17. The special evening highlighted Morton's new memoir, "Saturday Night Sunday Morning," and included an intimate conversation, live performance and book signing.
"The biggest lesson is to just remain my authentic self," Morton shared with attendees. "When you're not yourself, you miss the people that you're uniquely supposed to touch." Morton spoke candidly about his musical journey across gospel, R&B and pop genres, emphasizing how his album "Gumbo" became a turning point when he decided to create music without concern for radio play or marketing strategies.
"I just wanted to make some songs that I really liked," Morton explained, describing the vulnerability of that approach. "If people don't like this, they don't like me for real." His artistic authenticity ultimately earned him multiple Grammy nominations and his first win.
Faith, History and Reflection
Spiritual reflection and historical examination formed a thoughtful thread throughout the month's events. The celebration began with "TAFT: Stories of Transformation," a documentary revealing the trauma experienced by young men at a Tennessee reform school that operated for nearly a century.
Rev. Reginald Sharpe, Jr. provided spiritual encouragement through his chapel address on Feb. 12, exploring the history of student conduct through the Civil Rights Movement.
Community Engagement and Student Leadership
The Black Student Association transformed the Maddox Grand Atrium on Feb. 20 for their annual gala, creating an unforgettable evening of elegance and community celebration. Beyond honoring achievements, the event demonstrated student leadership by organizing a toiletry and canned goods drive for local needs.
Belmont's commitment to literacy and representation shone brightly at the African American Read-In on Feb. 24. Faculty and students gathered to share powerful works by Black authors, participating in a national initiative that has reached millions of readers worldwide.
Throughout February, the Lila D. Bunch Library maintained a carefully curated display showcasing Black excellence across disciplines, providing resources that supported deeper engagement with the month's themes of celebration, education, and inspiration.
Music and Arts: Celebrating Black Creative Excellence
The celebration resonated with powerful musical performances throughout the entire month. Belmont's String Chamber Orchestra and Symphony Orchestra delivered a stirring concert, interpreting works by Black American composers William Grant Still and Valerie Coleman alongside pieces by jazz legends Charlie Parker and Mongo Santamaria.
As the month concluded, "Requiem for Colour" offered an innovative orchestral and visual journey that traced Black experiences from West Africa to present-day North America. Created by Dr. Jeffrey Ames, the masterwork composition pays musical homage to the sufferers and saviors, the casualties and champions of Black American peoples in a requiem or mass for the dead, creating a space for reflection and conversation.
By weaving together performance, dialogue and community service, this year’s Black History Month celebration honored African American heritage while empowering new generations to create positive change through leadership, creativity, advocacy and service.