In observation of Black History Month, the Lussier Community Education Center (LCEC) will host a Black Excellence Community Dinner on Feb. 23 to highlight Madison’s own Black legacy.
The Black Excellence Community Dinner is spearheaded by LCEC Staff members Richard Jones Jr., Uniqua Flowers, Daniel Steinbring and a host of other LCEC staff. The celebration will be held from 5:30 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. at 55 South Gammon Road. The LCEC is a center on Madison’s west side that is dedicated to enriching the surrounding community.
The center holds a free community dinner ten Fridays of the year. However, this dinner will take on a celebratory twist by highlighting Madison’s own Black history.
“We are also trying to highlight a couple of folks who have been crucial to our history,” WWMV-LP radio station manager and high school program lead Richard Jones, Jr. said.
The dinner will showcase Madison change agents and legends such as: educator and author of The Dreamkeepers: Successful Teachers of African American Children Gloria Ladson Billings and former director of UW-Madison Multicultural Center Candace McDowell.
Some of the selected topics that will be discussed at the dinner include, Segregation in Milwaukee, the battle for the Afro-American department at UW-Madison, Prior to the dinner students at the center will be tasked with researching people and moments in history to highlight for the event.
“We are also focusing on the current, and so one of the ways we are highlighting the current is we are inviting some local Black businesses to come and table,” Jones said.
This event is free and open to the all.
