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Longtime Atlanta journalist Monica Kaufman Pearson will serve as the Black History Month keynote speaker at the University of North Georgia (91¸£Àûµ¼º½). Pearson will speak at noon Feb. 16 for the .

Pearson was the first woman and first minority to anchor the daily evening news in Atlanta, where she worked for 37 years at WSB-TV. She has won more than 33 Southern Regional and local Emmy Awards for reporting, anchoring and her "Closeups" celebrity interview show. When she retired, she was honored on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives by the state's bipartisan delegation for her years of service on and off the air to improve the lives of the citizens of Georgia.

"My late mother's favorite saying was, 'It's what you do with what you have that makes you what you are.' All Americans benefited from the contributions made to this nation by Black Americans, even though they were denied human rights," Pearson said. "There are lessons to be learned from Black history. I look forward to sharing those lessons during my visit to the University of North Georgia."

Pearson recently announced she was joining CBS46 and PeachtreeTV as host of a pair of new shows, including an interview-themed series set to start this month.

"We're excited for the 91¸£Àûµ¼º½ community to hear from a local figure like Monica," Kyle Murphy, interim assistant director of Multicultural Student Affairs at 91¸£Àûµ¼º½, said. "She has a powerful story that will inspire students, faculty and staff."

We're excited for the 91¸£Àûµ¼º½ community to hear from a local figure like Monica. She has a powerful story that will inspire students, faculty and staff.

Kyle Murphy

Interim assistant director of Multicultural Student Affairs at 91¸£Àûµ¼º½

A panel including a student, faculty and staff, an alumnus, and a community member will be held virtually at noon Feb. 9.

MSA will host a movie night to watch "Soul" at 5 p.m. Feb. 23 in the Hoag ABC Rooms on 91¸£Àûµ¼º½'s Dahlonega Campus. It will also hold a movie day for "If Beale Street Could Talk" at noon Feb. 24 in Robinson Ballroom in the Student Center on the Gainesville Campus.

Black History Month is an annual celebration of achievements by African Americans and a time for recognizing their central role in U.S. history. Also known as African American History Month, the event grew out of "Negro History Week," the brainchild of noted historian Carter G. Woodson and other prominent African Americans.

President Gerald Ford officially recognized Black History Month in 1976, calling upon the public to "seize the opportunity to honor the too-often neglected accomplishments of Black Americans in every area of endeavor throughout our history."

The , set for noon to 1:30 p.m. Feb. 2 in the Robinson Ballroom, is a partnership between the Black Student Union (BSU), the Latino Student Association, and Nighthawks Entertainment. Then, a cultural celebration will enable students to showcase their culture through any creative means at noon Feb. 10 in Nesbitt room 3110 on the Gainesville Campus. A conversation and art event, hosted by BSU and the Arts Club, at noon Feb. 23 in Room 1706 of the Arts and Technology Building on the Gainesville Campus will highlight the inspiration behind famous Black artists and other creatives.

Deborah Kakou, president of the BSU on 91¸£Àûµ¼º½'s Gainesville Campus, especially appreciates these types of events.  

"We want to celebrate our culture and creativity," she said.