ECC Students Head to Chicago to Visit Birthplace of Black History Month

Elgin Community College (ECC) is celebrating Black History Month (BHM) with the 2025 theme We Built This! Rooted in Power, Courage, and Resilience. On Saturday, February 8, ECC Student Life is inviting students to travel off-campus to explore the birthplace of Black History Month. 

This event is a guided tour of the historic Wabash YMCA, 3763 S. Wabash Ave., Chicago, Ill., from 10:30 to 11:30 am. During the tour, attendees will learn about the legacy of the Wabash YMCA as a center of cultural and economic progress in Chicago’s Bronzeville neighborhood.

“Many of us celebrate Black History Month but don’t know how it started,” said Erik Enders, student life coordinator for student equity. “The Wabash YMCA was a creative hub for the Black community and the meeting place for the group that worked with Dr. Carter G. Woodson to create Negro History Week. We want to expose our students to this history and hope they gain a greater appreciation for BHM and all the people who helped in its creation.”

Join ECC this year in honoring BHM with peer and employee networking, creative outlets, and community gatherings throughout the month of February.

2025 Black History Month events:

Black Student Connection

Thursday, February 6, 6 to 9:30 pm

Building B, Jobe Lounge on ECC’s Spartan Drive Campus, 1700 Spartan Drive, Elgin, Ill.

Celebrate Black History Month by networking with peers, ECC faculty, staff, and President Dr. Peggy Heinrich. 

Guided Tour “Back to the Roots: Exploring the Birthplace of Black History Month

Saturday, February 8, 10:30 to 11:30 am

Wabash YMCA, 3763 S. Wabash Ave., Chicago, Ill.

Explore the historic Wabash YMCA, the birthplace of Black History Month.

Black Authors Event: “Echoes of Resilience: Black Voices in Literature”

Tuesday, February 11, 12:30 to 2 pm

Building C, Room C120 on ECC’s Spartan Drive Campus, 1700 Spartan Drive, Elgin, Ill.

Experience the brilliance of Black literature as authors share excerpts from their works. Timothy Rey, Poet in Residence and Board Member of the Chicago Poetry Center, students, and local authors will provide readings.

Afro-Latino Stories: Building Bridges and Breaking Barriers

Thursday, February 13, 11:30 am to 1 pm

Building B, Jobe Lounge on ECC’s Spartan Drive Campus, 1700 Spartan Drive, Elgin, Ill.

Hear firsthand accounts from Afro-Latinos as they share their unique cultural narratives.

Black Professionals Panel Discussion “Trailblazers at Work: Celebrating Black Excellence in Labor”

Tuesday, February 18, 11 am to 12 pm

Building B, Jobe Louge on ECC’s Spartan Drive Campus, 1700 Spartan Drive, Elgin, Ill.

Join for an inspiring discussion where Black professionals share their career journeys, insights, and advice to empower students. 

Panelists include Cathy Taylor, PhD, dean of sustainability, business, and career technologies at ECC; April Wells, gifted coordinator at Illinois School District U-46; Patrick Parks, pastor of Second Baptist Church of Elgin and ECC Board of Trustees member; and Larry Whitaker, owner and president of WD3 Associates, a leading provider of concrete reinforcing solutions for Chicagoland's general contractors.  

MAGIC Event 

Tuesday, February 25, 11 am to 12:30 pm

Building B, Room B180/181 on ECC’s Spartan Drive Campus, 1700 Spartan Drive, Elgin, Ill.

Join us as we recognize the multitude of contributions made by African Americans who were instrumental in building American infrastructure and culture.

Roots of Royalty Sneaker Ball

Friday, February 28, 6:30 to 9:30 pm

Building B, Jobe Lounge, on ECC’s Spartan Drive Campus, 1700 Spartan Drive, Elgin, Ill.

Celebrate Black excellence at the finale event, blending excellence and urban flair in ECC’s first ever Roots of Royalty Sneaker Ball. Dress Code: Finest attire and favorite sneakers. This event will have music, food, and dancing.  

All events are open to the public. Get the full event schedule at elgin.edu/BHM. For more information, contact the Office of Student Life at 847-214-7079.