UW Madison Celebrates Black Love All Month Long

The University of Wisconsin is reimagining Black History Month with a theme that puts love front and center. This February, campus events celebrate "Black Love: Rooted, Radiant, Revolutionary," honoring romantic partnerships, family bonds, friendships, and self-care across the African diaspora.

The shift is intentional and needed. "Time and time again in media, Black love is often accompanied with a story of trauma or negativity," explains Makaylah Maxwell, manager of the kickoff subcommittee on the 2026 Black History Month Planning Committee. "We wanted to highlight not only romantic love, but also familial and self-love as well."

The month kicks off with a symbolic wedding ceremony that weaves together traditions from across the African diaspora, including jumping the broom and tying the knot. It's one of more than a dozen events designed by student committees, each focusing on a different dimension of love.

Students can join UW alumna Morgan Hill for a pilates class emphasizing self-love and body care. They can showcase talents at the BLK PWR Showcase, where poetry, dance, and music take center stage. Film lovers can explore how Black relationships are portrayed on screen at "Love Through Time," which ends with a community art project.

The Ripple Effect

The planning committee divided into four subcommittees, each building events around a specific love theme: romantic love, brotherly love and friendship, familial love, and self-love. This structure ensures the entire month reflects the full spectrum of how love shows up in Black communities.

Keynote speaker Yolo Akili Robinson, founder of the Black Emotional and Mental Health Collective, will lead an interactive workshop on how Black love manifests in daily behaviors and relationships. The month closes with Moonshine, a dance performance celebrating Black artistic scholarship through live music and contemporary theater.

The Black Cultural Center, in partnership with student organizers, created programming that invites everyone to reflect and connect. Events range from drop-in activities like Cocoa and Canvas to structured showcases, making participation accessible for different schedules and comfort levels.

Students interested in shaping next year's celebration can join the planning committee through an interest form launching in September. The celebration proves that centering joy, connection, and cultural pride creates space for meaningful reflection and genuine community building.