Claude McKay © Van Vechten Trust. Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Yale University
Black History Month is an annual commemoration that celebrates the Black community.
Exhibitions, concerts, conferences, and film screenings—on February 25 and 26, the Rennes 2 community will take this opportunity to present a series of events, particularly highlighting Claude McKay, the borderless and wandering writer of the Harlem Renaissance.
Discover the program, developed in collaboration with IFA (Institut Franco-Américain), SCD (University Library Service), the Cultural Service, Héliotropismes publishing, A7 Production, along with Emmanuel Parent, a musicology researcher and professor, and students from the Les Amériques master’s program.
Tuesday for Equality - Embracing Anti-Racist Pedagogy
Tuesday, February 25, 6:00 PM · Le Tambour (Free, reservation required)
A conference featuring:
- Wiam Berhouma, coordinator of the book Entrer en pédagogie antiraciste and a member of the anti-racism commission of the Sud Éducation 93 union.
- Steeve Rehel, contributor to the book, former school assistant, Coordinator-Animator at Front de Mères 35, and member of the anti-racism commission of Sud Éducation 35.
"Embracing Anti-Racist Pedagogy" highlights various approaches driven by the desire to care for one another, making education a true practice of freedom.
This event is part of the Tuesdays for Equality series, organized by the Cultural Service in partnership with Shed Publishing and Sud Éducation 93.
Exhibition - Claude McKay, a Wandering Poet
February 24 - March 31, 2025 · Central University Library (Free Entry)
This exhibition pays tribute to the writer Claude McKay, exploring his life and work. It focuses on his travels, particularly his relationship with France and his passion for discovering new places. Alongside his journeys, the exhibition also showcases his correspondences, revealing the encounters that shaped his experiences.
* Exhibition Opening Event: Wednesday, February 26, at 12:30 PM. *
This exhibition is curated by students from the Les Amériques master’s program.
Film Screening - Claude McKay: From Harlem to Marseille
Tuesday, February 26 · 6:30 PM
Institut Franco-Américain (Free, reservation required)
Screening of the documentary Claude McKay: From Harlem to Marseille, directed by Matthieu Verdeil.
The film explores the life and travels of writer Claude McKay, painting a portrait of his journey, literary work, and activism in this captivating documentary.
In collaboration with: Emmanuel Parent (musicology researcher) and students from the Les Amériques master’s program.
Performance - KAY! Letter to a Lost Poet
Wednesday, February 26 · 9:00 PM
Le Tambour · Tickets available online
An original creation by Lamine Diagne and Matthieu Verdeil, blending jazz, slam poetry, visual storytelling, and readings. Lamine Diagne pays tribute to Claude McKay, reflecting on otherness, belonging, and the human experience of mobility as a way of inhabiting the world.
Featuring:
- Lamine Diagne (texts, saxophone, flutes)
- Wim Welker (guitars)
- Jérémi Martinez (drums)
- In collaboration with: The Cultural Service and Emmanuel Parent (musicology researcher).
