Black History Month ends on Sunday, but members of the Black Cultural Center don’t want it to stop there.

BCC, 517 Welch Ave., is holding a candlelight vigil Sunday, using the theme “Black History Forever” to stress the importance of continuing awareness and celebration of black history beyond one month.

“We are staging it on the last day of February, and the idea behind that is to show that black history month does not stop on the last day,” said Valerie Holmes, graduate assistant for the BCC. “That learning should be extended.”

Participants may meet at the BCC at 6:30 p.m. and walk to the Campanile, where several groups will make presentations and the vigil will be held.

Tynesia Hill, sophomore in anthropology and treasurer of the National Society of Black Engineers, said some of the groups involved include NSBE and the Black Student Alliance.

In addition, she said eight historically black fraternities and sororities will be participating in the event.

Holmes said representatives from each organization involved will make short presentations at the Campanile pertaining to the theme of the event.

“We didn’t want one major speaker because we feel that one person doesn’t speak for everyone,” Holmes said.

She said the vigil will end with a pledge to “recommit ourselves to the community and rededicate ourselves to educating the community.”

Holmes encourages people from every ethnic group to continue to learn about their cultures and to attend the event.

“Everyone is welcome to this,” she said. “We want to be more of a helping hand than an independent structure.”

In addition to this vigil, Hill said the BCC coordinates monthly events.

“The BCC is sort of a home away from home for black students,” Hill said.