Black History Month Trivia Night Will Become a Tradition!

A week or so before the February 25 5:30 p.m. trivia night, organizers Paula Roper and Rachel Brekhus were worried that only two people had registered for the competition. The weather forecast involved increasing chances of snow, and we wondered if we’d have to cancel. We publicized relentlessly – mostly by email, phone, Twitter and Facebook – to MU people, friends from the community, and even City Council candidates. Registrations finally began to come in, until by Wednesday morning, 15 people had registered. By 5:40, at least 18 had arrived and had commenced friendly socializing. Around 6:00 the competition began. The format of play was a website that worked like a “Jeopardy” board – there was even an item with an audio clue!  Players formed three race- and age-diverse teams, and the evening was one by the formidable Team Two, which included a couple of “ringers,” history graduate students. We had a few rules questions and technology elements that we want to tweak for next year, but we got good feedback from our participants, who also made off with many fabulous prizes.  Thanks are due to MU Libraries Administration and the Black History Month Planning Committee, for their financial support (for the sandwiches and other food), to our RAIS Division colleagues, who tweeted about it and helped Rachel create the audio clip for the Audio Daily Double, to the Events Team and Ellis Library Security, who provided logistical support and to the many individuals and campus entities who donated prizes. We hope this will become an annual MU Libraries Black History Month offering.