In celebration of black history month, bestselling author and journalist Sylvester Monroe will be participating in a variety of events here at UNCW Feb. 6.

Organized by The Upperman African-American Cultural Center, the program is entitled “Leadership and Multiculturalism in the 21st Century.”

“To my knowledge, he is the first speaker for black history month in several years,” Upperman Center director Aretha Jones-Cook said.

Starting at 12 p.m., Monroe will attend a diversity and leadership luncheon for students in the Warwick Center Ballroom. A diversity training session for faculty and staff in Lumina Theater will then take place at 2 p.m., followed by a community reception in the Cultural Arts Building lobby at 5:30 p.m., where he will be honored for his achievements.

The day will close with Monroe’s keynote address in Kenan Auditorium at 7 p.m. Admission is free.

“He was a former student leader from Harvard University that learned the importance and value of leading through diversity. I hope this is one of the messages he will share with our students,” Jones-Cook said.

Monroe began his journalism career at Newsweek magazine, spending 15 years as a writer and correspondent. He has also worked as a reporter for Time magazine and is currently a senior editor at Ebony magazine.

His notability comes from his journalistic coverage of both the state and federal trials that involved the white Los Angeles police officers accused of beating Rodney King and the trial of black men who beat white truck driver Reginald Denny, which sparked the 1992 riots in Los Angeles. Monroe also covered the Susan Smith trial.

He is the co-author of the bestselling book “Brothers: A True Story of Courage and Survival,” in which he wrote about his experiences as a black man in America.

Monroe speaks frequently at schools, colleges and conventions both in and out of the United States. He has been a guest lecturer at The University of Southern California Journalism School.

Serving on the Board of Directors of A Better Chance, Inc., he previously helped identify gifted black children for upscale private and secondary schools across the nation.

Monroe has won numerous journalism awards and has been honored for his public service work.

“We chose him because he represents the caliber of person that can best help us to understand the role of leadership in the 21st Century,” Jones-Cook said.