JCPenney is celebrating Black History Month this February with an exclusive curated merchandise assortment, featuring unique designs by three renowned Black artists. The collection aims to inspire customers to use their voice and turn up the volume to drive change and includes apparel and beauty products from Black-owned brands, as well as new artwork for the home.
Minneapolis-based artist Houston White designed JCPenney’s Be the Change and Black Excellence apparel assortment for men, women, and kids. White is the founder of the Houston White Men’s Room, a North Minneapolis barbershop that serves as a gathering place for community building, authentic expression of self, and inclusive celebration of Black culture. He sees style and clothing as a way to make a statement: “Let’s wear it, let’s claim it, let’s have a conversation about it,” he said.
The Be the Change collection also features artwork by Dan Houston, a sculptor and painter known for his use of courageous, contrasting colors. Houston’s work has been described as “fearless” and he notes that “color, shape, light, and music – preferably jazz – are incorporated in my vision before painting.”
The Black Pride assortment features colorful product that aims to celebrate Black culture and embrace African heritage. To bring this message to life, visual artist and storyteller Synthia SAINT JAMES created vibrant landscapes to capture the essence of countries all over the world. Her work has been described as ebullient, bold, and joyful. The Salon and Sephora divisions are also turning up the volume with a beauty assortment that highlights products from Black-owned and founded brands that are blazing trails in the industry.
Additionally, JCPenney is amplifying the voices of its non-profit partners who support Black students. Customers can round up their purchase to the nearest dollar at checkout during Black History Month, and 100% of customer contributions will be donated to organizations that prepare Black students for college and career experiences. JCPenney will also help students look and feel their best as they begin their careers by underwriting Suit Up shopping experiences for select students at 11 Historically Black Colleges and Universities, including:
- North Carolina A&T
- Langston University
- Tennessee State
- Southern University
- Mississippi Valley
- Bethune-Cookman
- Norfolk State
- Jackson State
- Wiley College
- Xavier University of Louisiana
- Texas Southern University
At JCPenney, we proudly stand for racial equality and hope our customers feel inspired and empowered by the 2021 Black History Month collection.
