February is Black History month and the Black Student Association will present a series of events throughout the month to celebrate.
Traditionally, the Miss Black OCU pageant is hosted in February. This year however, the BSA chose to hold a Black History Month celebration on Feb. 4 to kick off the month. The celebration featured original rap songs, poetry and spoken word pieces by students.
“The event was a convergence of different kinds of artistic and cultural expression in the name of celebrating black history,” said Russ Tallcheif, director of student engagement, inclusion and multicultural programs. “But you know it’s not just a celebration of black history, it’s a celebration of the perseverance and perpetuation of African American culture. We have a reflection of what African American culture looks like today because of our talented students on campus.”
The Miss Black OCU pageant will resume next year if there is enough interest and help from students.
Three film screenings are scheduled throughout the month at 5:30 p.m. on Feb. 7, 13 and 21 in the Tom and Brenda McDaniel University Center. The films all explore African American history and issues facing minorities. The films are Higher Learning, The Untold Story of Emmett Louis Till and Race respectively.
A banquet is also scheduled for Feb. 23.
“We are bringing successful ethnically diverse professionals on campus, some alumni, some not,” said Ashleigh Robinson, music theater sophomore and BSA president. “We will have a banquet with them to inspire the students of diverse backgrounds to achieve great things.”
The banquet will include dinner and is free for students to attend. Students interested in attending need to register through BSA. BSA meetings happen monthly, the next being at 7 p.m. on Feb. 9 in the Methodist multipurpose room.
For more information on BSA or Black History Month events, email Ashleigh Robinson at aerobinson@my.okcu.edu.
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