The University of West Georgia’s Black Student Alliance (BSA) is presenting a program entitled “Black History Three Sixty Five: Celebrating Black History beyond February”. A large turnout is expected for the event.
Members of the BSA, the biggest Black organization on campus, decided that this year they should organize an event that recognizes legendary figures of Black History in a way that would edify and uplift the entire student population at UWG.
BSA member Brooke Lane explained how the organization came up with the concept for the program. “We cater to over 500 Black students, but we wanted to come up with an idea that would attract more than just those students,” said Lane. “We want this program to appeal to all races of students and for them to come together to acknowledge Black history. We have so many Black pioneers in the arenas of music, art, journalism, politics and activism that deserve to be honored.”
Lane and the other members of the E-board of BSA wanted to host an original event and spearhead what will hopefully become an annual tradition. The goal is for that the event to attract the entire spectrum of students at UWG.
The program will feature segments about Whitney Houston, Sam Cooke, Langston Hughes, Oprah Winfrey, President Barack Obama, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Malcolm X, Don Cornelius and Rosa Parks. Auditions for the program were held on January 23 and the selected participants are now rehearsing.
For the program, students will act out the parts of these figures with song, speech and excerpts to recognize their accomplishments and their significance in Black history.
“Black History Three sixty Five” will be held on February 11 in the Campus Center Ballroom. The BSA will be putting posters advertising the event in the TLC, campus center, library, Z-6, dorms and the University Center.
BSA is a smaller organization that is growing along with population of Black students on campus. The group’s goal is to continue to spur unity and positivity among students while educating them on the importance of Black history and focusing on the significant contributions of African Americans to our nation’s cultural heritage as a whole.
