This past month saw the University bring Black History Month to the stage through various art and cinematic forms. The Office of African-American Affairs produced a calendar of events to celebrate the month with the theme, "Blacks in the Cinema: Images, Thoughts, Perceptions." The events have included films, plays and the celebration of Roy Willis - the first black Lawn resident.
The OAAA specifically chose a theme that was intended to encompass all issues facing black University students, Asst. Dean Dion Lewis said. This allowed various departments and other organizations to create their own events for the celebration, rather than forcing formal cooperation between the office and other facets of the University.
Instead of working through the OAAA, third-year College student Reginald Benbow used his connections with the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Resource Center to bring his own event, "Pouring Tea: Black Gay Men of the South Tell their Tales," to Grounds, which will take place tonight at 6 p.m. in Mcleod Hall Auditorium. This event was an attempt to honor the lesser known, LGBTQ, African-American contributions to the community, he explained.
Black Student Association President Lauren Boswell said other independent organizations teamed up to create events to celebrate Black History Month. Step It Up! hosted "Portraits in Color," which was held Feb. 21, to recognize black achievement in different aspects of life.
Despite the successes of these individual events, Benbow said the OAAA could have considered teaming up with academic departments at the University, forming "cross-cultural alliances," Benbow said. For instance, he said, the OAAA could have worked with the history department to collaborate about events to celebrate the month. Such collaboration could have helped to increase student participation in the events throughout the month.
Lewis said he believes the OAAA exhausted all of its resources to advertise these events, especially via the Internet. He added that he is pleased with the diverse audiences that have so far attended and participated in the month's events, including graduate and undergraduate professors and students.
Yet, Benbow, a peer adviser in the OAAA, said promotional efforts and student participation in the events has seemed lacking. He explained that several of the first-year students that he mentors have not been aware of the events.
"[First-year students] are perceiving [Black History Month] as something that's not important at the University," Benbow said.
Benbow noted that the OAAA could have perhaps used more media outlets as publicity sources, citing The Daily Progress as an example of an easy and effective method of reaching thousands of students and Charlottesville residents.
Second-year College student Rachel Dabul echoed Benbow's sentiments, adding that she had no idea the University had any events to recognize the month.
Some of the more publicized events were more successful, though, such as the Lawn room dedication ceremony for Willis. Boswell said she believed this event was a step in the right direction to confront the University's past racial tensions.
"[It was] a huge event of reconciliation because he didn't have the best time here," she said.
Moreover, Boswell said, the event brought students from all across Grounds together to celebrate Willis' accomplishments.
Boswell emphasized that although not every University student celebrates Black History Month, she still believes that the celebration is worthwhile for those who participate.\n"[It's] not who doesn't celebrate it, but who does," she said. "You get out of it what you put into it."
Benbow added that some students may even question the need for a Black History Month, considering President Barack Obama's 2008 presidential election, an achievement of which the visionaries of Black History Month would be proud. Both Lewis and Benbow, however, agree that the time has not yet come and a more thorough national awareness of black history is needed.
"Every student should work to learn about [black history]," Lewis said.
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