By Kayla Williamson
Black History Month at Trevecca gives students the opportunity to celebrate the history of African Americans. Walden, in collaboration with Chartwells, have planned several activities for students.
According to Brodrick Thomas, director of community engagement and reconciliation, Black History Month is about a bigger story, bigger than African Americans alone.
“The story of African Americans is not one of just a certain group of people overcoming so much, it’s about the fact that those people overcame so much by relying on those that weren’t black,” he said. “While black people deserve to be celebrated, I think it’s also a key way of seeing the human spirit, and what does it mean to love your brother.”
The first event that was meant to kick off Black History Month was cancelled yesterday due to weather. A civil rights tour that will drive students to historically sites will pick back up next week.
Some of those sites include Napier community, Meharry, and Woolworths, where the Nashville lunch counter sit ins took place.
For Zoe Johnson, president of Walden, the events happening for Black History Month can serve as reminder of the different cultures on campus.
“Being a minority on this campus, you tend to feel a little bit out of place,” said Zoe Johnson, president of Walden. “All these events can introduce the campus to our culture and where we came from.”
While Walden is typically known as the club for the African Americans, Johnson said the events are open to everyone.
“Walden is a safe space for African Americans to feel more comfortable in the community,” she said. “The culture around Trevecca is tended towards the majority, so it gives them the opportunity to feel more acquainted on campus and an outlet to achieve diversity.”
The second event for Black History Month is a special Chapel on Feb. 18. Erik Gernand, university chaplain, said the guest speaker will be Chris Williamson.
According to Thomas, Williamson is the pastor of a multicultural church in Franklin.
“We picked him because he started a foundation with two other gentlemen called ‘A Fuller Story’” Thomas said. “They convinced Franklin to add memorials to African American Soldiers about the African American Civil War instead of being divisive and telling them to tear down the confederacy stuff.”
Another event happening during the month is a movie night and discussion, where the movie “Southside with You” will be shown. It’s a film about the love story of the Obama’s, the former first family of the United States. After the movie is shown, a discussion will take place.
“We’re going to be going over some topics that affect our community, such as colorism, interracial dating, and the possible impact of slavery in our community and in our relationships,” Johnson said.
According to Lea Bryant, vice president of Walden, the discussion will also include a guest speaker.
“We’re having a speaker come in who did a dissertation on black love, black marriage, and other issues in the African American community,” she said. “It’s really important for everybody to come out and learn more.”
During the month, the Hub will be serving special burgers to celebrate local heroes of the Civil Rights Movement. Thomas, the faculty sponsor of Walden, created these burgers in collaboration with Chartwells.
“We kept it local,” Thomas said. “People tend to et big with African American History. They think about Harriet Tubman, Martin Luther King, Thurgood Marshall, but we wanted to keep it small.”
The menu features burgers in honor of James Lawson, Diane Nash, John Lewis, and the Fisk Jubilee singers.
Tentative schedule for the Month
Feb. 14
Civil Rights tour
Spicy chicken burger in honor of Diane Nash
Feb. 18
Black History Month chapel
Feb. 20
*Movie night and discussion
Feb. 21
Civil rights tour
Pizza burger in honor of John Lewis
Feb. 28
Fried Egg burger in honor of the Fisk Jubilee singers
*Date subject to change
