BSU Kicks Off Black History Month with celebration and community events

Black Student Union (BSU) is gearing up to celebrate Black History Month on February 8, honoring the contributions of notable African Americans such as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Rosa Parks and Harriet Tubman.

This month-long commemoration began with Dr. Carter G. Woodson's efforts in 1926, with the first official celebration taking place on Feb 7. Later, in 1976, Black History Month was officially recognized in February, coinciding with the birthdays of Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass.

Woodson’s vision was to ensure that young people understood their heritage and the importance of recognizing their ancestors’ struggles and achievements. The month’s focus continues to be on education, awareness and appreciation of the African American community’s role in American history.

As part of the celebration, BSU plans to host several events throughout the month. Cameron Dunkin, president of BSU at SEMO, shared his perspective on the importance of the month.

“Black History Month is just a big and ongoing history, and I feel it needs to be more of love something to be dedicated to our history and just learn more. It’s like a big old fest for the black community, and we celebrated through SEMO communities by throwing events dedicated to history or trying to give out joy,” Dunkin said.

The first event is on February 3, when SEMO Equity hosts the Black History Month KICKOFF from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on the UC’s third floor.

Dunkin also revealed that BSU will lead a Black History Program on Feb. 8. This year, the event will look a bit different, with partnerships formed with several organizations outside the SEMO campus.

“We are having groups that are not part of the SEMO campus. Some people from Cape High School, we also have a group called Fingerprint that’s gonna be dancing, we have a strategy dance team which is full of black young girls that are dancing as well,” Dunkin said.

The Black History Program will be held in the UC Ballroom. Doors will open at 6:30 p.m., with the program beginning at 7:00 p.m. Following the presentation, a social hour will take place from 8:45 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., offering students an opportunity to enjoy music and mingle with fellow attendees.

The goal of Black History Month is to promote education and appreciation of the African American community's contributions to U.S. history, as well as to foster inclusion and diversity on campus.

According to Dunkin, BSU’s mission is to inspire students to step out of the shadows, create platforms for their voices to be heard, and unite the SEMO community.