OBU photos by Austin Canfield.
OBU photos by Austin Canfield.
OBU photos by Austin Canfield.
Students and Professors Hold Read-In for Black History Month
March 1, 2016
OBU’s United Students of Color, in conjunction with the OBU English Department, hosted an African American Read-In Friday, Feb. 26. Different volunteer readers shared literary works from various African American authors to an audience in the Geiger Center on the OBU campus.
The month of February is celebrated annually as Black History month or African American History month in the United States of America. It was originally founded by Dr. Carter G. Woodson, a professor of history who earned his Ph.D. from Harvard in 1912, as a week to celebrate and learn about the many achievements of African Americans in America.
The first Black History Month was celebrated at Kent State University in Ohio in 1970. Several years later in 1976, President Gerald Ford urged citizens to participate in learning about the many contributions African Americans have made in the United States of America. It is important to note that while achievements of African Americans are recognized during Black History month, American history is comprised of significant contributions by people from various ethnicities and walks of life.
The University also held a special display titled “OBU Black History: Profiles of Excellence,” featuring a walk through OBU history in the Geiger Center hallway through photos highlighting some of OBU's most prolific African American leaders.
Thursday, March 3, the University will host an African American History Forum in the Tulsa Royalties Auditorium inside Bailey Business Center. The event takes place at 3:30 p.m. The forum, sponsored by the United Students of Color, will feature Mechelle Brown, program coordinator for the Greenwood Cultural Center in Tulsa. She will be sharing the rich history of the historic in Tulsa, dubbed America's "Black Wall Street" by Booker T. Washington. The 35-block Greenwood District in Tulsa became a prosperous center for black commerce in the early 1900s, housing more than 300 black-owned businesses including hotels, theaters, restaurants and much more. She will detail the history of the community along with the racial tension and infamous riot of 1921.