Black Groups Sponsor Desegregation Events

This year's desegregation events combined history, tradition and culture with help from campus groups.

In the 50th celebration of desegregation at the University of Georgia, many student organizations came together to sponsor events and programs on campus.

“They aide and assist in acculturation,” said Culpepper Clark, Dean of the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication at UGA. These black student groups held galas, preformed ceremonies and put on productions, inviting the UGA campus to celebrate 50 years of desegregation.

“We need an environment where we are open to our differences and welcome them,” said Clark. “You get the rich experience of interacting with anybody and everybody.”

One club, the Abeneefoo Kuo Honor Society, is devoted to “scholarship, leadership, and service” on the UGA campus and surrounding areas. Founded in 1977, the ABK is devoted to the pursuit of greatness in all areas and they provide “educational, career, and personal assistance to members of ABK and others.”

“We are the first and only African-centered honor society on campus,” said Bridgette Burton, Director of Community Service for ABK.

The ABK also works with the Athens Area Homeless Shelter, W. R. Coile Middle School and the Northeast Georgia Food Bank.

On Feb. 5th, ABK held their 2011 member induction as part of the events of desegregation. Members participated in rituals and ceremonies as part of their induction into the honor society.

“Our induction is unique in that we have a specific tradition of pinning and giving our members stoles,” said Burton. “The stoles are worn at all of the formal occasions hosted by our society.”
In Swahili, Abeneefoo Kuo means “circle of honor.”

“During the desegregation events, we added 12 new members into our circle,” said Burton.

ABK also holds an annual spelling bee called “Play on Words” in which other multicultural organizations participate. At the spelling bee, “student groups play and spell both dictionary and slang words to win prizes from local businesses,” Burton adds.

Another society, the Black Affairs Council, also sponsored desegregation events this year.
Formally known as the Black Student Union, the Black Affairs Council aims to encourage black students to create programs and to reach out on the UGA campus. With 140 members, the Black Affairs council calls themselves the “socio-cultural educational arm of the African American community” at UGA.

The Black Affairs Council has many objectives as a large student organization. First, the council aims to supplement widespread understanding of black culture and to support the ideas of the Multicultural Services and Programs at UGA.

The council also promotes the leadership of black students and encourages their attendance at national workshops and conventions. Also, the BAC aims to expand the perspective of black students and highlight their skills and talents while they are UGA students.

This year's Unity Ball, as part of the 50th Anniversary of Desegregation at UGA events, was sponsored by the BAC.

“It is an annual event to commemorate and celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s dream of unity and brotherhood across any and all cultural lines,” said Michelle Gibson, Cultural and Social Programming Committee Chair for the Black Affairs Council. “This is one of the only formal annual events hosted by a myriad of organizations to not only showcase culture, but truly celebrate it.”

The BAC meets every other Wednesday at the Miller Learning Center room 248 at 5:15 p.m.
Another student group, the UGA Black Theatrical Ensemble, is promoting the celebration of desegregation through the fine arts.

The BTE is for students interested in drama, giving them an outlet for their talents even if they have little or no experience. The BTE aims to introduce members of the audience to aspects of African American theater.

“Our purpose is to produce shows that celebrate African American playwrights and artists,” said Burton, the Marketing and PR Director for the BTE.

The BTE is open to all students regardless of theatrical background. They also provide members with opportunities to work in production, costumes, design, managing and community service.

“All parts of the show are done by students - writing, directing, acting, technical, marketing, et cetera,” said Burton.

This winter's performance, “Supernatural Courage: Love, Passion, Sacrifice,” was promoted as a desegregation event and was held on the night of Feb. 17.

“The program was put on in honor of Mr. Lynwoodt Benard Jenkins, a graduate student in the Department of Theatre and Film Studies,” said Burton. The late Jenkins was also the director of the BTE's fall production, Sweet Mama Stringbean, and a graduate assistant in the LGBT Resource Center.

“As an organization, we wanted to celebrate the artist that Lynwoodt was and the passion he had for theatre,” said Burton.

The title of the program was inspired by Lynwoodt's final original piece titled “Supernatural.”
Students in the department of Theatre and Film Studies, a well as members of Pamoja dance company, the LGBT Resource Center, and the Beta Zeta Chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Inc. worked together to present “Supernatural Courage” as an addition to this year's desegregation events.