By Melissa Henderson
The University hosted the first annual Black History Month opening reception last Thursday on the 10th floor of Axinn library, as well as an African-American art exhibit from the Reader’s Digest Association (RDA) collection at the Emily Lowe Gallery.
The opening reception aimed to promote the programs that will be held throughout February. University students and faculty members had the opportunity to learn about the daily lives of Africans going through the Diaspora, the movement of about four million Africans to North America and the Caribbean island spurred by the Atlantic slave trade.
Dion Suleman, a junior member of the traditionally African-American fraternity, Alpha Phi Alpha, was the “master of programs” who introduced the entertainers and dignitaries of the night.
The University Gospel Ensemble performed an uplifting, black national anthem called “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” directed by Natalie Bethea. The Gospel Ensemble consists of about 20 students, but only a few members were present. The Gospel Ensemble also closed the ceremony with a spiritual selection called “Hold On.”
Other students artistically expressed themselves through a poetry reading from In Touch Arts, a student group sponsored by the Center for Civic Engagement.
The program’s mission is to support AfricanAmericans and Latinos by providing mentors, scholarship opportunities and information about on-campus resources such as the University’s Career Center.
Tonya Levy Odom, an alumna and current president of the University’s Black/Hispanic Alumni Association as well as a member of Delta Sigma Theta, was the keynote speaker for the opening reception.
Odom spoke about her experience at the University as a first-generation college student without a mentor. She disliked what she saw as a lack of representation for the African-American community, particularly in the Student Government Association (SGA).
As a result, Odom became active in many organizations such as the African Peoples Organization and SGA. She believed that being an active college student and becoming familiar with the administrators provided her with many opportunities and skills to advance in her career.
Odom also spoke about “spreading the knowledge of economic empowerment.” One of the ongoing struggles that many African- Americans face today is not knowing how to manage their finances properly, according to Odom, or “having [the] adequate finance literacy” to excel. She addressed the issue in her own career by becoming the vice president at Alliance Growth Equities, which offers growth investment options.
As the reception commenced, the RDA Collection offered “African American Highlights,” which featured 36 original works of painting, print making, drawing and photography.
The featured art included works from acclaimed African-American artists Willie Cole, Jacob Lawrence and Howardena Pindell. Pindell, a Philadelphia native, made a special appearance at the opening of the art exhibit. Her work is recognized for the wide variety of methods and materials used in her art. Pindell’s work is on display at the Museum of Modern Art and the Guggenheim Museum in New York City.
Along with the viewing, the program featured a selection of interpretive dance. The dance was performed by University students and choreographed by Dyane Harvey-Salaam, an adjunct professor in the dance department.
The performance featured Shaina Morrison, Swandi Wilson and an alumni, all of whom are dancers taught by Salaam. Swandi Wilson, a junior, did an interpretive dance for Willie Cole’s “Man, Spirit and Mask.” Wilson’s dance was a mixture of African, modern and break dance.
The gallery was filled with art lovers, students and faculty. “I expected to gain knowledge about African art, I didn’t expect an amazingly unique dance performance also,” said Therese Beliveau, a freshman. The “African American Highlights” will be on display until March 20.
Upcoming Black History Month events can be viewed on the University’s Web site.

Students view African art in the Emily Lowe Gallery. (Melissa Henderson)