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It’s rare to find an organization that will last very long on a campus; especially one that has lasted as long as the Black Student Union (BSU) has. The BSU held a gala this past Friday, Oct. 16, to celebrate 40 years of this organizations’ existence. The room was filled with students and alumni dressed up in their formal evening attire. Upon entering, there were balloons everywhere, lit candles all over, nicely dressed tables, party favors, and smooth, calming music to start off the evening the right way.
In 1968, the initial BSU founders were in search of rights for African-Americans on UNC Charlotte’s campus. In 1969, the black students in attendance at UNCC finally decided to stop taking the back seat in the on-going struggle for justice and equality among their peers. Through candle-lit vigils, sit-ins, and marches, the few black students on our campus at the time achieved what was thought to be seemingly impossible. Against the odds, the students seemed strong, unmovable, motivated and willing to do anything to see the success of blacks on UNC Charlotte’s campus.
“I strongly believe that without the BSU, UNC Charlotte would not be the diverse institution that it is today. That is why this gala is so important. It’s vital that we celebrate all of our accomplishments. We invited all of campus, both students and administrators, and have had a resounding number of alumni excited about returning to campus to celebrate,” said BSU 40th Anniversary Planning Chair Amber Timberlake.
The night began with a welcome from the BSU President, Khrystin Bryant and went through a series of events. There was a special presentation by Shalonte Massey, the BSU Historian, and a guest speaker, Dr. Gregory Davis, who is the President of the Black Alumni Association. There was also a prayer by BSU Political Affairs Chair Eddie Harris. With all the activities going on, the guests seemed to be entertained and eager to continue with the festivities. After dinner was served, the guests danced the night away with an array of music.
“The theme is ‘Tried By Fire: Emerged As A Rudy’ and is truly the tale of BSU. We’ve gone through our battles and struggles but in the end we have risen as a strong family that continues to impact the campus community as well as the Charlotte community,” said Timberlake, “It is so fulfilling to be a part of an organization that has such strong roots. The evening went wonderful and this is the first event that we’ve had in a while, that the BSU has hosted, and it turned out to be a huge success.”
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