Arianna Deans
Black History Month is a time to celebrate black Americans and to recognize the accomplishment they have made to history. February is dedicated to this celebration.
This year the Shorter Multicultural Club and Student Life is sponsoring all the events geared around Black History Month. The events give students the opportunity to reflect on the history and changes significant persons brought about in America.
“My favorite African-American man would have to be Martin Luther King,” said Cody Maria, sophomore biology major. “He preached non- violence and paved the way for not only black Americans but also other
minorities as well.”
The first event for Black History Month was the game show on Feb. 1. The game show was structured around black history questions where students had the opportunity to win prizes. This year, the student who answered two questions correctly in a row won groceries.
“Learning about African-American history has really given me an understanding on my heritage and has made me appreciate where I came from,” said Ryan Mayo, junior education major.
The second event was the movie night on Feb. 6. The movie shown was “Jumping the Broom,” a comedy about a wedding ceremony that forces two different families, (one from uptown Brooklyn and one from downtown), to blend two cultural traditions to keep their families happy.
The third event was the Gospel Explosion on Feb. 7. Choirs from the Rome area and Shorter’s Gospel Choir were represented at the event. The fourth event was the Spellman Glee Club, which featured songs and some short skits.
The next event was the step show on Friday, Feb. 17, in the Winthrop King Centre. The step show featured the National Pan- Hellenic Council Organizations from Mercer University, a small group from Maine Elementary, Rome Middle and Shorter students.
Another event was “Our Voices” on Monday, Feb. 20. “Our Voices” is a place where students can voice their opinions and talk about issues with other students around campus.
Following “Our Voices” was Mr. GQ, a pageant for male students. This is a competition that promotes male scholastic achievement and leadership. The pageant offers contestants the opportunity to win a $1,000 scholarship.
The last event for Black History Month was the Scholars’ Luncheon on Feb. 20. This luncheon was invitation only. To be accepted into the scholars’ luncheon, students must be of the African-American descent and have at least at 3.0 GPA. President Dr. Dowless and other special guests attended to honor scholars.
“I felt like these events are appropriate to allow students to have fun and get an understanding about black history,” said Whitney Mosley, assistant director of student life.
