Tag: Black History Month

Despite difficulties, black excellence shines

By Rob McGreevy

Technical difficulties marred what was otherwise a proud and lively display of black excellence last night at the Quinnipiac Black Student Union’s Black History Month Showcase.

The showcase in Buckman Theater was just the latest in a series of events Quinnipiac University planned to commemorate both Black History Month and the 200th anniversary of Frederick Douglass’ birthday.

The event saw its first technical setback during this opening video when the sound feed was cut three minutes in. The video played on in silence. Awkwardly at times of black triumph, yet harrowing at any of the many instances of horror in the history of African-Americans. The sound continued to be resurrected and subsequently cut throughout the night.


Despite the difficulties, the crowd still enjoyed multiple performances that included poetry from students, a performance from Quinnipiac spirit group Step to Perfection, and a series of intermittent hip-hop, spoken word and beatbox performances from proverbial warm-up guy/hype man Frank E. Brady (affectionately referred to as The Hope Dealer).

Though the members of the Black Student Union who organized the event were clearly disappointed, they still had a vision for what the night meant to them and their fellow black students. The organization’s director of public relations Kerri Gravesande described the event as a celebration of black excellence.

“The point of this event was to show the different aspects of black history,” she said. “It’s not like slavery is forgotten but that’s not the point of this, it’s not a pity party and it’s not a cry for help, it to show everybody that we are resilient people and we always come back stronger and that we’ve done amazing things.”

When asked what black excellence meant to her, Black Student Union Secretary Coralie Joseph said, “I would say it begins with just loving yourself and accepting yourself… and realizing you are useful to society whether you see it or not. It doesn’t matter the adversities that you’ve faced throughout your life you are a very valued person in society… and taking that and using that to help other people, not keeping it to yourself and sharing it with the rest of the world.”

When asked the same question, Gravisande simply said “Us.”

Danny Glover kick starts Black History Month at QU

By Victoria Rutigliano

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Danny Glover sat down with members in and around the Quinnipiac community Tuesday night to discuss the start of Black History Month and how he’s using his platform to speak about change.
 
Known for his roles on camera from movies such as “Lethal Weapon,” “The Color Purple,” and “Angels in the Outfield,” Glover said he and his mom both agreed his fame was meant to go beyond the movies he performed in. This agreement was what brought him to Quinnipiac’s campus.
 
Glover discussed how his passion didn’t come from acting, but by identifying and looking up to people like his parents, Bob Moses, and several civil rights movements.
 
“I want to be of some use,” Glover said. “At the beginning, I felt that I was of some use and the idea of being a child of the civil rights movement and how much I identified with those moments.”
 


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He discussed using his acting, like in “Master Harold,” as a way to start a discussion not just about black people, but about the world.
 
“It gave me a path, it gave me a way,” Glover said. “Not only could I talk about the system of Apartheid in the most brilliant writing. At the same time I could express about how I feel about the world and the justice of the world.”
 
Don Sawyer, the interim associate vice president for academic affairs and chief diversity officer at Quinnipiac, spoke on the importance of having someone like Glover, who’s had a strong presence on TV, talk about ways he’s reaching out to help others.
 
“I mean a lot of people know him as an actor but not a lot know necessarily about his activism,” Sawyer said. “You don’t have to just be an actor or just be an activist but you can blend your career with also the support of the local community.”