Jefferson Black Student Union (BSU) hosted its annual Black History Month festival on Feb. 9. The 2024 national theme is “African Americans and their Arts,” highlighting the impact of African Americans on music, culture and the visual arts.
In this year’s celebration, there were multiple events, such as a jazz music performance by Jefferson’s jazz ensemble, a fashion show with models representing African-American style and opportunities for black students to connect with individuals in STEM careers.
“We decided to work with the PTSA [Parent Teacher Student Association] which gives us access to more money and more connections,” junior treasurer Olaa Elgamri said. “We were able to invite lots of people, such as alumni from [Jefferson], to come and speak, and it honestly is such an upgrade from last year’s and I definitely think it is for the better.”
The added activities include the likes of a trivia Google Form, games, and prizes.
“The goal of this event is to bring Black and African culture to [Jefferson],” junior historian Jarin Earle said. “There’s so much beauty and uniqueness in our culture and even though there are not many of us, we still want to show [Jefferson] the greatness of our traditions and decorations and food and music. Every year Namaste, Chinese Honor Society, or Muslim Student Association, hosts these amazing and extravagant celebrations that show the beauty and richness of their cultures, and we want to do the same.”
However, the planning of this celebration didn’t come with ease.
“We had to deal with a lot of the normal stuff that comes with planning events, like reaching out to people to be guest speakers, finding catering, getting decorations, and delegating tasks,” Earle said.
Organizing the gospel choir, which dedicated time to performing the well-received jazz, proved to be an obstacle for the BSU officers.
“The most challenging aspect for us was organizing the musical showcase because we had to reach out to the director of a local choir, arrange music for [Jefferson] student musicians, organize practices and ensure that everyone had their equipment to perform,” Earle said.
Although the BSU officers had a vision to foster connections between black students and important figures in STEM, it proved to be a daunting task.
“There was the added pressure of having representatives from the US Department of Education coming to highlight student music programs, so there was a lot of stress in the planning,” Earle stated.
However, they managed to maneuver through the obstacle, and the jazz performers comprised of church gospel singers and students.
“We had to reach out to the director of a local choir, arrange music for TJ student musicians, organize practices and ensure that everyone had their equipment to perform,” Earle expressed.
They performed pieces such as “On a Hymnsong of Phillip Bliss,” “Be Grateful” and “Total Praise.” For their last piece, members of BSU handed out papers with the lyrics of “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” the Black National Anthem.
“I [was] excited for the choir and instrumental ensemble,” Earle said. “However, I and other BSU members worked really hard to arrange music for these instruments, a lot of which are not usually featured in gospel music.”