Xavier University of Louisiana Sees Improvement In Black History Month Turnout
Black History Month at Xavier University of Louisiana has not been eventful as it has in 2017. For the past three years, Xavier has consistently put on thorough Black History Month events for the staff, students and public but it hasn’t been accepted with welcoming arms.
In 2014, the University held a variety of events that captured the students' interest. The school held a day of service, black history trivia night, and held an event where students saw their black history portrayed in media.
In 2015, notable alumni were honored throughout the month along with events from 2014 to keep students engaged.
In 2016, Xavier was going through transition to welcome their new president Dr. C. Reynold Verret, they held a week’s worth of events.
“The events were focused on song, poetry, music, but not really on speakers,” said Javon Bracy, a graduate of Xavier and an adviser for the Center for Undergraduate Research and Opportunity on campus.
Albeit these events were enticing, they didn’t have the intended effect on the students of Xavier. “I honestly didn’t see the point of those events," said Cheron Perkins, a senior Biology Pre-Med major. I feel like Xavier has shown a lack of interest in the month in the past, but this year, the University has celebrated it right.”
This year, Xavier’s Activity Board (XAB) and NAACP chapter hosted events and intertwined them with social media to get more recognition. XAB held a Scavenger Hunt with products from black inventors. And NAACP consistently posted a notable member of the black community on Twitter. XAB also sponsored an interactive gathering where they brought in African dancers to come teach the students a few
traditional dances. “I really enjoyed the dance, but the most eye-opening thing was experiencing a culture that I’m distant from. It was sort of like a family reunion,” said Cherelle Perkins, a freshman Biology Pre-Med major.
“The lack of social media in the past is what kept Xavier from having a huge impact on the students," said Trenton Butler, a junior Political Science major. "But now the tide has changed and Xavier is taking full advantage of that resource.”
Millennials have increasingly become the focus for many in the marketing industry, and for good reason. When looking at recent statistics, 90 percent of millennials are using smartphones, 93 percent are accessing the internet, and 53 percent own tablets. Utilizing social media has been key in having a resurgence to a well-liked black history month at Xavier.
For Black History Month 2017,
Xavier hosted two events with notable black speakers such as Marc Lamont Hill and Shaun King. Between the two, they have accumulated a following of 930,000 followers on Twitter. They use their large social media following to speak out on politics and be an activist for the black community. “I credit Amber Davis Prince and Campus Activities for their hard work coordinating and executing the speaker series,” Bracy said.