Sitting down in the small School of Business office of Prof. James Marshall, I learned a lot about one of the key people behind Black History Month events. Three years ago, Prof. Marshall who went to law school but decided he wanted to be a teacher. What an impact he has had in his time here at Quinnipiac.
Prof. Marshall is the advisor of the Black Student Union (BSU), as well as being on the Black History Month Committee. When Marshall visited the campus of Quinnipiac he fell in love with it. He said it’s a tranquil place on a nice spring summer day and just looks like a great place to be. When you drive up and see the mountains and campus, it’s just so beautiful says Marshall.
Professor Marshall says his goals and his committee’s goals for Black History Month were to design events and programs that would attract students to them. Programs that students would attend, and participate in, during Black History Month. So far, it has been very successful.
There has been a good turn out at events by both the faculty and the staff, along with a great number of residents of the community have come to the events to support Black History Month and Quinnipiac University. Prof. Marshall says he hopes in future years to involve students more and more in the process of bringing different events here for Black History Month. There were not any students on his committee but many faculty and staff were on it. Some members include Prof. Duffy, Prof. McLean and Dave DeAngelis.
Prof. Marshall says he wants students to be aware of Black History Month. He wants students to “be aware that there are different ethnic and cultural groups out there and to remind everyone that we need to go more towards working together to achieve our goals in society.” Reminding students of cultures and differences and how we all need to work together.
One of the major focuses of the committee was on sharing and trying to bring people together. Prof. Marshall said he and his committee wanted to bring events that were fun students could laugh at or sing at. BSU was in charge of Apollo Night and bringing the Harlem Wizards to Quinnipiac. They also did an event with Hillel from Swastika to Jim Crow.
Prof. Marshall hopes that one day we can expand the whole concept of Black History Month into Black History year. Spread out events through the whole year. Increase collaboration between other organizations on campus especially the other cultural organizations on campus.
Come out and support Black History Month. If you missed some of the Black History Month events, you missed out on a great time. Kweisi Mfume, the President of the NAACP, came to Quinnipiac and spoke on Feb. 1. Apollo night was last Saturday, Feb. 17 with comedian Retta and five student acts. First place went to the Dance Mode Squad along with a nice prize of $150.
On Feb. 19, Dance Mode Squad performed at the Women’s Basketball game. You also missed the Harlem Wizards take on Nate Pondexter, Eric Yutzy, Abdul Staten and other QU students this past Tuesday, Feb. 20 at Burt Kahn Court.
You still have a chance to go to the following Black History Month events: On Monday, Feb. 26, Dance Mode Squad is performing at Men’s Basketball game. James and Friends, featuring Prof. James Marshall, will be performing a Nat King Cole style jazz performance at 4p.m. in Buckman Theatre on Sunday Feb. 25!
So in the future, go out and support diversity. Support the different ethnic and cultural groups on campus and go out and support Black History Month.