WVU Center for Black Culture

The Center for Black Culture sponsored Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Incorporated Pi Mu Chapter’s annual Black Experience Event. President Gee made a special appearance, connecting with the community.

Join The Center for Black Culture during Welcome Week for our Annual Welcome Back Cookout on Thursday August 22, 2024 at 5:00pm on the Mountainlair Green. There will be free food, games, Live Music by WVU Students, Faculty and Staff are welcome! We are giving away a Xbox, PlayStation 5, TV and $500 in gift cards. Must be in attendance to win raffle prize

CALLING ALL FRESHMAN!

The LIFT Mentoring Program is a peer mentoring, academic readiness, and transition support program designed to assist student’s successful matriculation through their first-year at West Virginia University.

Our programs ease the transition from high school to college and help minimize academic and social challenges by engaging in university support services, peer-to-peer support, and raising awareness of various campus resources. This program fosters connection and community development and helps our students build skills to effectively navigate college, socially and academically. This critical support starts with our pre-orientation program (The WARMup) and continues through the academic year with various programming to support your student.

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“Who you are is beautiful and amazing.” Happy Pride Month!

“🎓 Honoring excellence and legacy! Join us at the WVU Center for Black Culture’s Donning of The Kente Ceremony as we celebrate the remarkable graduating class of 2024. 🌟✊🏾 📸 Link to all pictures in bio!

Happy Graduate Student Appreciation Week.

The Center gives a huge shout out to Charles Green. We thank you for all that you do!

Today’s highlight for is one of our very own, Blessing Udah! We appreciate all that Blessing does for the Center and know, she is crushing it every day!

The day is almost over, however you can still keep donating, we are making a real change here! 💙💛

Keep donating, we are making a real change here! 💙💛

Help us reach our goal of supporting students through donating to assist us with programming, and support of Black student organizations. You can donate as little as $5. Like and share to help spread the word!

Today is ! Help support The Center for Black Culture by donating what you can to assist us with programming, and support of Black student organizations. You can donate as little as $5. If you’re unable to give that’s okay, your share can be just as impactful! 💛💙
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On the day Aisha “Pinky” Cole was born, her father was sentenced to life in prison. Ever since, she’s hustled to change her family’s situation. In late January, she opened a restaurant — the impishly named Slutty Vegan — and she is already expanding across the South’s largest city, putting food trucks on the road, offering franchises, and banking seven digits in revenue. It might also change fundamentally the way Southerners look at vegan eating. Pinky Cole is surely a woman that is crushing it in her field! This Women’s History month, we want to celebrate our Women Crushing Wednesdays with women like Pinky, crushing it in her field. Stay tuned for next week’s 💛💙

Tomorrow March 20th beginning at midnight is the WVU Day of Giving Use the link below to show support to the Center for Black Culture. The Center has supported all Black student organizations, traveled for the first time ever to the Big 12 on Black Student Government Conference, had a robust Black History Month schedule, and increased engagement with the Black Alumni Association.
https://go.wvu.edu/4g8gt

Tonight in the Mountaineer Room at 7PM!

In wrapping up all the spring break fun activities, we are highlighting our very own alumnus Lauryn Christian Alexander for this week’s . Lauryn is the first Black woman to earn a PhD at WVU. She is crushing it and we hope the best for her career post graduation.

Today is International Women’s Day, celebrate with the Center for Black Culture all month long!🙌🏽🤍

We at the Center for Black culture are taking each Wednesday this month to give our picks for “Women Crushing Wednesday”! Highlighting women who are, or already have been, crushing it in their field of expertise.
Today we honor Janice Burgess, the creator of Nickelodeon’s “The Backyardigans,” she passed away in Manhattan’s hospice care at 72, per The New York Times. Originally from Pittsburgh, Burgess graduated from Brandeis University in 1973 with an art history degree. She ventured into television, starting at craft services for Pittsburgh’s WQED TV station, then moved up in positions at Children’s Television Workshop, contributing to shows like “3-2-1 Contact” and “Ghostwriter.” Joining Nickelodeon, she oversaw shows like “Blue’s Clues” and “Gullah Gullah Island.” Transitioning to the creative side, she developed a pilot for “Me and My Friends” in 1998, later transformed into “The Backyardigans.” The series, running from 2004 to 2013 with 80 episodes, featured song and dance routines, following five animal friends in their backyard adventures. Burgess also worked as a story editor on “Winx Club” and co-developed “Bubble Guppies.”

West Virginia University at the Big 12 on Black Student Government Banquet hosted by Iowa State University!

Empowering women, celebrating resilience. 🌟 Join us at the Center for Black Culture as we honor the trailblazers, innovators, and change-makers who have shaped history and continue to inspire us every day. ”

Recapping the close of Black History Month 2024 with events from our Black Student Organizations and other partnering orgs on campus. Thanks to all who attended each event and we welcome this new month with high hopes for further uplift and success to all the WVU students.

Gerald Wilson, born in Shelby, Mississippi, was a jazz luminary celebrated for his prowess as a trumpeter, composer, arranger, and bandleader. Raised in Detroit, he honed his musical talents, initially learning piano from his mother and later receiving formal training in Memphis. Further refining his skills at Cass Technical High School’s renowned music program, Wilson developed a distinctive sound characterized by intricate harmonies. His band, acclaimed for blending blues with diverse musical styles, earned a stellar reputation in the jazz world. Wilson’s influential legacy resonates across generations, inspiring artists from Duke Ellington to Ella Fitzgerald

Today we honor Gil Scott-Heron. As a multifaceted artist based in New York City, he left an indelible mark as a writer, spoken word performer, poet, and musician. His influential work in the 1970s laid the groundwork for rap music, earning him the title “godfather of rap.” The iconic phrase “The revolution will not be televised,” drawn from his poem, encapsulates his keen observations on media representation and social activism. Scott-Heron’s powerful critiques extended to songs like “Whitey on the Moon,” which spotlighted societal injustices, contrasting America’s space exploration with the neglect of African American welfare. His profound impact reverberates through generations, with his music and words sampled by contemporary artists like Common and Kendrick Lamar.

Today we honor Ann Lowe. Lowe, born in Clayton, Alabama, emerged as a leading figure in American fashion design. Raised in a lineage of skilled dressmakers, she honed her craft from an early age, infusing her creations with the beauty of her family’s garden. Lowe’s career gained momentum when she secured a position as an in-house gown maker in Florida before furthering her education in design in New York City. Establishing her own shop in Tampa, Florida, she employed 18 seamstresses. Her exquisite designs graced the pages of Vogue and adorned celebrities at prestigious events, including the Academy Awards. Notably, Lowe’s historic masterpiece was the wedding dress worn by Jacqueline Bouvier when she married Senator John F. Kennedy, later becoming President.

Today we honor Henrietta Lacks. Lacks was diagnosed with cervical cancer at Johns Hopkins in 1951, unknowingly became a medical pioneer. Her cells, taken without consent, possessed a rare ability to replicate rapidly. Despite her passing at 31, her cells, known as HeLa cells, became invaluable to medical research. They were instrumental in testing radiation and poisons, understanding the human genome, and developing the polio vaccine. Oprah’s HBO adaptation of “The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks” brought her story to a wider audience in 2017.

Benjamin O. Davis, Sr., made history as the first African American general in the U.S. Army, embarking on a distinguished 50-year career. He began as a temporary first lieutenant during the Spanish American War and held various influential roles, including professor of military science at Tuskegee and Wilberforce University. Davis commanded the 369th Infantry of the New York National Guard and served as Special Assistant to the Commanding General. His exemplary service earned him accolades such as the Bronze Star Medal and the Distinguished Service Medal. Davis rests in Arlington National Cemetery, his legacy cemented in American military history.

Today we honor Ella Baker, she was a pivotal figure in the civil rights movement, serving as a field secretary for the NAACP and organizing against Jim Crow laws. She played a crucial role in the Southern Christian Leadership Conference and was instrumental in founding the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), which spearheaded nonviolent protest and voter registration drives. Baker’s legacy lives on through the Ella Baker Center for Human Rights, continuing her fight for social justice.

Alvin Ailey, renowned as a dancer and choreographer, left an indelible mark on modern dance. He refined his craft at the Lester Horton Dance Theater, eventually assuming directorship after Horton’s passing. Ailey sought to innovate beyond traditional ballet, leading him to establish the groundbreaking Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in 1958. This multiracial troupe not only showcased his visionary works but also provided a platform for talented Black dancers, touring globally. His masterpiece, “Revelations,” pays homage to the Southern Black Church. Despite his untimely death from AIDS at 58, Ailey’s legacy endures through his company, which continues to thrive in New York City.

Re-Discover the WVU Center for Black Culture and dive into opportunities to get involved! 🙌🏽🎓 Join us for a lively session where you can ask questions, share ideas, and be a part of shaping the future! 🗣️💬

📅 Save the date and click the link to learn more: https://fb.me/e/ezRffF9qb

Tag your fellow Black Alumni – let’s unite and make our mark on the Mountaineer legacy!

Today we recognize Phillis Wheatley, a West African-born poet, endured enslavement while serving the Wheatley family in the mid-1700s. Despite lacking a formal education, she made history as the first African American to publish a book of poetry, “Poems on Various Subjects.” Sadly, Wheatley passed away before finding a publisher for her second volume. Her legacy lives on through a monument at the Boston Women’s Memorial. Recently, a University at Albany professor unearthed a new Wheatley poem, “On the Death of Love Rotch,” now recognized as her earliest full-length elegy.