The Delta Iota chapter of Delta Sigma Theta recently hosted a Black History Program that included different historical perspectives.
Afterward an opening prayer led by DST member Micayla Mason, the program viewed the first bit of history with the reading of the quote/poem from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.,“Street Sweeper,” recited by Regernique Rasco. Dr. King explained that if you’re going to be a street sweeper, then be the best street sweeper you can be, which is a metaphor for people to be the best they can at whatever they do.
The program then proceeded to a skit performed Deltas that entailed how Black people of the past viewed the world vs. Black people of the present.
The skit also aimed to inspire students to be more appreciative of what they have in this day and age. At the end of the skit the girls all joined hands and began to sing, showing that coming together and getting ahead as a people is what’s important.
The main event of the program came next with the speaker for the evening Grambling State’s own Dr. Sandra Lee, a professor in Mass Communication Department.
Dr. Lee spoke to the students about her childhood up through her adulthood and the different experiences she had with racism as a Black woman coming of age in the 1960s. She explained how she had to drink “colored water” as a child, which meant she had to drink from a water fountain with low quality water and a sign on it labeled “colored” for Black people to drink from.
Dr. Lee also told the students how she was not able to have a high school graduation ceremony until several years after graduating due to her White classmates voting against it because of shame they would feel walking in the ceremony alongside the Black students.
This showed how strong racism existed at point in time, and Dr. Lee asked students if they had any experiences with racism today, to which some replied they do still have different experiences with racism.
“I think racism still exists, just in different forms, but I’ve learned that they can’t hold us down because we’re capable of great things,” said Jamal Otokiti, a criminal justice major from Chicago.
Many who attended said the session was beneficial.
“I feel like Black history is very important for us to know especially since we’re Black,” said Teonna Watson, a kinesiology major from Shreveport.
“We had to take time to learn about White history in most of our previous history classes, so why not take the time to learn our own historical facts?”
At the end of Dr. Lee’s speech, the Deltas presented her with a high school diploma in honor of her not receiving her proper graduation until years later.
The Feb. 12 ended with a closing prayer and refreshments.