BENEDICT COLLEGE COMMEMORATES
AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY MONTH

Preserving a historic genre.  Local Jubilee Choirs sing powerful songs from the past that still provide strength today. Praise dancers will accentuate the program. 

Antisdel Chapel 1:00 p.m.
Dr. Ruby W. Watts, Coordinator

“African Americans and the Vote”-Part I

The year 2020 marks the sesquicentennial of Benedict College, passage of the fifteen amendment (1870) which gave the right to vote to black men, and it is the centennial of the nineteenth amendment which gave women the right to vote.

An interactive panel consisting of Attorney I.S. Leevy Johnson, Senator (Ret) Kay Patterson, Major General (Ret) Abraham Turner, The Honorable Tameika Isaac Devine, and students Ms. Faith Dupree and Mr. Jkobe Kelly-Mills will discuss their roles in the struggle to gain the right to vote for African Americans and women while the students will provide their perspectives on this struggle.

This Chapel Assembly will culminate in an on-site voter registration drive
coordinated by Mr. Terry Graham, Interim Director, Richland County Board of Voter Registration and Elections

Antisdel Chapel 11:00 a.m.
Dr. Charles Austin and Dr. Gwenda Greene, Coordinators

“African Americans and the Vote”- Part II (The Consequences of Not Voting)

An interactive panel consisting of Attorney James Felder, the Honorable Frank McClary, mayor of Andrews, S.C, the Honorable Barry Walker, Mayor of Irmo, S.C., Mr. Devin Owens, Deputy Director to the South Carolina Legislative Black Caucus, and Attorney Grethchen Owens, candidate for Richland County District 7 discuss the consequences that not voting have on criminal justice administration, education, disbursement of public funds, and political power. Student Adrien Bolton will provide her perspectives on not voting

Students are invited to participate in the Dr. Ruby W. Watts Creative Writing Competition commemorating Black History Month through an essay, written poetry, or spoken/performance poetry. All entrants will be recognized during this Chapel Assembly and prizes will be awarded to the top three entries on the theme “African Americans and the Vote” or The Consequences of Not Voting.”

The process and guidelines for entering a submission can be found in E360.

All submissions will be assessed under the guidelines developed and administered by the Communication and Arts Department.

This Chapel Assembly will culminate in an on-site voter registration drive
coordinated by Mr. Terry Graham, Interim Director, Richland County Board of Voter Registration and Elections

Dr. Charles Austin. Dr. Leon Geter and Dr. Gwenda Greene, are the coordinators. Call 803. 705.4967

Dr. Runoko Rashidi, historian and lecturer, is the keynote speaker. He is an outstanding Afrocentric scholar who will present cutting edge research on African contributions and the impact on civilization. Some of this books are “Introduction to the Study of African Classical Civilizations,” “Black Star: the African Presence in Early Europe, and “African Star Over Asia: The Black Presence in the East.”

Ponder Fine Arts Humanities Little Theater-6:00 p.m.
Dr. William F. Gunn, Coordinator

The Annual Induction of Students into the Honors Program. A program to recognize and celebrate student scholars. Dr. Glenda Gibson Levine, Chief Diversity Officer, Berkeley County School District and 1992 Benedict College Honors Program Graduate, is the speaker

Antisdel Chapel 11:00 a.m.
Dr. Gwenda Greene, Interim Chair, Honors Program

HARAMBEE FESTIVAL 31 WEEKEND CELEBRATION

Harambee Festival opens in the HRC Arena
  • Talent Search
  • Live stage performances (auditions required; prizes awarded)
  • Food vendors 
  • Merchandise vendors
  • Family fun
Call Dr. Leon Geter at 803.705.4596 or Dr. Paula Shelby at 803.4809 for audition and other information.
9:30 a.m. -5:30 p.m. –HRC Arena
 
Harambee Festival Welcomes Award winning VaShawn Mitchell and the Gospel Heritage International Workshop Summit 
 
Other Performers:
  • Terence Young and the Terence Young Experience
  • TiffanyJ
  • LaSell Williams
  • Benedict College Gospel Choir
  • Harambee Festival Community Choir
 
Merchandise Village
Bake Contest
Food Village
Women’s Village
 
Free Health Screenings
 
Children’s Village
Bounce Houses
Benedict College Marching Band of Distinction

Harambee Festival Community Choir Concert
Mr. VaShawn Mitchell, Clinician
Antisdel Chapel-4:00 p.m.

HARAMBEE 31
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