Flag Acknowledgement Ceremony Starts Black History Month

To kick off Black History Month, the Center for Civic and Student Engagement and Africana Studies sponsored the first Black History Month Flag Raising, which will hopefully become a foreseeable tradition here at Drew. 

As the presentation of the flags occurred, Zaire Wright (‘27) underscored the symbolic nature of these icons, encompassing hope, personal experiences, resilience, hate, silence and trauma. These flags do not just conform to rigid symbolic ideals; their connotations have shifted dramatically throughout their history, and students and faculty who came to the event gave their own meaning to each flag. 

The Pan-African flag, Pan-African American flag and Black Lives Matter flag were introduced alongside an explanation of their distinctive history within the Black experience, especially in America. The student presenters, Wright, Aniya Gordon-Ellis (‘27), Brazil Brown (‘26) and Christdia Mensah (‘27),  shared that the meanings behind these flags are universal, and go far beyond just a single minority’s lived experience within the US. 

“Black History Month is a time where we can sit back and reflect and know that all of these things did happen, and asks the question: What is there that we are gonna do to further this greatness, this achievement?” said Mensah. “And though there is a heritage of suffering and a heritage of slavery, that there is also a great heritage of excellence.”

One student, Krishell Williams (‘27), expressed how events like this at Drew made her feel seen, as opposed to her previous experience at a predominantly white institution.

“I’ve never even really seen my people’s representation in my life, you know, besides my mom being the walking, breathing version of success, coming here when she was 12.

This event helped students feel seen and honored…but besides that, just thank you,” said Williams. 

Drew has taken the time and initiative to give all kinds of students a sense of strength and unity in regard to identity. Muthoni Githinji, the head coordinator of Black History Month at Drew, spearheaded the creation of the entire month’s events and collaborations to make sure that the BIPOC community on campus felt seen and heard. 

“I attempted to bring together different departments on campus,” said Githinji. “Such as the CAE, African Studies, the Bookstore, the theater department, academic department, faculty, staff, even The Commons; every department had a role to play because Black History Month is about everyone, especially everyone who identifies as a person of color.”

Amira Mutakabbir (‘25), Andrew Lora (‘24), Jahiem Azeez (‘25), Khyri Fortenberry (‘24), Coordinator of Diversity and Inclusion Programming Monica Madera and alumni Rouguie Camara (C’23) were also key players in the creation of Drew’s Black History Month celebrations, and they made sure to emphasize the key role Githinji had in making all of this happen. “She put so much of her own love into this project,” said Lora. 

The vision for Black History Month at Drew has grown immensely since 2023 when the celebration lasted only a week. Now this group of students is giving Black History Month its time to shine on campus. Student leader collaborations—along with faculty support—were the cornerstone for this series of events’ success. Organizations contributing to events this month include: Drew African Students Association; the Racial Justice Committee; Black Student Union; ARIEL; African, Black and Carribean House; La Casa Latina; the English department; the theater department; the Center for Academic Excellence; the Drew Bookstore; the Department of Residence Life and Housing; the Center for Civic Engagement; Diversity, Equity and Inclusion; Drew Night Life; First-Steps and the NAACP. 

Mutakabbir, Lora and Azeez hoped that this event would set a precedent for how to celebrate Black History Month at Drew in the future, especially as a community. 

“It’s not just us trying to do something for our community,” Mutakabbir said. She wants this event to become a campus-wide celebration in which all students support each other. Students like Gordon-Ellis want to keep this tradition alive and expand its reach.

“I think traditions like this should keep going. It should not just stop this year or with this group of people. It should continue. And it is also something that Drew has to foster for other ethnic groups as well,” said Gordon-Ellis.

Lora added that the support of Drew’s faculty was a major inspiration. Some of these faculty include Dr. Tami Navarro, department chair of Pan-African studies; Mecca Madyun, associate professor and faculty director of civically engaged teaching and learning and Sean Hewitt, director of the center for civic engagement. Hewitt also stressed the significance of this event in fostering a community for all students. 

“I hope you all see each other and how beautiful it is that you are making a place where you can make this community and that you have partners,” said Navarro, reminding students of the people amongst them who are here to support and uplift them.

“What are you going to do?” said Madyun, calling students to action, hoping that this event would open up discussion and a place for asking questions beyond Black History Month.

“It takes one person to start a movement,” said Githinji, “but it takes the magnitude to continue it, to grow on the cultural significance that people of color have on Drew’s campus and out in the real world. What we do now and how the school shows they care and how people from different departments can come together for one cause can show people that they can unite people in such a polarized society in the world beyond Drew’s campus.”To round out the month, other Drew Black History Month events include Professional Day, an NAACP talk and A Touch of Soul, which will feature live music, cultural food and dancing. For more information about Black History Month events being hosted, check the calendar below.

Nicole Sydor is a junior majoring in English and French and minoring in psychology and education.