Tech Celebrates Black History Month

Tennessee Tech will celebrate Black History Month with a series of events aimed at fostering inclusivity, education, and cultural recognition.

Director of Intercultural Affairs Charria Campbell said the university sees this month as a special time for the school, especially for students. The celebration begins with a special Soul Food Celebration Tuesday night, followed by a Gospel Extravaganza Sunday.

“That has been a priority, that everybody should be able to see and recognize that they have a place here at Tennessee Tech,” Campbell said. “That they can perform to their highest abilities, receive the education that they need to achieve whatever goals on a personal/professional level and just being able to share with each other.”

Campbell said the events are designed to be educational. She said giving back through education is the best way to honor those who came before. Campbell also said she continues to learn and has new ideas for the future.

“It’s always a continuous educational moment for me to learn, but I also look at it as an opportunity to learn all throughout the year and give that back,” Campbell said. “So some of the events are l host now but there are other events we may host at another time of the year because we want people to know that, who we are, whatever our culture and background is, is an everyday thing.”

Campbell said celebrating Black history gives everyone a chance to highlight positivity in new and meaningful ways.

“By celebrating black history, and as I mentioned, other cultural heritage or gender, whatever it is, that we may be celebrating and highlighting each month,” Campbell said. “It just gives us a chance to showcase and highlight that in multiple different ways.

Campbell said Tech collaborates with community partners for some events. She said the entire campus is involved in the initiative, working with athletics, the university president, and various programs within the school.

“The intercultural affairs office does take a lead but we also collaborate all throughout the year with individual faculty, sometimes with departments such as like the department of history who is hosting a trivia night at the end of the month,” Campbell said. “We also work with our commission on the status of blacks who helps us sponsor events not just this month but other times of the year.”

Campbell said that as an African American woman, she learned about Black history at home. She said her mother graduated from a historically Black college in Tennessee. Campbell said seeing fraternities and sororities live out the dream rather than just talk about it was surreal.

“We had some folks who did some wonderful things in our community who had businesses and got educations at places like Tennesee State University, Alabama A and M, and other universities that we can name. So for me, it’s an everyday thing.”