Monday night, February 26, saw a crowd dressed in black in a candle-lit chapel for this year’s Night of Remembrance. Hosted by Men in Color and SLU Slam Poets, the event was a celebration of the legacy of people of color. It began with campus chaplains Sean Whitehead and Kathleen Buckley reminding the audience why honoring those before us is so important: “There is a gift in remembering…as long as we remember them, they continue to live.” The night continued with a series of powerful and poignant words and performances from students and faculty.
Namarig Kram ’18 spoke of the loss of self and identity she experienced when she first came to SLU as a woman of color, and how she was able to gain self-love, friends, and her voice. Professor Abye Assefa, of the sociology department, spoke of the history and purpose of Black History Month.
According to History.com, the origins of Black History Month started in 1915, as the prominent scholar Carter G. Woodson and Minister Jesse E. Moorland and Minister Carter G Woodson founded what is known today as the Association for the Study of African American Life and History. What started as a mere “National Negro History Week” in 1926 soon grew into today’s Black History Month.
Hana Bushara ’21 performed an original song, titled “Lead,” inspired by Trayvon Martin, whose death was six years ago on Monday. She explained, “I was upset because [Trayvon] looked a lot like my brother, and a lot of our brothers and sisters look like him. But it’s not just about him, it’s also about reflecting on the lives we lead.” She asserted that “it’s important to remember who paved the way for us so we not only know where we’re going but also why it’s important to keep on going.”
Ken Weathers ’21 performed a few bars of an original rap from the perspective of Nat Turner, an American slave who led a rebellion in 1831. He invited the audience to guess who he was portraying. Shanice Arlow ’20 spoke of honoring her predecessors who lived in a world that did not have a space carved out for them. She said, “Tonight…we carve out a space for them,” by honoring their legacy. Rahel Mideska ’21 recited an original poem remembering her father and celebrating her mother. Professor Madeliene Wong, from the Global Studies department, spoke of personal remembrance and how remembrance of those who came before you can lead to progress and change.
Hamidou Sylla ’21, M.C. and organizer of the night, said the event was to remember and honor the legacy and influence of “loved ones who are no longer with us, and for those from the past who have given up their lives for us to live as comfortably as we do today, especially when it comes to black people, and to be grateful and rejoice those who are still here with us.”
The event concluded with a candlelight ceremony, in which members of the audience were invited to say the names of those they’d like to remember, which ranged from family members to important historical figures. Sylla also reminded us why the event is especially powerful at the end of Black History Month: “Black history is not just one month.” He asserted that setting the tone of remembering while also looking towards the future propels the focus of Black history month beyond the mere 28 days of February.