The USFSP Gospel Choir sang “Wade in the Water,” a popular spiritual, while chained to one another on the floor of the stage, a vivid resemblance of the 12.5 million slave ships that transported captured Africans from various African nations from 1525 to 1866.
This performance was in observation of this year’s Black History Showcase in the USC Ballroom on Wednesday, Feb. 8.
The Office of Multicultural Affairs hosted the Black History Showcase, an event in connection with Black Heritage Month. Providing live performances, educational documentaries, barbecue and refreshments, the group hoped to inspire students to educate themselves about the history and significance of African-American culture. Nearly 70 students attended the event.
The showcase celebrated culture and highlighted black men and women who have made major impacts on the African-American community, such as poet Maya Angelou and abolitionist Frederick Douglass.
Cadin Small, a junior psychology major, who danced in the event said, “My favorite part was preparing for it. We prepared for about a month and learned the dance routine in a couple of days. That was the easy part.”
The showcase featured artistic contributions by The Herd Step, Verse, The Black Student Association and the South Florida All Stars.
The student actors included spoken word artists and dancers who performed pieces meant to illustrate the history and contribution of Blacks in America.
The highlight of the night came from a collaboration stomp from USFSP Herd Step Team and South Florida All Stars to “I Feel Good” by James Brown.
This was the first time in the two years of the Black History Showcase that multiple organizations worked together to perform routines.
“I really liked how all the groups performed together this year,” said Chiana Hamilton, a senior education major. “It made everything flow better.”
Multicultural Affairs hosts a monthly “Real Talk” discussion series where students, faculty and staff join together to discuss diverse topics and issues that affect our society and world view. From 5-6 p.m. on Feb. 14, the issue at hand will be “Me Generation,” a topic that discusses millennial entitlement and how technology affects the world today.
March 1 is the kick off for Women’s History Month hosted by Multicultural Affairs in the MSC Atrium from 12-2 p.m.
Photo by Jonah Hinebaugh | The Crow’s Nest
