Black History Month is a time to celebrate Black culture and all of the contributions that African Americans have made to America and society. It is also a time to recognize and honor the African American inventors, activists, pioneers, artists and scientists that have paved the way for many people today.
With Georgia State University being a Predominantly Black Institution (PBI) and one of the most diverse universities in the country, there is a lot of rich Black history that has been made and that is being made right here on campus.
Black History at GSU
GSU’s eighth and current President, Dr. M. Brian Blake, is the first Black President of Georgia State University. Dr. Blake has many accolades, including being on the 2023 and 2022 lists of the Georgia 500 – The State’s Most Influential Leaders and being inducted into Georgia Institute of Technology’s College of Computing Hall of Fame in 2023. His educational background includes a Bachelor of Electrical Engineering from Georgia Institute of Technology, a Master of Science in Electrical Engineering from Mercer University and a Ph.D. in Software Engineering from George Mason University.
Ronald J. Freeman, who graduated in 1985, was one of the first Black graduates of Georgia State’s College of Law. He was the first president of the Black Law Students Association (BLSA) at GSU. The GSU Ronald J. Freeman chapter of BLSA is named in his honor.
GSU’s Department of Africana Studies, formerly known as the Department of African American Studies, was established in 1994. In November 1992, a group of Georgia State students protested against acts of racism on campus. One of the incidents that sparked the protests was a racial slur that was written on a trash can near the fraternity office in the Student Center. The protests included a sit-in at Sparks Hall, a sit-in at President Patton’s office and a sit-in at General Classroom (now Langdale Hall). These events led to the creation of Georgia State University’s Department of African American Studies in 1994, with Charles E. Jones as the founding chair.
Professor Linda Earley Chastang was the first Black faculty member of GSU’s College of Law. The College of Law was founded in 1972. There were only seven faculty members during the College’s opening and Chastang was one of them. After being a faculty member for five years, Chastang moved to Washington, D.C. and worked as counsel for the NAACP (The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People). She later became the Chief of Staff for the civil rights leader and U.S. Representative John Lewis.
Black Student Organizations
Fostering a sense of community and belonging is imperative to the overall success and well-being of Black college students. Having access to a caring and trusted professor, mentor, friend, advisor or counselor makes a huge difference to students during their academic journey.
According to a survey by Gallup and the Lumina Foundation, Black students deal with an anomalous amount of physical, financial and psychological barriers in higher education. Researchers say that factors such as discrimination, the cost of education, and out-of-school obligations interfere with the success of Black students achieving their higher education goals.
Courtney Brown, Lumina’s vice president of impact and planning, said, “Black students who felt like they had a mentor or professors who cared about them didn’t feel the discrimination as much.” She continued, “There needs to be more effort to provide mentors so these students feel a sense of belonging at these institutions.”
There are several Black student organizations on campus with goals of creating spaces for Black students to feel seen and heard, creating opportunities and breaking barriers for Black students in white male dominant industries and providing mentorship and resources to succeed in college.
Organizations on campus that uplift Black and minority students include: NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People), Black Student Alliance, National Association of Black Journalists at Georgia State, Black Sophomore Society, Black Girls Who Run, National Society of Black Women In Medicine GSU and National Association of Black Accountants (NABA).
Celebrating Black History Month
Black History Month is a time for celebration, reflection and remembrance. Despite facing adversities and systemic oppression, African Americans throughout history have made a remarkable impact on the world. Though Black History Month takes place in February, the revolutionary influence and innovations of African Americans should not only be celebrated during one month but year round. Happy Black History Month, Panthers!
