An ensemble of 70 Kennesaw State University students paid tribute to Black History Month and black excellence with an evening of performances to a sold out crowd February 19.
“50 Shades of Black” was the brainchild of KSU senior psychology major Simoine Kenya. The program included poetry, dance, music and performance. Kenya put on the event with the help of her directive assistant and friend, Jessica Stewart, a junior communication major at KSU.
Kenya said she noticed the lack of involvement and excitement from students and the university regarding Black History Month, which inspired her to direct the first “50 Shades of Black” in February 2015.
“Since I’ve been a freshman, Black History Month has just come and gone,” Kenya said. “Not to blame the school, but why aren’t the African American students trying to make more noise when it’s February?”
Unlike KSU, historically black colleges or universities maintain a stronger hold on black history than a traditional university. Stewart pointed out that students at a historically black schools are immersed in their culture on an everyday basis, something that a student might not experience at KSU.
“They have that culture surrounding them all the time,” Stewart said. “They’re surrounded by it. They wake up every day and it’s there. At KSU, it’s not as outspoken or it’s not as in your face and we just want to make sure that we can present that from the student’s perspective, because we don’t really see much of Kennesaw State doing anything.”
The “50 Shades of Black” experience included 10 different sections highlighting different aspects of black culture.
“It’s really just as simplistic as speaking parts all the way up to the various talents that we have,” Kenya said. “It is performance based, but it’s not a talent show and it’s not a play. That’s why we call it an experience.”
The evening began with a short speech from KSU junior Taylor Snow, highlighting black history.
“Always embrace your history and never be ashamed,” Snow said.
This statement from Snow encapsulated the whole purpose behind “50 Shades of Black.” Kenya’s vision was to inspire pride and hope in the African American community.
“We’re highlighting black excellence and what that means to us and why we’re proud of being African Americans,” Kenya said. “But at the same time it’s not to diminish the importance of other cultures, it’s to just embrace our own.”
The evening of black excellence included a performance by local poet and rapper, Jaye Newton. Newton is a self-proclaimed “artrepeneur” who is seeking to inspire the black community through his rhymes. Newton said he was inspired to write his piece in order to support black women who have felt inferior because of society’s skewed beauty standards.
“I hate how the world is always portraying you as ugly or unworthy because the color of your hue,” Newton said in his poem.
The evening came to a close with a tribute to the “fallen angels” of the community. A dance of reverence was paid to DeVoynne Berrien-Williams, Jeremy Gremillion and Leo Hughes, loved ones of participants. KSU alumnus Chaz Chapman was encouraged by the effect that the event would have on both the university and the city of Kennesaw as a whole.
“I think this is a great event to really bring not just the black community at Kennesaw together, but also just the entire community as a united force of individuals that are pulling to really take the nation by storm,” Chapman said.
