By Erica Butler
Contributing Writer
When Valerie Valentine attended her first opening ceremony for this year's black history month, she was expecting important stories of Martin Luther King Jr. or Malcolm X.
But the United Black Council decided to kick of the month-long activities Friday with a focus not on history lessons but on artistic contributions.
It was a different topic choice for UBC but one attendees such as Valentine appreciated.
"I think it's important that when we remember black history we remember more than the marches, sit-ins, and the protests," said Valentine, a Douglass College junior. "Though they were very important we also have to remember that those acts on civil rights paved the way for blacks in the arts who were the first to sing in normally segregated clubs and introduce new genres of music that brought about black integration into popular culture."
Instead of opening the ceremony with a traditional keynote speaker, this year's program, "A Tribute to Black Americans in the Arts," featured acts from local performers, Rutgers students and alumni ranging from spoken word to interpretive dance performances.
UBC Public Relations Officer Andersen Cupid, a Rutgers College junior and the programming chairman for this event, said he wanted to see something different this year and felt students would enjoy this show better than what has gone on in the past.
"We want to focus on the high arts this time around," Cupid said. "I want to showcase acts that many people have not seen before, such as opera and an all-black orchestra ensemble."
As the show began, Rutgers College junior Sheanika Crawford and Rutgers College first-year student Shaunai Crawford sang the national anthem, followed by spoken word and dance performances by Epidm'k as well as Shonel Symister who was accompanied with poetry by Josephine Quaye, both Mason Gross School of the Arts juniors.
Students enjoyed soul food dishes of fried chicken, macaroni and cheese and sweet potato pie catered by local company De'Lightbournes as they listened to a jazz performance from the band P3. A hip-hop and R&B selection from local talents rounded out the show.
UBC Co-president Whitney Pennington, a Douglass College senior, said overall the program was a great success.
"I did really enjoy seeing people perform and also enjoyed seeing the students come out," she said. "Throughout the year Black History Month is the only real time that blacks receive recognition, so for that reason many people steer away from focusing on blacks in the arts."
The United Black Council will hold its closing ceremony Feb. 26 at 6 p.m. at a location yet to be announced.
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