Black Excellence: BSU and DivBo Honor Black History Month

This year, Hopkins specifically focused on Black Excellence. “We’re uplifting the excellence of Black faculty and students at Hopkins by spotlighting their achievements,” BSU co-head Avonna Wilkes ’25 said.

Hopkins’ BHM celebration kicked off with an Assembly  featuring Dr. Khalilah Brown-Dean, an award-winning writer and executive director of the Allbritton Center for the Study of Civic Life at Wesleyan University.

That evening, the Junior School celebrated BHM with a screening of “Rise,” the 2022 Disney film that tells the story of Nigerian-Greek brothers Giannis, Thanasis, Alex and Kostas Antetokounmpo and their journey from challenging circumstances to the National Basketball Association. February 10-14 was BHM Spirit Week; students wore ‘90s-themed clothes on Monday, sneakers on Tuesday, pan-African colors on Wednesday, and all-black “blackout” clothing on Thursday. Other events included a student affinity lunch in the Weissman Room, a Black Showcase, a screening of the 2024 Tyler Perry war drama “The Six Triple Eight” in Upper Heath, and a family game night, among many more. 

Wilkes said, “[BHM] is about further emphasizing the Black presence on campus.” Student organizations such as BSU and DivBo take this task head on with event planning. These groups, as well as their respective faculty advisors, play large roles in raising awareness and bringing celebrations onto campus in the forms of student showcases, art shows, assembly presentations, speakers, and much more. 

 

Student said that BHM programming helped them further understand the Black experience. DivBo member Riya Rao ’26 said such events “Helped me learn what Black identity means.” Similarly, Anoa Dawson ’28 stated that, “To the entire student body, I think this time serves as an important way to learn about the Black experience.” Anyanna Osakwe ’28 noted a change in BSU celebrations, which she said “[focused] more about the experience of being Black rather than historical figures.” Osakwe added that she also sees Hopkins honoring “less known” Black influential leaders. 

Sources  noted the ways in which BHM on-campus events serve as an important part of curating a supportive and open community. Wilkes stated, “for the Black community, it’s a time to celebrate our history, culture, and contributions while strengthening our sense of belonging.” 

Fitzgerald said that the gatherings served both as “a celebration of Blackness in totality and allyship for all students.” According to Fitzgerald, this “duality” is “an essential part of what makes BHM at Hopkins so unique.” For her part, Becky Harper, Hopkins’ Director of he Director of Equity and Community, said the events helped foster “solidarity and support across the school.”