“To educate the campus community about African, African American and Caribbean heritage and issues affecting the Black diaspora,” is one of the very first lines in the Black Student Union’s (BSU) constitution. This mission is more relevant than ever. From the beginning of 2020, Eastern University has been an evolving institution, spanning from athletics to academics and more recently, diversity. The university has been historically considered a “PWI” or predominantly white institution, but within the school’s recent years, its diversity makes up half of the student population. With this increase in student population came demands for more representation, and that’s where the BSU comes in.
For those who don’t know, the Black Student Union has always been an organization on campus, but died once its successors graduated and left college for the real world. Now, it’s back and better than ever with new leadership, new faces and spaces where it can flourish. Daniel Carter, a senior at Eastern and vice president of the organization, details his hopes for the recently revived club: “In collaboration with Stephan Philemon, we thought of creating a home away from home for Black students. So with a plan in motion, we created an interesting meeting and went from there,” Carter said.
Carter has hopes for BSU’s continued legacy. “I hope that after I graduate, it consistently gets the attention it deserves and continuously uplifts students who identify themselves with the Black Student Union with intent of representation.”
Carter recognized the progress of Eastern related to representation and the honoring of Black heritage, but emphasized the work is not yet done. “It’s a work in progress on all fronts, but the BSU serves as a reminder of the school’s percentage of Black students and the importance of representation for a minority,” he said.
As mentioned previously, this isn’t a one man operation. Junior Stephan Philemon, the president of the Black Student Union, also had a hand in its comeback. According to Stephen, the process of reviving the union required a deep commitment to the original constitution values of education and heritage. “BSU to me is more than an opportunity for Black students, but more so a connection — a place where a home away from home could be established in what many feel like is a strange place,” Philemon said.
Although the organization is recently revived, it has already impacted campus. “So far, it seems that BSU has had a positive impact on students. And although we don’t have a budget yet, we make it work within the community, and continuously try to represent those of color on our campus,” Philemon said.
When asked about why he revived the BSU, Philemon said it was all about representation. “I reinstated BSU simply because without representation, a voice is silenced. BSU used to be an active club until leadership graduated or stepped down. However, the African-American population on campus is exponentially increasing. In order to ensure that our culture is represented, and our voices are heard, we needed a space and a collection of voices who would support this mission!” Philemon said.
Despite its recent reintroduction, the Black Student Union has wasted no time getting their plans in motion, rolling out a themed dress up month in honor of Black History Month. Although this may be their starting event of the BSU, they have already been met with fierce community engagement and support. This immediate success proves that the campus was hungry for this kind of connection. It’s one thing to read about history in a textbook, but it’s another thing entirely to see that history reflected in the clothes we wear and the way we show up for one another in the hallways.
When you see students participating in these themed days, you are seeing a visual representation of that “home away from home” that Carter and Philemon talked about. It turns the entire campus into a gallery, showcasing the prominent Black community. This level of engagement sends a clear message to the administration: the BSU isn’t just a small group meeting on the third floor of the Walton Hall, it is a movement that has the backing of the student body. Even without a formal budget, the power of a shared identity has allowed them to organize something that resonates with everyone. This “fierce support” is the fuel that will keep the BSU from fading away like it did in the past. It shows that when you provide a space for representation, the community won’t just show up, they will show out.
The BSU is more than just another club on Eastern’s campus. It stands as a beacon of a growing Black population in need of support and empowerment. The Black Student Union is here to remind students that it’s about more than just being Black and identifying with a singular race. It’s our lifestyle; confidently Black and effortlessly people of a darker hue. To all my melanated and non-melanated folk stay hydrated, educated and protected!
