CofC Community Invited to Join Black History Month Celebrations

Dear Campus Community,  

A decade ago, President Barack Obama came to our campus to participate in a funeral service held for former state representative and Charleston religious leader Clementa Pinckney, one of the nine victims of the Mother Emanuel Church shooting in June 2015. In that tragedy, our campus community also lost one of our own: beloved librarian Cynthia Hurd. 

During President Obama’s speech, considered a master class in public speaking, he broke out into song, singing lines from “Amazing Grace,” and was soon joined by everyone there in TD Arena. For those in attendance, it must have been an electric moment: both a catharsis of raw emotion and, at the same time, a celebration of life and hope. For those of us watching at a distance and catching the moment on the nightly news, it was an equally moving affair and a poignant reminder of our shared humanity.  

Black History Month, which officially starts tomorrow, is similar in that its intention is to bring people together. This commemorative month gives all of us an opportunity to reflect and honor the legacy and contributions specifically of our Black fellow citizens. It also provides a chance to raise awareness around the Black experience in this country and to better understand the past so that we can affect the present and positively impact the future.  

I encourage our entire campus community to participate in the variety of events planned around campus and across the city and region. Check out a list of campus events here. By attending these different celebrations, we signal our care and commitment not only for the Black community, but for our shared experience together. 

Sincerely, 
Andrew 

Andrew T. Hsu, Ph.D.
President
College of Charleston