Lipscomb students united in Shamblin Theater Monday night to kick off Black History Month.
Marketing events coordinator, Carly Detzner, and President of Kappa Iota Theta, Melba Buchanan, put together this year’s black history month event, which began with a slide show of facts about famous African American people.
The event was meant to be a fun event for students to come together and talk about black history month. Students enjoyed various forms of entertainment such as music, food and drinks. The focus for 2015 is around African American students at Lipscomb University and celebrating unity.
“Celebrate unity and Martin Luther King Jr., that was his goal,” Detzner said. “He wanted us to be unified with everybody. He didn’t want to oppress the oppressors. He wanted to just be unified, so we are celebrating that unity that we have out here on Lipscomb’s Campus.”
A short film was played in reference to Martin Luther King Jr. and his vision of unity and dream to change the world. After the film, students discussed it and related it to today’s society.
Buchanan led the event offering questions for the students to discuss. Some of the questions included, “How the world would differ today if MLK did not exist?” Some students felt people would not have taken the same approach as MLK did with peaceful and non-violent protest.
Buchanan also asked in what ways people can practice unity as Lipscomb students. Several answers from students were that they believed if they stop defining each other by the color of their skin that they can come together as one and be unified.
Other events for Black History Month will be held on campus throughout February. Upcoming events include:
Feb. 10: “Unconditional” Movie at 7 p.m. in Swang room 108
Feb. 16: Open Mic Night at 8 p.m. in Shamblin Theater
Feb. 18: Soul Food celebration at 10:30 a.m. in Shamblin Theater
Feb. 23: #AllLivesMatter at 8 p.m. in Shamblin Theater