Black History Month provides time for reflection, celebration and visibility across Oakland University’s campus. While February highlights black history nationally, students, faculty and campus leaders said the meaning of the month extends beyond symbolic recognition.
Across campus, Black History Month is viewed as both a celebration of achievement and a reminder of ongoing responsibility. Students and faculty emphasized the importance of recognition that continues throughout the academic year.
Student perspectives on community and visibility
For Aniyah Stinson, a junior majoring in general management, Black History Month represents joy, resilience and black excellence rather than a focus solely on historical injustice. Stinson said the month highlights the strength of black communities and shared cultural experiences.
“Black history to me means joy and black excellence,” Stinson said. “It’s about showing how we prevailed and that we’re more than what happened to us back then.”
Stinson said Black History Month emphasizes the importance of community on campus. Moments of connection, laughter and cultural pride were described when black students came together.
“When we get together, there’s definitely joy and a lot of community going on,” Stinson said.
While the month holds personal significance, Stinson said campus recognition of black history feels limited outside of February. Much of the cultural celebration comes from student organizations rather than university-wide initiatives.
“Honestly, it’s not recognized enough, sometimes it feels like it’s just shown to prove diversity instead of actually celebrating it all year,” Stinson said.
Stinson referenced a recent event hosted by a historically black sorority in collaboration with the Center for Multicultural Initiatives. Conversations during the event addressed challenges related to funding, visibility and sustained engagement.
“There was a conversation about how hard it is to do things consistently when there’s a limited budget,” Stinson said. “It feels like students are the ones really showing appreciation more than the university itself.”
Despite these challenges, Stinson pointed to student-led organizations such as the African Student Union and Divine Nine fraternities and sororities as consistent sources of cultural celebration.
“Those organizations are always doing something,” Stinson said. “ASU has a whole week of events and a lot of students really show up for those.”
Dwaine Watkins, a senior majoring in sociology, said concentrating black history into a single month limits understanding. Watkins said black history should be recognized as an essential part of American history rather than separated into its own category.
“I honestly think Black History Month shouldn’t exist because putting everything into one month, especially the shortest one, doesn’t make sense to me,” Watkins said. “Black history is a part of American history, including everything that has happened since the beginning.”
Watkins said separating black history into a single month leads to disengagement once February ends. Broader discussion throughout the year was emphasized.
“After this month, nobody really cares about it anymore,” Watkins said. “Not saying it should be in everyone’s face all the time, but it should be mentioned way more than it is now,”
Watkins said many people remain unaware of the influence black innovation has had on modern society.
“Most people don’t know that a lot of things today were invented by black people,” Watkins said. “People have to wait until February just to maybe hear about it.”
Watkins said recognition does not need to be elaborate to be meaningful.
“It doesn’t have to be big,” Watkins said. “Something as simple as a poster, a banner or acknowledgement around campus would make a difference.”
Year-round recognition and student leadership
Isaiah Noel Howell, a third-year criminal justice student, said Black History Month highlights black contributions to society and perseverance in the face of inequity. Howell said black history should be understood as an ongoing movement rather than something confined to a single month.
“To me, Black History Month means highlighting black individuals’ contributions to the advancement of society,” Howell said. “It serves not only as a reminder but also as a testament to black perseverance in the face of inequity.”
Howell said educational institutions have a responsibility to recognize black history throughout the academic year.
“It’s important not to think of black history as a moment but rather as a living movement that cannot be confined to a single month,” Howell said.
Howell said Oakland University demonstrates that commitment through programming and campus initiatives.
“I can proudly say that Oakland University supports and recognizes black history and culture throughout the year,” Howell said.
Howell pointed to campus events and initiatives that reflect that support.
“MLK Day of Service, supporting black vendors in the Oakland Center, honoring Juneteenth, the Black Alumni Chapter and the Black Excellence Student Success Celebration make me proud to call Oakland University my academic home,” Howell said.
Leadership responsibility beyond February
Marcus Johnson, student body president of Student Congress, said Black History Month carries both personal and institutional responsibility. Johnson said the month reinforces the importance of representation and advocacy within student leadership.
“For me, Black History Month is both a moment of reflection and a reminder of responsibility,” Johnson said. “As a black student, it is a time to honor generations of resilience, brilliance and sacrifice that made my presence in spaces like Oakland University possible,”
Johnson said black history is reflected in everyday experiences navigating institutions not originally built with black students in mind.
“As student body president, Black History Month reinforces the importance of representation and advocacy within student leadership,” Johnson said. “It challenges leaders to ensure black students are not only celebrated symbolically but meaningfully supported through policy, access and opportunity,”
Johnson said Oakland University has made progress in supporting black students through cultural programming, student organizations and academic initiatives. Continued accountability was emphasized.
“Sustained commitment matters more than momentary recognition,” Johnson said. “Continued investment in black student success, leadership development and institutional accountability is essential,”
Black excellence and inequity in STEM
Richard Olawoyin, a professor in STEM fields at Oakland University, said Black History Month holds dual significance. Olawoyin said the month highlights intellectual achievement while exposing ongoing inequities.
“Black History Month in STEM for me has always been a two-faceted event, celebrating the intellectual brilliance of black people while reflecting on persistent inequities,” Olawoyin said.
Olawoyin said black pioneers have shaped science, engineering and technology in ways that are often overlooked.
“The influence of black minds in the advancement of the modern world is beyond measure,” Olawoyin said. “Yet many still enter systems where their abilities must be constantly proven,”
Olawoyin said mentorship, opportunity and recognition remain essential components of progress.
“While talent is everywhere, opportunity and recognition are not,” Olawoyin said. “Black History Month reinforces a responsibility to create avenues that give future generations influence rather than just access,”
Olawoyin said institutions must move beyond symbolic recognition.
“Supporting black excellence in STEM and academia requires sustained commitment,” Olawoyin said. “That includes partnerships with K-12 schools, early pathways to STEM and meaningful support for black organizations on campus.”
International perspectives within the black diaspora
Marieme Samb, a third-year health science major with a concentration in holistic health, said Black History Month represents both celebration and complexity. Samb, a Keeper of the Dream award recipient and an active member of the African Student Union at Oakland University, said growing up in Africa shaped a different understanding of race than experiences in the United States.
“Having grown up in Africa, I did not grow up constantly thinking about race the way I do now in the United States. Here, I am often first seen as a black Muslim woman before anything else,” Samb said.
Samb said learning about the historical construction of race reshaped how institutions are understood.
“Learning that race is not a biological reality but a social and political creation changed the way I see many systems in this country,” Samb said.
Samb said Black History Month creates space for visibility while highlighting differences within the black diaspora.
“I deeply admire the way achievements are honored and how cultural heritage is uplifted,” Samb said. “At the same time, I am still navigating the gap between how I define myself and how I am identified here.”
Samb said Oakland University makes efforts to recognize black history beyond February.
“As someone involved in campus leadership and planning committees, I see firsthand the work that goes into creating programming that highlights black voices year-round,” Samb said.
As Black History Month continues, students, faculty and campus leaders emphasized the importance of year-round recognition. Advocacy, mentorship and sustained investment were identified as central to the future of black history and excellence at Oakland University.