DIY History | Transcribe | Campus Culture | University of Iowa Afro-American Cultural Center, 1968-2009 | 1976-07-09 Daily Iowan Article: "Black groups share culture"

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University of Iowa Afro-American Cultural Center, 1968-2009

1976-07-09 Daily Iowan Article: "Black groups share culture"

The Daily Iowan 

[handwritten]
7/9/76 

Black groups share culture

By THOMAS MAPP

Uniting the many black organizations on campus in order to improve communications and programming will be one of the major goals of the Affro-American Cultural Center (AACC) this year. 
  Robert Patterson, AACC manager, explains that in the past black organizations have lacked unity and, to some extent, been separate from each other. Patterson said he hopes to make the "Afro House" a "melting pot" for the many black organizations on campus. 
   The AACC, which opened in fall 1969 to accommodate increased UI black enrollment, is under the Special Support Services office. Special Support Services provides most UI blacks with financial and academic assistance.
   During the summer, the Afro House moved from north of Hillcrest Hall to 303 Melrose Ave.
   Black orientated groups on campus run the gamut from the politically orientated Black Student Union to the academically orientated Afro-American Studies Program to social fraternities.   
   As a division of the American Civilization Department, the Afro-American Studies Program offers students more than 25 courses - ranging from " Literatures of African Peoples," a core course, to classes designed primarily for graduate students.
   Drama has recently become a part of Afro Studies through the Black Action Theater (BAT). The theater, which began in the Department of Speech and Dramatic Arts was added to the Afro Studies Program, according to Samuel Becker, speech and dramatic arts chairman. Becker said the department was looking for a course to expose the UI and city to black drama. 
   The three semester course exposes the community to plays by prominent black playwrights such as Ozzie Davis, Philip Hayes Dean, Ron Milner, Langston Hughes and Herb Shapiro 
  In addition to exposure to black plays through BAT, the Afro Studies program has sponsored for the past eight years an Institute  of Afro-American Culture on the UI campus. This year's institute was directed by Darwin Turner, chairman of historical workshops and lectures, the institute has brought to the campus many experts on the subject of black culture. 
  The Black Student Union's (BSU) leadership is elected by the black student body, making it more politically orientated than Afro Studies. Reggie Baugh, A3 became BSU chairman after May elections. 
   Baugh during the summer is finishing administrative duties of writing new election guidelines, updating the constitution and developing a newspaper.  
   He has also given substantial consideration and planning to cultural activities for the coming year. A two or three day Black Experience Week, projected for spring 1977, has been funded by the Student Senate. The experience week received $1650 and the newspaper $350. Funds for a mini-conference, Baugh said, are still being sought. 
    The BSU office, under Baugh's direction, has been moved from its traditional place in the Afro House to the Student Activities Center in the Union. Having the office in the Afro House isolated BSU from the agencies that do the funding of its activities and thus hurt the success of these activities he said. 
   Besdies these, any other black cultural groups are on campus. Among them are:
  - Voices of Soul: a gospel choir that during the year has given numerous concerts on campus, around the state and in Chicago. The group also traveled to New York over spring break on a concert tour. Two performances were given in the Hancher Auditorium last year. 
 - Black Genesis Dance Troupe which combines dance, dramatic reading and music in their shows. A seven-piece band accompanies the troupe in performances which are given throughout the year;
 - Black Student Nurse Association, Black Students in Engineering and Black American Law Students Association all strive to increase and maintain the black enrollment in their fields and use their knowledge to assist the black community in general: 
  - The black fraternities on campus consist of Alpha Phi Ahpha, Kappa Psi and Omega Psi Phi, and the black sororities are Alpha Kappa Alpha and Delta SIgma Theta. These organizations, originating in various parts of the U.S., find common ground in  the concept that by bettering the black community they improve themselves, A Black Panhellenic Council was established during the past year attempting to bring the black Greeks closer together. 
  The goal of bringing Black organizations on campus closer will not be easy to accomplish. Even though problems may exist, Patterson said he hoped with a new facility perhaps both students and organizations will want to become more involved.

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The Daily Iowan [handwritten] 7/9/76 Black groups share culture By THOMAS MAPP Uniting the many black organizations on campus in order to improve communications and programming will be one of the major goals of the Affro-American Cultural Center (AACC) this year. Robert Patterson, AACC manager, explains that in the past black organizations have lacked unity and, to some extent, been separate from each other. Patterson said he hopes to make the "Afro House" a "melting pot" for the many black organizations on campus. The AACC, which opened in fall 1969 to accommodate increased UI black enrollment, is under the Special Support Services office. Special Support Services provides most UI blacks with financial and academic assistance. During the summer, the Afro House moved from north of Hillcrest Hall to 303 Melrose Ave. Black orientated groups on campus run the gamut from the politically orientated Black Student Union to the academically orientated Afro-American Studies Program to social fraternities. As a division of the American Civilization Department, the Afro-American Studies Program offers students more than 25 courses - ranging from " Literatures of African Peoples," a core course, to classes designed primarily for graduate students. Drama has recently become a part of Afro Studies through the Black Action Theater (BAT). The theater, which began in the Department of Speech and Dramatic Arts was added to the Afro Studies Program, according to Samuel Becker, speech and dramatic arts chairman. Becker said the department was looking for a course to expose the UI and city to black drama. The three semester course exposes the community to plays by prominent black playwrights such as Ozzie Davis, Philip Hayes Dean, Ron Milner, Langston Hughes and Herb Shapiro In addition to exposure to black plays through BAT, the Afro Studies program has sponsored for the past eight years an Institute of Afro-American Culture on the UI campus. This year's institute was directed by Darwin Turner, chairman of historical workshops and lectures, the institute has brought to the campus many experts on the subject of black culture. The Black Student Union's (BSU) leadership is elected by the black student body, making it more politically orientated than Afro Studies. Reggie Baugh, A3 became BSU chairman after May elections. Baugh during the summer is finishing administrative duties of writing new election guidelines, updating the constitution and developing a newspaper. He has also given substantial consideration and planning to cultural activities for the coming year. A two or three day Black Experience Week, projected for spring 1977, has been funded by the Student Senate. The experience week received $1650 and the newspaper $350. Funds for a mini-conference, Baugh said, are still being sought. The BSU office, under Baugh's direction, has been moved from its traditional place in the Afro House to the Student Activities Center in the Union. Having the office in the Afro House isolated BSU from the agencies that do the funding of its activities and thus hurt the success of these activities he said. Besdies these, any other black cultural groups are on campus. Among them are: - Voices of Soul: a gospel choir that during the year has given numerous concerts on campus, around the state and in Chicago. The group also traveled to New York over spring break on a concert tour. Two performances were given in the Hancher Auditorium last year. - Black Genesis Dance Troupe which combines dance, dramatic reading and music in their shows. A seven-piece band accompanies the troupe in performances which are given throughout the year; - Black Student Nurse Association, Black Students in Engineering and Black American Law Students Association all strive to increase and maintain the black enrollment in their fields and use their knowledge to assist the black community in general: - The black fraternities on campus consist of Alpha Phi Ahpha, Kappa Psi and Omega Psi Phi, and the black sororities are Alpha Kappa Alpha and Delta SIgma Theta. These organizations, originating in various parts of the U.S., find common ground in the concept that by bettering the black community they improve themselves, A Black Panhellenic Council was established during the past year attempting to bring the black Greeks closer together. The goal of bringing Black organizations on campus closer will not be easy to accomplish. Even though problems may exist, Patterson said he hoped with a new facility perhaps both students and organizations will want to become more involved.