Collegiate Times

President Sheila Carter-Tod welcomes kick off the Black Constituency Conference.

Virginia Tech's campus and community hold over 30 various activities for Black History Month. Conferences, speakers, luncheons, artists, festivals, movie showings and concerts have all contributed to the Black History Month celebration.

The Black Student Alliance holds events throughout the year but plans in particular around Black History Month. According to Lauren Purdie, BSA's Vice President of Internal Affairs, the BSA tries to set dates for events a semester or a year in advance. "The BSA directors know about what they want," Purdie said.

The various directors brainstorm about what the student body wants and then consult with the members of BSA to see what will be popular. "The new executive board each year brings new objectives and goals for the school year," said Destiny Jackson, BSA president. Jackson also said that BSA knows annually what programs are successful, so some things have become tradition.

BSA does not specifically set aside a certain budget for Black History Month, but it does budget events all semester. "Between contract fees, production and catering fees, the events usually cost about $5,000 at a minimum," Purdie said. Movie showings usually end up being a little cheaper.

Throughout the last week of Black History Month, Tech will host three events. The first event, "Step Afrika," sponsored by the Virginia Tech Union, will take place on Tuesday, Feb. 24, at 7:30 p.m. in Burruss Hall. Students get in for $7. Step Afrika is a cross-cultural professional dance company whose motto is, "If we can dance together, then we can work together."

They traverse the country and worldwide, and their annual tour travels to 50 different cities and foreign countries. They plan to celebrate and raise awareness about the culture that created step dancing.

According to Ben Wade, BSA's director of lively arts, Step Afrika is an expose of different cultures mixed into modern dance. Gumboot and Sulu stepping styles as well as dancing from Appalachia to South Africa will be featured. Wade said that the VTU does its "best to represent everyone and go out and help because we have a lot of money to give away."

VTU booked the event a year in advance. VTU has already sold 1,000 tickets, and they predict selling 100 at the door, Wade said.

The BSA will sponsor "USA Break Dancers" Wednesday, Feb. 25 at 7 p.m. Admission is free and will be held in the Haymarket Theatre of Squires Student Center. This group is known to do acrobatic stunts and perform a variety of different dance styles.

The USA Break Dancers came to campus last semester and were well received.

"Because of the high response last semester, they were just 'that good,' so we brought them back," Purdie said.

Jackson said they are anticipating a large turnout for the performance on Wednesday.

"So far the turnout to the speaker Chuck D has been the best," Jackson said.

In addition, "Black History Jeopardy" will take place Wednesday, Feb. 25, at 7 p.m. The location has yet to be announced. The Association of Black Psychologists and Multicultural Programs and Services is sponsoring the final event. According to Jordan Booker, member of MPS, the Black History Jeopardy Challenge plans to highlight black events spanning U.S. history throughout the centuries as well as current events.

"We hope to bring awareness to some of the more discreet events that aren't always recognized properly, as well as continue to showcase some of the more prominent accomplishments that have helped move our nation forward," Booker said.

Featured topics include sports, politics, comedy and inventions.

In late January, BSA presented "The Express," a film about the first African American to win the Heisman Trophy. In addition, BSA presented Chuck D, of the rap group Public Enemy, to speak. They also held the African American History Bowl earlier this month and the movie "The Secret Life of Bees."

Purdie said both movie showings were very successful as well as the African American History Bowl. Next year the Black Student Alliance hopes to plan a Homecoming Concert.

Purdie said Lupe Fiasco is scheduled to appear in concert this spring.