Records of Black/African American Culture Center

In 1968, there were approximately forty Black students attending CSU who staged protests to voice their indignation of the racial disparities on campus. Eventually, President Morgan accepted the requests. Courses were added to the CSU curriculum: Afro-American history, a Black literature class, and a psychology of prejudice class. The development of a program called Project GO (Generating Opportunities) was improved with the mission to improve retention and provide services to assist Colorado State's Black and Hispanic students. Project GO evolved into the Black/African American Cultural Center by 1976.

The first director was Vivian Kerr. She implemented the paraprofessional support program, currently called CSU's Black Educational Support Team and the office newsletter entitled, The GRIOT.

In 1981, the office welcomed its second director, Dawn R. Person, to Colorado State. New programs and services were added to include student professional organizations such as Black Cable Television, the Black Business Scholars Association, and an affiliate chapter of the National Society of Black Engineers and Scientists. The Black/African American Cultural Center's Big Brother/Big Sister program was implemented as well as the Black Campus Ministries organization.

In 1985, Blanche M. Hughes became the office's third director. Hughes implemented the Black Student Leadership Development Institute (now the Albert C. Yates Leadership Development Institute), the African American Success Project Seminars, campus-wide diversity training, and the multicultural curriculum infusion project. She also implemented programs to provide academic support to student-athletes. From 1993-1996, Duane McFadden was the Assistant Director and was replaced in 1996 by Jerry Smith.

In June of 1998, Jennifer Williams Molock began her tenure as director. The peer mentoring program was renamed, CSU's B.E.S.T., an acronym for Black Educational Support Team. Molock re-created the big brother/big sister program, which she created as a practicum student, renaming the program M.A.T.C.H., Mentoring-Advising-Teaching-Caring-Helping as a collaborative project with Partners of Larimer County. She also re-implemented the Black Alumni Reunions as a collaborative project with the Office of Alumni Relations. Molock also developed and implemented the Rites of Passage Program, whose intention is to improve the academic performance and retention rate of African American first year students.

Margaret (Miales) Rollins served as Assistant Director. Kieran D. Coleman served as the Interim Assistant Director from November 2002 until July 2003. Theresa T. Grangruth was the Administrative Assistant in 2001 until 2007. James White IV served as an Interim Assistant Director. Anthony (T.D.) Daniels served as Assistant Director from June of 2004 to June 2005. From 2005 to 2006, Lydia Kelow served as the Interim Assistant Director.

Marcus Elliott joined the staff in the fall of 2006 as Assistant Director, and later began an appointment of Interim Director in October 2008, due to Molock's departure. Alfreda Whaley served as Administrative Assistant from November 2007 until June 2011. Bruce Smith was the 6th director from July 2009 to July 2010. In October 2010, Bridgette Johnson began her appointment as the 7th director.