Records of Black/African American Culture Center
Scope and Contents
Records of Black/African American Culture Center consists of documents dated 1982-2012 and undated, with the bulk falling from 1992-2012. The contents relate to diversity, Black Student Services, the Black Student Union, Campus MAPS, Black Cable Television, Theresa Grangruth, celebration of graduates, Homecoming Queen Pam Williams, The Griot, the killing of Javad Marshall-Fields and Vivian Wolfe, a multi-ethnic student advisory committee, and the 2012 election of President Obama. Materials include audio and videocassettes, Video CDs, CD-Rs, photographic prints, newspapers and clippings.
Dates
- Creation: 1982-2012 and undated
- Creation: Majority of material found in 1992-2012
Creator
Restrictions on Access
Some audiovisual materials may only be viewed in onsite due to copyright restrictions.
Restrictions on Use
Not all of the material in the collection is in the public domain. Researchers are responsible for addressing copyright issues.
History
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.
Extent
1.75 linear feet (1 flat box (22 x 15 x 2 inches))
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
The Records of Black/African American Culture Center relate to the African American college experience, inclusion in higher education, diversity, as well as related services, activities, celebrations, relevant individuals and news. Materials include audio and video magnetic tapes, digital media (DVDs and CD-Rs with audio, video, images, etc.), photographic prints, correspondence, press releases, newsletters, newspapers and clippings.
Arrangement
The materials in the collection are arranged to have the digital media and audio/visual tapes in one record carton box and the paper-based materials (photographic prints, correspondence, and newspaper) in a flat file box.
The collection consists of 2 series in 1 box:
Series 1: Audio and visual materials, 1984-2007 and undated
Series 2: Photographic and printed materials, 1982-2012 and undated
Acquisition
Records of Black/African American Culture Center was transferred from the Black/African American Culture Center June 6th and 16th of 2016.
Appraisal
As of June 2018, materials were reappraised. Two boxes with commercial audio and visual material (VCRs, 1/2" and 3/4" magnetic tape, cassette tapes) were separated out and discarded.
Online Materials
Some materials have been scanned and are available through the Colorado State University Libraries website. In the electronic version of this document, direct links appear in context. Some digitized materials may only be viewed in the archives reading room due to copyright.
Processing
As of June 2018, the collection was found housed in one acidic record carton box and one acid-free flat file box. The collection did not have folders or acid-free dividers. The finding aid was created with the collection as found. Boxes were marked with the collection code and number.
The collection materials were foldered and rehoused in one acid-free box in July 2022.
Inventory Note
Note: Title information supplied by the archivist is bracketed.
Subject
- Molack, Jennifer Williams. (Person)
- Williams, Pam. (Person)
- Smith, Jerry. (Person)
- Grangruth, Theresa T. (Person)
- Colorado State University. Black/African American Culture Center. (Organization)
Genre / Form
Topical
- Title
- Guide to the Records of Black/African American Culture Center
- Status
- Edited Full Draft
- Author
- Prepared by Holly I. Fiedler
- Date
- Copyright 2018
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Language of description note
- Finding aid written in English.
Repository Details
Part of the CSU Libraries Archives & Special Collections Repository
Fort Collins Colorado 80523-1019 USA
970-491-1844
library_dl_specialcollections@mail.colostate.edu