Exeter Celebrates Black History Month
Amelie Hespel / The Exonian
By LEON XIE, and MEGHAN TATE ZEE
Black History Month was first declared by U.S. President Gerald Ford in 1976, as a dedicated period to spotlight Black culture, history, and achievement. From Feb. 1 to March 1, the nation celebrates Black Americans with exciting and educational events.
On campus at PEA, multiple events have been hosted in this celebration, such as the Black Students of Excellence dinner with Principal Rawson, Soul Skating, and the Black History Month Gala.
“This year, we offered an all-school ‘Soul Skate’ event to kick off the month,” said Hadley Camilus, Associate Dean of Multicultural Affairs. “In addition to featuring music by Black artists from the 90s, we also used the event as an opportunity to support a couple of local black-owned businesses that sell Jamaican food and cupcakes, respectively.”
A member of the Black advisory group, senior Layla Whitaker, added, “The music and catering was amazing at the Soul Skating event. Unfortunately, there weren’t as many people as I would have liked, and I think that was due to it being during Winter Thaw. It was honestly one of the most well put together events that I’ve been to at Exeter.”
Instructor in Health Brandon Thomas added, “The Black Students of Excellence dinner is a tradition that started a few years ago. It was so cool to see because I think all of our students really enjoyed being at the principal’s house. It’s a unique place and it’s always always fun to have conversations with the principal — especially when we talk about anything related to black students.”
Whitaker recalled, “It was very nice and the food was amazing. The conversation was amazing and I am very thankful that this has been done over the years.”
The largest celebration was the Gala, which saw many students and faculty attending. It consisted of activities ranging from Thomas’s personal DJing to student speakers. “It was a great experience to be able to bring a bunch of students together to talk about the history in the United States of our fight, our struggles, but also our resistance, pain, and joy,” said Instructor in Health Courtney Shaw.
Thomas added, “The gala was absolutely awesome. It was great to see all of our black students and faculty in one space. The entire crowd was excited and happy, and the food was delicious.”
“It was beautiful, the tables were amazingly set. It was nice to be all together as a community. We’re all in different grades and sports, but in that room it was like we were all there for one thing. The dinner was special for all of us, because we got to meet people that we didn’t normally see,” reflected lower Beverly Dolo. “We also got to take photos, dance, and hear a little bit about Amelie Hespel’s journey in photography and a poem from upper Mary Olasore. This is a very white institute, so it was a special dinner because it felt like a taste of home, especially with the food, ambience, and music.”
Camilus concluded with a powerful reminder. “Black is beautiful. Loving the culture includes loving the people it represents. There are numerous ways to celebrate Black culture; we did it through music, through food, and through interactive education.”