President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama

Zahara Pruitt

Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons

President Barack Obama was born in Hawaii in 1961. Obama obtained his undergraduate degree from Columbia University and then moved to Chicago, Ill. to devote his time to community service. He worked with several churches in an effort to rebuild communities. He later attended Harvard Law School and went on to become the first African-American president of the Harvard Law Review. Obama went on to become a senator for the state of Illinois and the first African-American president of the United States. President Obama was sworn into office on Jan. 20, 2009 and is currently serving his second term in office.

First lady Michelle Obama was born in Chicago in 1964. Obama attended Princeton University and received her degree in sociology with a minor in African-American studies. She later attended Harvard Law School.

Michelle met Barack in the summer of 1989, when she was working as an associate attorney at the firm Sidley & Austin. Michelle was Barack’s advisor and once stated that she was “sold” by the end of their first date, according to InStyle magazine. The two got married on Oct. 3, 1992 after dating for three years. Since such time, the happy couple has maintained successful legal careers. Michelle has stood by her man while he has gone on to become the first black leader of the free world.

Mix Master

Taijuan Moorman

The Black Student Cultural Programming Board hosted Mix Master, the Apollo Night After Party that featured a three-way DJ Competition last Friday night.

At about 11:30 p.m. you could find a slowly growing crowd of people filling into the Baker Ballroom, all waiting to hear what these three DJs were made of. The competition focused on three categories: throwbacks, slow jams, and current hits. Cincinnati’s DJ Bandcamp, Cleveland’s own DJ Ryan Wolf, and 19-year-old underdog DJ KY stood onstage with full equipment, ready to begin. Each DJ came confident and prepared, sometimes “stealing” songs from one another and trash-talking throughout the party. The crowd just wanted to hear music.

Over the course of the night, the audience heard ‘90s hits like “Poison” and the “Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” theme song. Also, some R&B hits from R. Kelly, Trey Songz, and Beyoncé, and the usual house party trap hits from artists like Future and YG. The music covered genres and eras geared more so towards the mostly black, ‘90s-baby crowd.

DJs Ryan Wolf, KY, and Bandcamp getting ready for competition / Photo from @DjKY_ on Twitter

Music slowed towards the end of the night, with multiple power shortages taking place. Complaints of exceeding the 8-minute set for each category were heard often, but were all in good fun. Eventually the competition came down to a tie between DJ Ryan Wolf and DJ KY. The winner was decided by a crowd-led vote. DJ KY took the time to thank DJ Ryan Wolf, who has been someone he has looked up to.

The night was a great way to showcase talent from around the state, as well as boost the profile of DJ Ryan Wolf at Cleveland’s Z1079 and DJ Bandcamp who will be doing shows in NYC and appearing on BET’s 106&Park. It was also nice to see the youngest DJ of the three win against two of Ohio’s best DJs. DJ KY showed that age and experience matter less when hard work is involved.

Black History Month Events

Kentisha Dinham

African American Studies Speaker Series 12:00 PM - 3:00 PM Feb 11, 2014
AAS Speaker Series presents Rev. John Williams, the son of Robert F. Williams. Robert F. Williams was a civil rights leader and author, best known for serving as president of the Monroe, North Carolina chapter of the NAACP in the 1950s and early 1960s. Rev. Williams will be giving a short talk about his family's travels to Cuba and China, and he will entertain questions related to the film, Negroes with Guns, which is related to the Williams' family experiences in Monroe, North Carolina, Cuba, and China. Negroes with Guns will be screened as part of the event. FREE EVENT, OPEN TO ALL. Campus: Athens Location: Alden Library

Black Love Day

7:00PM- 9:00 PM

Feb. 13, 2014

Special Valentine’s Day event hosted by the men of the Epsilon Lambda Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc.

Campus: Athens

Location: Baker University Center Front Room.

2nd Annual Black Girls Rock! Award Show 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM Feb 16, 2014 Join the Black Student Union for a night of celebrating the accomplishments and greatness of black women on the Ohio University campus by honoring and recognizing students and faculty for their contributions. Apart from honoring the black women with awards, there will be various performances from student organizations and a keynote speaker. This event is free. Dress code is business casual, no jeans or sneakers.                         Campus: Athens Location: Baker Theater
Harlem Nights Open Mic 6:00 PM- 8:00PM Feb 20, 2014 In spirits of Black History Month, join the Black Student Union in celebrating our history through the arts featuring poetry, musical performances, dance and theatrical performances! All are encouraged to sign up to participate, the sign up sheet is located in the Multicultural Center. The theme is the Harlem Renaissance so attendees are encouraged to dress to the theme but not required.                         Campus: Athens Location: Baker University Center Front Room

Black History Month Jeopardy

6:00 PM- 7:00PM

Feb. 27, 2014

Campus: Athens

Location: Baker University Center Multicultural Center

Black and Proud

"A little less complaint and whining, and a little more dogged work and manly striving, would do us more credit than a thousand civil rights bills."

- W.E.B. Dubois

Black and Proud

"I only have one ambition, you know. I only have one thing I really like to see happen. I like to see mankind live together - black, white, Chinese, everyone - that's all."

-Bob Marley, Jamaican singer-songwriter and activist

I'm Black and Proud Because….

Daijah Abram

I am Black and proud because I come from courage. Because people like Harriet Tubman and Nat Turner fought back against slavery. Because people like Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcolm X fought for the rights of African Americans. Because people like The Little Rock Nine and Dorothy Counts braved the integrated school systems.

I am Black and proud because I come from beauty. Because in 1949, Dorothea Towles became the first top Black model. Because Black supermodel Mounia was the muse to designer Yves Saint Laurent. Because Black women look good with dreads, weaves, natural hair, and pretty much every hairstyle including no hair at all. Because despite being Black, my people come in all different beautiful shades of brown.

I am Black and proud because I come from achievement. Because Oprah Winfrey is the richest self-made Black woman in America. Because Aretha Franklin was the first female artist to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Because the highest paid golf player, Tiger Woods, basketball player, Kobe Bryant, and boxer, Floyd Mayweather, are all Black males. Because the current President of the United States, Barack Obama, is Black.

I am Black and proud because I come from culture. Because Black Americans have created their own language and set of beliefs. Because global trends such as the Harlem Shake originated from Black subculture. Because music genres like rock and roll, jazz, and R&B originated from Black subculture. Because Butterfly, from Digable Planets, said it best “we be to rap what key be to lock.” Because we are often imitated but never duplicated.

Sure being Black is hard, my people are still struggling in this modern world, but I wouldn’t want to be anything else.

Black and Proud

"Hold fast to dreams, for if dreams die, life is a broken winged bird that cannot fly."

-Langston Hughes, African American poet and leader of the Harlem Renaissance