Browsing: Black History Month

When Barbara Ann Walker and the Rev. Robert Gilbert walked across the graduation stage on June 2, 1967, Baylor University had gone over 120 years without granting a degree to a Black student. The story of Baylor’s integration is long, challenging and still developing, but more than anything, it is a story centered around the actions not of governments or university administrations but of outspoken support from students themselves.

With the ceremonial groundbreaking of the Memorial to Enslaved Persons set to take place in late February, Dr. Todd Copeland gave insights on the lives of Ann Freeman — a slave believed to have served the university’s namesake, Judge R.E.B. Baylor — as well as other slaves throughout the university’s early history.

As Black History Month kicks off, it is important to highlight and celebrate the careers and achievements of young Black women who are making their mark on Hollywood. There is no shortage of them, but here are just a few of the most influential and prominent Black actresses who are pioneering a more diverse industry.

Celebrating Black History Month in Waco can mean visiting Black-owned restaurants and businesses, but there are a host of other events and learning opportunities on campus and throughout the city all month long.