Black Student Association Program Models History to Teach History

The Black Student Association’s “Essence of History Fashion Show” is less about modeling clothes and more about modeling people. The program is part of the annual February celebration of Black History Month and will feature students in the roles of 18 important African Americans, men and women who have made an impact on United States and the world. The show will be held at 7 p.m. Thursday, February 9 in the Arkansas Union Verizon Ballroom.

“We will have students modeling Josephine Baker, W.E.B. DuBois, A. Philip Randolph, Katherine Dunham, Malcolm X, Shirley Chisholm and John Hope Franklin just to name a few,” said Raven Cook, president of the Black Student Association. “The show provides a detailed biography on each individual, and between each decade we will have acts reflecting that century. So for example the 1920's will have swing music and the 1950's will have a gospel medley. We want students and community members to feel as though they learned but still had a lot of fun.”

The Essence of History Fashion Show is co-sponsored by the university African American Studies Program. Admission is free and the public is invited.