Last April, as part of the annual Black Alumni Weekend festivities, alumni and students came together for a special art show focused on the Black Experience at the University of Virginia. The show featured a collection of works that captured and commented on what it meant, and what it still means to be a Black individual at a primarily white institution. According to Alex Huff-Reynolds (Curry ‘17), Black Student Alliance Vice President, the show was sparked by the March 17 incident on The Corner involving UVa student Martese Johnson (College ‘16) and local A.B.C. agents. “After one of our fellow Black community members was brutally assaulted,” Reynolds said, “we felt an art show like this was needed to reflect the experiences of what it is like for Black people at this university, which included the good, the bad, and the ugly. We saw that as a great way for people to release and also share in a creative way their emotions, which otherwise would have gone unheard.” Artwork for the show was contributed by alumni and current students and was combined with historical photographs dating back to the mid 1970’s in order to highlight the common threads and spotlight the triumphs and continuing challenges of Black students past and present. Artists included: Aline Barasebwa (College ‘16), Shantell Bingham (College ‘15), Logan Dandridge (College ‘16), Leslie Arule Ikpe, Jaline McPherson, Obumneke “Ify” Obi (College ‘16), Joliza Terry (College ‘13), Darius Weaver (College ‘16), Mikala Weston (Engineering ‘16) & O’Shea Woodhouse (College ‘15).

We would also like to extend a huge thanks to Iman Brown (College ‘17)  and Amy Miller (College ‘15) who helped with the project.