Black Celebratory to honor achievements through ceremony

The accomplishments of graduating black seniors at the University will be celebrated and acknowledged in a special graduation ceremony and yearbook later this semester.

The graduation ceremony, which will take place May 2 at Hill Auditorium, is the culmination of events planned by the Black Celebratory, an organization designed to honor black students' achievements.

Registration for the ceremony began in February and is scheduled to end tomorrow.

"It's more of a unifying experience," said LSA senior Leslie Hill, coordinator of the Black Celebratory. "You can gather with students of your own culture to experience commencement."

The theme of Black Celebratory this year is "Embracing the Past, Envisioning our Future."

DANA LINNANE/Daily Crystal Smith and Olisaellka Dallah, senior executives on the Black Celebratory board, register a student yesterday at the Michigan Union for the graduation event.

It was selected "because of the importance of recognizing the achievements of the past - those who laid down the path and made it possible for African Americans to attend the University," said LSA junior Ju Juan Buford, co-chair of the Black Celebratory's Public Relations Committee.

The Black Celebratory was first established by University students in 1994 as an organization dedicated to recognizing black students' achievements and focus on the continuation of their success.

So far, about 100 students have registered for the ceremony, and another 50-100 students are expected to register.

"What I personally hope to accomplish is to gain a stronger bond between the black graduates on campus," said LSA senior Crystal Smith, co-chair of the event's Public Relations Committee.

Buford said that because many black students are first-generation college students, the experience is particularly important.

"If you're a first-generation student, you realize there are a lot of obstacles, whether it be the pressure, or to be frank, the racism that pervades this campus," he said. "It really is an accomplishment for them to succeed here."

Buford also said the lawsuits filed this past semester against the College of Literature, Science and the Arts as well as the Law School targeting their use of race as a factor in admissions processes makes the event more significant.

"This is an opportunity to say that we deserve to be here," said Buford. "This is our opportunity to shine."

Every student is personally acknowledged in the graduation ceremony, which coordinators described as personal and intimate.

U.S. Rep. Carolyn Cheeks-Kilpatrick (D-Detroit), a University alumnus, will be the keynote speaker at the ceremony.

In addition, two deceased black students who would have been graduated with the class of 1998 will be recognized.

In addition to the graduation ceremony, the group will publish a yearbook. The organization has also held social and fundraising activities.

Past events have included a soul food dinner and spades tournament in October, as well as a skating party and several bucket drives. A bowling party is scheduled for April 8.

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