The Black Student Union at the University of Massachusetts hosted a Black History Month showcase this February.

“It was a celebration of black history as a whole, it’s not just a month,” said Chantelle Ransome, the vice president of the BSU.

She said the BSU held the event to express different cultures and bring everyone together, not just African-Americans. The vice president of the BSU thought the purpose of the show was to really educate people. It was a black history celebration, but different cultures were involved. “The purpose was to bring African-Americans together in one area not for a party, but for something peaceful,” said Malcolm Gray, the president of the BSU.

Ransome said there was good food, a full house, a wide range of cultures and all the performances tied into black history.

“The only thing I would have done differently was had more performances and a longer celebration,” she said.

“I believe the show was a success,” said Taleen Nazarian, a junior majoring in public health.

She was impressed by the amount of people who showed up without a party going on and felt it showed how much people care. Nazarian expressed that one thing she would have changed about the show was the audience.

“The audience could have been more responsive. Everyone deserved the same amount of respect, but some performances were applauded more than others,” she said. The room was filled with people of all different races. The tables were covered with burgundy tablecloths, and in the center were lighted candles. Old school hip-hop, recent hip-hop and R’B music had everyone dancing.

There was a diverse range of performances; from the Cape Verdean Student Association, to the Gospel choir, to poetry from the Native American Student Association. There were a few performances that caused a reaction throughout the audience. The poem “Racism Don’t Live Here No More,” by Denise Daily, caused a huge reaction from the audience. Racism was discussed throughout her poem with specific events where racism is still portrayed. Loud applauses and cheers stormed throughout the room when she mentioned how racism is showed at UMass.

Daily discussed the way Central, Orchard Hill and Sylvan residential areas are described as “traditional style housing with grassy areas,” while Southwest is described as the “urban field, the largest area that’s lively and active.”

The BSU made sure there were cultural dances and music to entertain all, but their objective was to educate the audience. The food from UMass catering included fried chicken, macaroni and cheese, collard greens, mashed potatoes, cornbread and fruit punch.

Jasmine Renee Pina can be reached at [email protected].