Black Alumni Celebration

July 2009 | Posted in Connections

Nearly 200 alumni and students came together March 20–21 on campus for the Black Alumni Celebration, commemorating the 40th anniversary of the founding of the Swarthmore African-American Student Society. Alumni attending represented more than five decades of classes. Events included panel discussions on black history at Swarthmore, the events of 1969, campus tours, and a discussion led by Associate Professor of Political Science Keith Reeves ’88 on “Black Ethical Leadership.” The day’s activities were followed by a “family style” dinner and a performance by the Alumni Gospel Choir.

“I was inspired and enlightened as I heard the stories of former Swarthmore students as they recounted their experiences in tackling issues of race in the College community,” said Amari Scott ’12 in a Daily Gazette interview. Organizer Charmaine Giles ’10, who hopes the event can be repeated, said, “So many people told me that black alumni never want to come back to Swarthmore, but this celebration showed that they do want to come back. They want to come back for us, the students.”

—Jeffrey Lott