Don't let the name fool you. The Black Student Union is not strictly for black students at Auburn.
The Black Student Union brings Black History Month specific events open to everyone.
The events that have taken place so far include the Heritage Festival and the Mr. BSU pageant.
The Heritage Festival, an event that caters to the influence of African American culture throughout the world, included talent show type performers as well as speakers from the NPHC and a prominent civil rights leader, Roy Howard who talked about his experience, as well as, gave his advice on civil rights for African Americans.
"Even though it was Black History month we wanted to make it more diverse, so it wasn't all about black people in general, it was about what black history has done for the country and the world," said Jamecia Crenshaw, social director for Black Student Union.
Akiliah Williams, president of the Black Student Union, says her favorite event is the Heritage Festival.
"It wasn't just about black history, it was about the history of cultures and the other organizations showed what is black history influence in the countries that they're from," Williams said.
The Mr. BSU pageant was transformed into something fun and entertaining for the campus, Crenshaw said.
"The different categories had something to do with different areas of black history," Crenshaw said.
Mr. BSU pageant winner, Del Anderson, was happy to make his family and friends proud.
"I think that just to get black students excited about their heritage and also make the whole student body aware how important black history is, not just to African Americans, but to everybody is important," Anderson said.
Upcoming events include tonight's Jazz and Poetry Night, at 7p.m. in the Student Center ballroom, where students can sign up to sing or read poetry and spoken word.
Williams stresses the importance of the Auburn family during Black History Month.
"I invite people out to Black Student Union events because this is what the Auburn family does, we support one another, we get to know one another and we experience one another," Williams said. "From that we become a family and we grow to support, fight and work for one another."
Williams compares the support for BSU to a football game.
"It doesn't matter who you're sitting by, who's in front of you or behind you, we're just all there cheering for the team," Williams said. "We're still there together, whether we're winning or losing. I think going to BSU events or going to Greek Sing, going to Tiger Stomp is like that, maybe a more condensed version. It's an opportunity to be around each other all for the same reason to be entertained, to have fun and to learn more."
Anderson defines Black History Month as a time to recognize the good that has been done in the past.
"Black History month is honoring the accomplishment that blacks have made in the past in the face of struggle and also realizing that we as a people need to keep moving forward and making ground-breaking discoveries, not just for black Americans, but for all races," Anderson said.
Crenshaw's family has taken part in African American history directly. Her aunts and uncles were involved in protests in the 1960s and 1970s.
"My aunt actually was right at 16th Street Baptist Church right at the bombing," Crenshaw said. "There's just a lot of things I think we should celebrate and understand that it's not just about Rosa Parks or Martin Luther King Jr., but it's what (African Americans) have done as a whole."
BSU wants to change the way the students see the organization.
"The Black Student Union, especially this year under Akilah's guidance, has done a tremendous job in representing ourselves. We're working a lot more toward being campus-oriented," Crenshaw said. "We just want to make sure that even though our name may be the Black Student Union, which can kind of sound like it's just for black students, but we really want for everyone on our campus to understand that it just started as the Black Student Union. Even though it was started for black students that's not really where we're taking it. We want everyone to be involved."
Sharing cultures and their histories is essential to the drive behind these events, Williams said.
"What makes BSU to me so transcendent is that it's not just a focus on our history, but it's a focus on sharing our history," Williams said. "I feel like Black History Month and Black Student Union events are events that encompass the Auburn family. We can celebrate our culture while knowing we are in another culture."
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