The Kappa Epsilon Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta performed a skit Wednesday, Feb. 20 in the Student Center Ballroom. They told the story of some of the first African Americans who made an impact during their time at Auburn University and after their graduation.
Olivia Cook, senior in polymer fiber engineering, played Harold Milton, the first African American SGA president at Auburn, in 1987.
"He was also the first independent or non fraternity member to be elected to this position," Cook said.
Other African Americans that were played in their performance included Harold A. Franklin, the first African American student at Auburn; Vania Clemons, the first African American Miss Auburn; Octavia Spencer, a famous actress who went to Auburn; and Danyelle Hillman, the first African American cheerleader at Auburn.
Raven Conwell, 2nd-year master's student in the clinical mental health counseling program, played Octavia Spencer.
"She started her film career here in the state of Alabama; she was working as a director's assistant for one of her roles, and she got pulled into the actual movie," Conwell said. "(She was) the first and only African American from Auburn University to win a Screen Actors Guild Award, Golden Globe Award and Academy Award for best supporting actress."
Ophelia McDonald, senior in business marketing, represented her entire sorority and shared part of its history.
"The Kappa Upsilon Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. was chartered Jan. 12, 1974, by 10 dynamic black women, making us the first African American sorority on this campus," McDonald said. "We are known for our creativity, our innovation and our hard work on the campus of Auburn University."
Their accomplishments include, but are not limited to, the highest GPA and chapter of the year, McDonald said.
After the skit, the sorority members hosted a game of Jeopardy and split the audience into two teams to play against each other. A video of Cam Newton talking to the Auburn football team was shown after Jeopardy. In the video, Newton asked the players what they would do during their "dash" at Auburn. The "dash" is the time students spend at Auburn.
"The gist of the video was basically saying, in your time here, whether it was 2008 or 2009 to whatever your graduation date, what is your impact going to be on campus?" said Chartavia Brown, 2012 Auburn alumna.
"We introduced some of the first greats to come across on the campus who paved the way for all of us to do whatever we want while we are here."
This is the first year the sorority has put on this event, but they hope to do it again in the future. McDonald said it took them about a month and a half to plan the event.
"We want to continue it because no one has ever done anything quite like the skit presentation or honored the first blacks of Auburn," McDonald said. "We want to continue doing it, and maybe next year we can honor some who made a difference in 2013."
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