Saturday, Feb. 17, the Black Student Union celebrated its 40th anniversary at Auburn University, just a month after the university celebrated its 60th anniversary of racial integration.
The event, which many alumni and members of BSU attended, included an award ceremony, recognizing those who have made an impact on the organization's success throughout its history. The ceremony opened with music and dinner for guests in attendance.
Nylah Bluiett, senior in apparel design, serves as president of the BSU. As the first president to host an anniversary event for the organization, she reflected on its growth during the celebration.
“We’re just really excited to be able to celebrate how far we've come as an organization over 40 years,” Bluiett said. “We rarely get to come back and celebrate with our alumni."
Auburn's first African American student, Harold A. Franklin, enrolled at the university in 1964 after a contentious legal battle with the university. Then a graduate student, Franklin faced isolation from his white peers and eventually transferred to Alabama State University.
Auburn's BSU was started 20 years later with the goal of furthering the interests of Black students on campus. The organization accepts membership from any student, regardless of race, to support their cause.
Former BSU member and Auburn University Board of Trustees president pro tempore Quentin Riggins received the Distinguished Alumni Excellence Award for his commitment and accomplishments within the BSU at the event. Riggins played football for the university from 1986 to 1989 before his appointment to the board. In 2023, he was elected president pro tempore of the board, the first Black person to hold this position.
Dayton Malone, senior in software engineering, serves as vice president of finance and administration for BSU.
“I felt like the organization was a family,” Malone said. “It was a home away from home that provided a space for all students to be able to come and learn about each other's differences and learn about all the things that make us unique. That is the overall Auburn student experience.”
Hailey Clayton, junior in human development and family science, serves as BCU’s vice president of programs.
“The BSU has been a space where Black students can come together and advocate for themselves and their needs but also just share community, fellowship and be understood,” Clayton said. “I appreciate it from that aspect. It's one of the first things I ever got involved in, and I found mentors, friends and all types of people in the organization.”
BSU holds their weekly meetings at 5 p.m. on Mondays and encourages student participation. Wednesday, Feb. 20, they will host their annual jazz and music festival at 6 p.m. in the Melton Student Center.
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