March 21 marked the first celebration of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) Day in the city of Nashville, TN.
This inaugural day included students, administration, staff and alumni celebrating HBCUs. One of the goals of HBCU Day was to provide an opportunity to promote awareness for HBCUs and their need for adequate funding. HBCU Day highlighted the contributions made by the four Nashville HBCUs- Fisk University, Tennessee State University, Meharry College and the American Baptist College, as well as the contributions they will continue to make in the future.
Fisk SGA President Andreas Nelson opened the ceremony with a warm welcome to kick off the event and celebrations. Fisk junior Jailen Edwards had been working on HBCU Day since she was crowned Miss Sophomore, and during her reign she had expressed that she wanted to find a way to give back to the institution, which she felt had poured so much into her. At the event, Edwards was presented the official proclamation for HBCU Day by Deputy Mayor Brenda Haywood.
“I believe there is a sense of complacency when it comes to ensuring the future of Historically Black institutions and I wanted to take action,” Edwards said. “Events like HBCU Day are important to continue emphasizing the need for adequate funding and bring awareness to the relevance of HBCUs. Although it is just one day out of the year it could be the difference that ensures HBCUs like Fisk will be able to continue educating students for generations to come.”
