The Bucknell Special Collections Department is featuring an exhibit located on the first floor of the Bertrand Library, titled “150 Years of Black Excellence, Resilience, and Impact”. The exhibit was curated by Giana Depina, ‘26, and Athaliah Elvis, ‘26.
The marker beside the exhibit reads “The 150-year history, tenacity, accomplishments, and contributions of Black students at Bucknell University are commemorated in this exhibit. Using primary materials, images, publications, and student viewpoints, this timeline chronicles the history of Bucknell’s Black community from its foundation to the present, highlighting significant occasions and community voices. The goal is to instill Black community, excellence, and struggle into Bucknell’s institutional memory”.
On display are several mementos from Bucknell’s Black Alumni Association, including photos from the 1990 and 2016 Black Alumni Weekends and two issues of the Black Alumni News newsletter. Also featured are a pamphlet with information on Bucknell’s Brawley fund, named after Edward McKnight Brawley, the first African American to earn a bachelor’s degree at Bucknell in 1875, and a program from the 2009 plaque dedication honoring Dr. Richard Emmanuel Smith, an English professor who became Bucknell’s first Black tenure-track employee in 1971.
Though not possible to capture the history of Black life at Bucknell in its entirety, the exhibit features an array of photos and memorabilia which paint a vivid picture of the exemplary contributions Black faculty, staff, students, and other community members have contributed to the campus community.
-Lily Hebda