Black History Month 2024

Join us as we celebrate Black History Month at NMSU, a time dedicated to honoring the remarkable contributions and resilience of Black Americans throughout history. Through engaging activities and events, we invite the NMSU community to reflect on the past, celebrate achievements, and commit to building a more inclusive future.

CELEBRATING THE FIRSTS

The collaboration between Black Programs and the Dona Ana Branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), represented by Dr. Bobbie Green, is aimed at celebrating notable "firsts" within NMSU and New Mexico. This groundbreaking program involves the recognition and presentation of a proclamation by Mayor Eric Enriquez of Las Cruces.

The collaboration between Black Programs and the Dona Ana Branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), represented by Dr. Bobbie Green, is aimed at celebrating notable "firsts" within NMSU and New Mexico. This groundbreaking program involves the recognition and presentation of a proclamation by Mayor Eric Enriquez of Las Cruces. The image captures a group of seven individuals standing indoors, arranged in a line facing the camera. The backdrop consists of large windows with blue blinds partially drawn, allowing light to filter into the room, which has a burgundy carpet. The people in the photo exhibit a range of expressions from neutral to slight smiles. Starting from the left, the first person is wearing a red polo shirt with black pants and glasses. Next to him, a man in a light plaid suit jacket and glasses stands. The third person, an elderly man in a dark jacket, holds a framed proclamation. The fourth person, a younger man in a grey suit with a purple shirt, stands in the center. An elderly woman with gray hair, dressed in a gray blazer and purple shirt and skirt, holding a framed proclamation appears next. The following person is a woman in a black dress with a colorful shawl, also holding a framed proclamation. The last person on the right is dressed in a black jacket over a red ruffled blouse.
The collaboration between Black Programs and the Dona Ana Branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), represented by Dr. Bobbie Green, is aimed at celebrating notable "firsts" within NMSU and New Mexico. This groundbreaking program involves the recognition and presentation of a proclamation by Mayor Eric Enriquez of Las Cruces. The image shows two women standing on a basketball court in what appears to be an indoor sports arena. The woman on the left has long, braided hair, and dresses in a black top paired with a grey skirt and a green blazer. She wears a statement necklace featuring multiple crescent-shaped gold pieces. The woman on the right has short, grey hair and wears glasses. She is dressed in a black outfit adorned with a multicolored scarf featuring green, pink, blue, and yellow hues with a geometric pattern. Both women are smiling. In the background, there are rows of empty maroon seats and a partially visible scoreboard or banner. The court features light brown wood flooring with a large black and white logo partially visible in the bottom foreground.
The collaboration between Black Programs and the Dona Ana Branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), represented by Dr. Bobbie Green, is aimed at celebrating notable "firsts" within NMSU and New Mexico. This groundbreaking program involves the recognition and presentation of a proclamation by Mayor Eric Enriquez of Las Cruces. The image depicts three people standing indoors side by side, each holding a framed proclamation with a blue border. The setting appears to be a formal event or ceremony, suggested by the business attire and the solemn expressions of the individuals. Behind them is a large window with ample natural light illuminating the scene. The person on the left is wearing a dark brown leather jacket over a checkered shirt and glasses. They have short, gray hair and a mustache and beard. The person in the middle is dressed in a gray blazer over a purple shirt, and has curly white hair and glasses. They are also wearing a few pins on their blazer. The person on the right is adorned in a colorful shawl with patterns in green, pink, yellow, and blue over a black dress, and is wearing glasses. They have short, curly gray hair and a necklace.

The proclamation honored individuals such as Dr. McKinley Boston, the first Black NMSU athletic director; Dorris Hamilton, the first Black woman principal in New Mexico; and Anita Skipper, the first NMSU Alumna in the WNBA. Additionally, the program includes special recognition of Dr. McKinley Boston and Anita Skipper during the men's and women's basketball games respectively. Anita Skipper also commentated as a radio analyst for a Division 1 men’s basketball game alongside Isis 'Ice' Young.


Dr. Justine Ballenger, The image is a promotional poster for a "Meet and Greet" event for Dr. Justin Ballenger. The background color of the poster is a solid maroon. The top section of the poster has the largest text which reads “MEET AND GREET FOR” in white, followed by “DR. JUSTIN BALLENGER” in bold black letters outlined in white. Below this, there is a smaller paragraph of white text inviting the NMSU and Las Cruces community to the event. The poster includes essential event details such as the date, location, and time, presented in white text on a black background. Centered on the right half of the poster is a circular, color headshot of Dr. Justin Ballenger with a friendly expression. He has shoulder-length dreadlocks, and is wearing a blue suit, white shirt, and maroon tie. Below the event details, there is a black-and-white QR code for RSVPing to the event, accompanied by the instruction “Scan to RSVP” in white text on a black background. At the bottom of the poster, the names and logos for NMSU Library and Black Programs are displayed. The left side features a block of white text mentioning the support for Black History Month (BHM) 2024.

As part of our efforts to network, collaborate, and share experience across a diverse spectrum to elevate the Black community experience at New Mexico State University, Black Programs and NMSU Library welcomed Dr. Justin Ballenger the Deputy Director of the Atlanta University Center Data Science Initiative for a meet and greet session with the NMSU community. The purpose of his visit is to discuss Black History Month and its significance with a look at the diversity within the Black community in the United States. 


Okiki Adegoke

This initiative, in collaboration with NMSU Zuhl Library, NMSU Alamogordo, and New Mexico State Aggies, was proposed by Okiki Adegoke to provide NMSU Black students with inspiring books for their journey. The aim is to encourage Black students to persevere, find joy in their journey, and stay focused on their ultimate goals. As part of this initiative, Black faculty and staff members of the NMSU community recommended books that they find interesting and believe would be beneficial for Black students to read.

BOOKS THAT INSPIRES


RECOGNITION OF STUDENT ASSOCIATIONS

During the 2024 Black History Month celebration, we took the opportunity to actively promote and recognize various student associations within the NMSU community. This initiative aimed to raise awareness among Black and diasporan students at NMSU and foster a stronger sense of community and support among them. By acknowledging and supporting these student associations, we hoped to encourage collaboration, provide valuable resources, and create platforms for networking and engagement. This endeavor aligns with our broader goal of enhancing the overall student experience and promoting inclusivity and diversity within the university community.

During the 2024 Black History Month celebration, we took the opportunity to actively promote and recognize various student associations within the NMSU community. The image portrays a group of six individuals standing together, smiling at the camera. They are positioned indoors, appearing to be in an arena or gymnasium with rows of maroon-colored seats visible in the background. Each person is wearing a black t-shirt featuring different variations of text promoting Black History Month. From left to right: The first individual, with long, braided hair, wears light blue jeans and a black, long-sleeved shirt that reads "NEW MEXICO STATE BLACK HISTORY MONTH" in multicolored lettering. The second individual has voluminous curly hair, wearing black shorts and a similar black t-shirt with the same message. The third individual, with wavy hair and glasses, is also dressed in a black t-shirt with the same design. The fourth individual, who has a short, black beard and glasses, wears the same style of black t-shirt. The fifth individual sports a short-cropped, light green haircut, and wears a slightly different black shirt that reads "BLACK HISTORY MONTH" in bold white letters. The sixth individual, with curly hair tied back, also wears glasses and green pants, donning a matching black t-shirt with the same "BLACK HISTORY MONTH" print. In the background, to the left, there is a section of a banner featuring the logo for Coors Light and mentioning New Mexico State Athletics.
During the 2024 Black History Month celebration, we took the opportunity to actively promote and recognize various student associations within the NMSU community. A group of eight people are posing for a photograph in an indoor setting. Four are in the front and four are in the back. They are standing close together, holding and displaying a large flag of Ghana. The flag has three horizontal stripes in red, yellow, and green with a black star in the center of the yellow stripe. The person on the left in front is wearing a colorful patterned jacket over a white shirt and is holding a mobile phone in her left hand. The person on the front right is wearing a white Ghana football jersey with the number 10 and is smiling while holding an end of the flag. The others are dressed casually in shirts, jackets, and caps. The background includes a maroon railing and a beige-lit pathway, indicating an indoor venue.
During the 2024 Black History Month celebration, we took the opportunity to actively promote and recognize various student associations within the NMSU community. The image shows four young women sitting in the stands of an indoor stadium or arena. They are seated among rows of maroon-colored seats. The four women are smiling and appear to be enjoying themselves. Three of them are wearing black T-shirts with designs related to Black History Month, while the fourth woman in the front right is holding up another black T-shirt that prominently displays the text "Black History Month" in bold white letters. Behind them, in the background, a marching band dressed in maroon and white uniforms with silver helmets is visible, standing on the steps and in front of the stands.