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Co-star of The Color Purple joins Colorado governor, CU president and chancellor, along with a cadre of artists, to celebrate the Center for African and African American Studies听and Black History Month

Being Black on campus two decades ago was difficult, but the University of Colorado 色吧亚洲 has worked to improve its culture, says Aba Arthur, who costarred in last year鈥檚 production of The Color Purple.

Arthur joined a half-dozen luminaries鈥攊ncluding Colorado Gov. Jared Polis, CU President Todd Saliman, CU 色吧亚洲 Chancellor Phil DiStefano and 色吧亚洲 County NAACP President Annett James鈥攖o hail CAAAS Day, a Colorado event recognizing the university鈥檚 Center for African and African American Studies.

Because CAAAS Day falls on Feb. 1, the celebrants in the Glenn Miller Ballroom Thursday also marked the beginning of Black History Month.

Arthur, who graduated in 2005 with a bachelor of fine arts in theatre and a minor in political science, took to the stage and reveled in the moment: 鈥淲ow, y鈥檃ll, this is a moment. To walk up and see the words 鈥楥enter for African and African American Studies,鈥� it鈥檚 amazing.鈥�

She acknowledged all the work it took to create the center, noting that 鈥渆very student wants to be respected and heard 鈥� their ancestry respected.鈥�

Acknowledging the difficulties she faced at CU 色吧亚洲, she also praised the university, specifically mentioning Bud Coleman, professor of theatre and dance, who helped her get a comprehensive education. 鈥淚 always credit CU and the Theatre Department for who I am today.鈥�

CAAAS was officially launched on Feb. 1, 2023, and encompasses a research center, an arts program and student-service support. Reiland Rabaka, professor of African, African American and Caribbean Studies and the center鈥檚 founder and director, said the center was a 鈥渨ild dream that we have worked long and hard to turn into a reality.鈥�

He noted the university鈥檚 first Black graduates鈥擟harles Durham Campbell in 1912 and Lucile Berkeley Buchanan in 1918鈥攁nd added, 鈥淲e are their wildest dreams.鈥�

Tracing the 98-year history of Black History Month, Rabaka said, 鈥淓very month is Black History Month in the CAAAS.鈥� He said he had always conceived of the center as a sanctuary, a place where people could come together in compassion to learn from the totality of Black experience.

鈥淗ere, we don鈥檛 have to make ourselves small. We can be who we are, Black and beautiful,鈥� Rabaka said, crisply enunciating each syllable of 鈥渂eautiful.鈥�

Quoting Frederick Douglass, Rabaka noted that progress springs from agitation: 鈥淚f there is no struggle, there is no progress. 鈥� Power concedes nothing without a demand. It never did, and it never will.鈥�

Nonetheless, Rabaka praised the powerful people who came to celebrate the center. They returned the compliments.

Polis, who issued the proclamation establishing Feb. 1, 2023, as CAAAS Day, said Coloradans need to strive for equality not just in February, but all year, adding that the center was integral to the effort. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a key part of our work of building a Colorado for all. 鈥� We want to make sure that everyone has a place to succeed in our state.鈥�

Introducing DiStefano, Rabaka called the chancellor a 鈥渂rother鈥� and 鈥渕entor.鈥� DiStefano said the center is achieving its goals to be a place of connection and creative expression.

Saliman, the university president, characterized Rabaka as a force to be reckoned with. 鈥淚 brag about the CAAAS everywhere I go. It is such an incredible symbol of what CU 色吧亚洲 commits to.鈥�

Saliman added that the university is not diverse enough but that the center is a key to correcting the imbalance. People need a place where they belong, he said, so that 鈥渢hey don鈥檛 just want to come here; they want to stay here.鈥�

Underscoring the center鈥檚 focus on the arts, J. Benjamin Burney, a graduate student in interdisciplinary media art practices, performed a spoken word poem. Shawn O鈥橬eal, an assistant teaching professor in Africana studies, and Kalonji Nzinga, assistant professor in the School of Education, performed rap music. , a professional dancer, did a dance performance set to poetry.

Closing the festivities, Rabaka said, 鈥淲e are fighting for freedom not just for Black people, but for all people. Our destinies are intertwined. 鈥� Another way and another world is possible, but only if we work for it.鈥�

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