BRTC Celebrates Black History Month

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Dr. Martin Eggensperger welcoming attendees to Black History Month Presentation via Zoom

POCAHONTAS, AR Mar. 2 2021 – Through the month of February, Black River Technical College has celebrated the achievements of African Americans, recognizing their central role in United States history.

BRTC got the celebration underway by setting up an African American authors’ book display, hanging posters of influential African Americans which explained each one’s contribution to U.S. history, inviting students to take an African American History quiz.

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On Wednesday, February 24, BRTC in collaboration with the Eddie Mae Herron Center hosted Dr. Aram Goudsouzian via Zoom. Dr. Aram Goudsouzian, Bizot Family Professor of History at the University of Memphis and award-winning author, gave a presentation entitled “My Mississippi is Everywhere: James Meredith and American History.”

BRTC faculty, staff, and students listened to Dr. Goudsouzian explain how James Meredith courageously integrated the University of Mississippi, despite mob violence and constant threats. But Meredith, according to Dr. Goudsouzian, “fits no conventional description of a civil rights icon. Throughout his life, he has remained a contradiction: a staunch individualist who seeks to destroy white supremacy.” The lecture explored the contours of Meredith’s life and what it might tell us about today. At the conclusion of the presentation, Dr. Goudsouzian fielded questions from attendees.

Dr. Dianna Fraley, BRTC history instructor states, “BRTC was honored to have Dr. Aram Goudsouzian, a leading African American historian from the University of Memphis as our Black History Month guest speaker. Dr. Goudsouzian’s presentation on the life of James Meredith and his desire to eliminate systematic racism in the United States, still resonates in our country today.”

For more information about enrolling in history classes at BRTC, contact Donna Statler, Dean for General Studies at (870) 248-4000, ext. 4183 or donnas@blackrivertech.edu or visit http://blackrivertech.org/admission-registration-enrollment.