Posted February 2022
On the 100th anniversary of Abraham Lincoln’s birth, February 12, 1909, a group of African American leaders founded the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). In the years to follow, many cities and colleges across the country began to recognize “Negro History Week” to promote and acknowledge the accomplishments of Black Americans and those of African descent. Now, to coincide with both Lincoln’s birth and the birthday of civil rights pioneer Frederick Douglass, Black History Month is celebrated every February as a reminder of the accomplishments of African Americans and to honor their contributions to society.
To kick off Black History Month, here are some members of the Black community who have impacted Boston University in incredible ways. Learn more about their stories:
Growing up in Connecticut in the 1960s, Linda Calhoun (COM’80) was used to being one of the only Black girls in a group. However, after embarking on her career as an international policy coordinator and data manager, she realized that not much had changed. So in 1996, Calhoun founded Career Girls, a nonprofit that uses videos to introduce young women and girls to a variety of careers. Read on.
After a brief corporate career, Morris Robinson (CFA‘01) enrolled in the BU College of Fine Arts at age 30, which became the start of his dramatically successful career as a singer. His most recent work includes a magnificent solo on the Los Angeles Philharmonic’s recording of Mahler’s Symphony No. 8, which has been nominated for two Grammy Awards. Read on.
Leon Wilson (MET’75) had only been president and CEO of the Museum of African American History for three weeks when the pandemic struck in March 2020. As many museums began to shut down across the country, Wilson knew he had to pivot to keep the history alive. He worked tirelessly to forge new partnerships across the city, update the Museum’s website, and retain all of its staff on payroll throughout the pandemic. And all his hard work paid off as the Museum continues to operate as a historic site for African American history and a place to open new conversations around racial equity. Continue reading about Wilson’s work.
With a love for all things fashion, Abiola Agoro (CAS’21) started to make and sell her own jewelry at the age of nine. When she arrived at BU, Agoro’s interest expanded into fashion styling, and she even launched her own mobile boutique and styling service, Styled by Ola. While her work has been seen in many runway shows, including a stage at New York Fashion Week, Agoro has recently embarked on a new venture—designing and launching her own clothing line. Continue reading about Agoro’s work and Journey as a fashion designer.
The Ohio-raised son of a certified public accountant, David R. Jones (CGS’84, Questrom’86) co-founded CastleOak Securities in 2006. His brushes with racist comments in his youth shaped his company’s philanthropy, and now, CastleOak has funded the PGA Minority Collegiate Championship as well as dozens of scholarships for underrepresented students. See how Jones is opening doors and providing opportunities to others through his work.
After a friend’s diet was limited by an autoimmune disorder, Shaun Chavis (MET‘06) had an idea. The cookbook editor, journalist, and innovator with a culinary arts degree began to envision a world where a diagnosis doesn’t have to be so devastating to someone’s diet choices. Using her new cookbook platform, LVNGbook, she started to build that future, recipe by recipe. Read about her vision “to bring culture back to healthy eating.”
Joseph Conyers (BUTI’98) was studying at the BU Tanglewood Institute when he was introduced to the Boston Symphony Orchestra for the first time. His experience hearing a “Big Five” orchestra eventually lead to him being appointed as the assistant principal bassist of the Philadelphia Orchestra in 2010. Currently serving as the director of BUTI’s Young Artists Orchestra, Conyers hopes to help shape the program that transformed him. Continue reading.
When Shantel Miller (CFA’21) came to BU to pursue an MFA, she moved into an all-Christian women’s house in Dorchester. She began to imagine a series of paintings exploring the lives of the people she met in church and elsewhere. Now, the painter will have both the time and the financial freedom to pursue her project as the winner of the grand prize in the 2021 College of Fine Arts Esther B. and Albert S. Kahn Career Entry Award competition. Read more about her work and future plans here.
In 1973, Carmen Fields (COM’73) became one of only two female Black reporters in a Boston Globe newsroom that was dominated by white men. With an extensive career, Fields’s crowning journalistic achievements include winning a Pulitzer Prize with the Globe, writing the script for the 1993 PBS documentary Going Back to T-Town, and now serving on BU’s Black Alumni Leadership Council. Read more about her experience breaking barriers in journalism.
A preacher-turned-law-school-grad, Jonathan Allen (LAW’19) founded a nonprofit to help underrepresented students gain access to graduate and doctoral level education and careers. With a vision to empower BU students to have a greater impact in their careers and communities, he now serves as the Inaugural Innovator in Residence at Innovate@BU. Continue reading about his work and his plans for Innovate@BU.