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Black Cultural Center

Department Overview

The BCC: the Hub of a Vibrant and Productive Community

The BCC, also known as "The House," is home to Swarthmore's storied and accomplished Black Community, a community that has received national accolades and is considered a model for many who are concerned about the development and well-being of Black students in the academy. This well deserved and prestigious position results from over 60 years of vision and struggle. Today that vision of a Swarthmore where Black students excel and where they learn to transform their broader community is alive and well, and the Black Cultural Center is the hub of that activity.

Swarthmore's Black community and its allies have done a tremendous job in ensuring that Black people are an integral part of Swarthmore's landscape. The community's vision, insisting that Black students develop intellectually and culturally, has positively reinforced the College's commitment to multicultural education, making Swarthmore a leader among its peers. At the BCC this goal extends to all "Swatties," --to develop the cross-cultural leadership skills of every interested student, especially those wishing to work within the Black Community, with sensitivity, familiarity and an eye toward "people-centered empowerment."

The BCC is a great place to explore and debate ideas, hold study groups, plan and host meetings and events, have a dinner, read a book, write a paper, or just relax. We invite you to explore our website to learn more about our energetic community.

Stories from the BCC