Photo Gallery
Black Dance Ensemble
Gospel Choir
Sunday evening realization of a precious Afro-American art form. Struggles to learn our different voice parts. When we did, and all sang together - a wonderful warm feeling that we put everything into it that we had to make the song live.
Gospel Choir
The Swarthmore College Black Dance Ensemble provides an opportunity for cultural identity and understanding. Black Dance Ensemble members combine their creative talents to demonstrate a realm of black expansion, the traditional African Cuban to contemporary modern dance. In essence, the Black Dance Ensemble seeks, through weekly practices and annual concerts, to enlighten our culture, our community, and ourselves.
Black Dance Ensemble group photo
Black Dance Ensemble performing on stage.
Upward Bound
Swarthmore Afro-American Society
Professor William Amoaku
Maya Angelou
Gospel Choir
Robinson House 1983
SASS (Swarthmore Afro-American Students Society)
Black Cultural Center, Christmas Dinner 1987
Student Life
Black Studies, from left: Joe Mason, Black Cultural Center; Chuck James, English literature, Peter Schmidt, English literature, Hillard Pouncy, political science; and Jerry Wood, history. Missing: Allison Williams, chemistry, Ethel Moore, psychology, and Maurice Eldridge '61, development office.
SASA promotes a wide-ranging study of African issues and African cultures, aiming in all its activities to enrich student's experiences at Swarthmore by fostering a greater awareness of Africa and African issues.
SASS is a political, educational, cultural, and social organization which develops a variety of programs and activities that maintain the understanding of the African-American experience.
On March 21, 1992, the portrait of former dean of Swarthmore College Janet Dickerson became the first painting of a person of color to permanently adorn the walls of Parrish Hall.
Sistahs is a new a capella group on Swarthmore Campus. The group is made up of female Afro-Americans.
Sophisticated Gents is an all-male Afro-American a capella group.
The Swarthmore College Gospel Choir serves as a spiritual uplifting, a cultural identification, and a special outlet for black students at Swarthmore College.
Essie Mae Burkhalter, a 35-year member of the Dining Services staff, at the dedication in her honor of the former snack bar in Tarble Social Center in Clothier Hall.
Student life, 1993
Student life, 1993
Student life, 1993
Student life, 1993
SASS, 1993
In response to racist and homophobic graffiti seen on campus, students took action. Black students staged a silent protest outside the Admissions Office. Later, students of all colors and creeds banded together denouncing all forms of hate speech.
BCC Senior Dinner
Slamming in the Bell Tower, Black Coffee sings during Harambe
Black Coffee is an all African-American a capella group that induced many debates on campus when it received its charter this year, 1996.
Members of SASA perform in a fashion show as part of a presentation of African culture, 1999.
SASA
Celebrating MLK Jr. Day with music in Bond Hall, 2009
SASS, 2008
A cappella group Essence of Soul performing in Clothier Bell Tower, 2009
Kathryn Morgan, Sarah Lawrence Lightfoot Professor Emerita of History, at a poetry event named and held in her honor, 2009
Christopher Edley Jr. '73 H' 99 speaks at a symposium, Reimagining Civil Discourse, 2010
Black History Month 2011 included a performance by the Alumni Gospel Choir, conducted by Freeman Palmer '79 (right), in the Friends Meetinghouse
Cecily Bumbray '12 and Philippe Celestin '11 performed in Upper Tarble during the second annual charity ball that raised funds for relief efforts in Haiti, 2011
Rhythm n Motion, 2011
Rhythm n Motion's 2010 fall dance concert
Members of Swarthmore's poetry collective OASiS offered lyrical creations with celebrated Def Jam poet Shihan (right) during the Swat Poetry Jam, 2011
John Alston leads the Chester Children's Chorus during its 2011 summer concert in Lang Concert Hall
We Are All Trayvon march
Black Cultural Center
The Inauguration of President Valerie Smith in 2015. From left: Princeton University President Christopher Eisgruber, President Valerie Smith, and Chair of the Board of Managers Tom Spock '78.
The Inauguration of President Valerie Smith in 2015. From left, Ruth Simmons, former president of Brown University and Smith College, and President Valerie Smith.
The Inauguration of President Valerie Smith in 2015. Lynne Cottman, a 42-year member of Dining Services, offered greetings on behalf of the College's staff.
Students at a BCC Open House picnic
Project Blueprint closing ceremony with President Valerie Smith
Provost Sarah Willie-LeBreton and Dion Lewis, director of Black Cultural Center
Kwanzaa celebration in Upper Tarble sponsored by the Black Cultural Center
Dean of First Year Students Karen Henry '87 and Shá Duncan Smith, assistant vice president and dean of inclusive excellence and community engagement
Sabrina Fulton, mother of Trayvon Martin, met with students in the BCC during her visit to campus in 2018.
Environmental Services Week celebration, 2018
Environmental Services Black History Month celebration, 2019
Chester Children's Chorus in Lang Concert Hall
Students, faculty, and staff celebrate the Class of 2019 at the annual Black Cultural Center Senior Awards Banquet in Upper Tarble.
Students at the Black Cultural Center
