Students circled the Brain chanting “united we stand, divided we fall,” last Thursday evening during the Black Student Union’s (BSU) Unity March.
The march, which has been held annually since 2001, is part of BSU’s Black History Month celebration.
“Unity March was to unite cultural organizations on campus, to enforce unity and to have that unity be visible to other members of the student body,” said Andrea Dozier, president of BSU.
A number of student groups participated in the event, including the Binghamton University Gospel Choir, Asian Student Union, African Student Organization, Latin American Student Union, Caribbean Student Association, Jump Nation and X-Factor.
The march, which was led by the Student Association Vice President for Multicultural Affairs J. Nathaniel Reed, began at the Dickinson Dining Hall, circled past the West Gym and ended at the Old University Union.
“There’s a new fervor among the student body to really form coalitions across the entire board, including sexuality and gender, as well as race and class,” Reed said.
Preceding the march, participants came together as a unified body with a welcoming recital of the black national anthem, better known as “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” written by civil rights leader James Weldon Johnson.
“The event is relevant to black history in uniting all people together,” Dozier said.
At the conclusion of the march, the group made an impromptu decision to march to the SA office, located on the second floor of the Old University Union.
“It wasn’t something planned,” said Dozier. “Elections are coming up and the SA needs to realize that our representation is crucial.”
As they marched to the office, the group chanted “lead, follow or get out the way,” and “we want representation.”
Reed, who has led previous unity marches elsewhere, said he was impressed and happy to see so many organizations come out and march.
“We can always get larger,” said Reed. “It’s just a matter of working together.”
Though BU’s administration is not directly involved with the unity march or other BSU Black History Month events, Linda Morales Husch, the director of the Multicultural Resource Center, said the University is proud of the unity exhibited by the students.
“Binghamton University is committed to creating a community that values, respects and includes people who come from diverse backgrounds and experiences,” Husch said. “We are proud that the Black Student Union’s annual Unity March offers our campus community an opportunity to learn about and celebrate Black History Month.”
Participating marchers seemed to enjoy the experience, many of them commenting on the diverse turnout the event received.
“It’s beautiful to see everyone coming out to work together,” said Jennine Lewis, a freshman and first-time marcher.
BSU and other Unity March supporters, such as Reed, plan to continue the event in the future and hope to see it expand with the addition of more student groups.
“We really want to thank everyone who came out,” Dozier said. “Binghamton’s Black History Month would be nothing without the other organizations who supported us.”