Maryville College to celebrate Black History Month with campus-wide events highlighting history, culture and community
Feb. 9, 2026
Maryville College will mark Black History Month in February with a series of events designed to celebrate Black history, culture and creativity — while also reflecting on the College’s own complex and meaningful role in that history.
From worship and music to food, storytelling and hip-hop, the observances invite students, faculty, staff and the broader community to engage with Black history as something lived, shared and ongoing.
“Celebrating Black History Month is essential — not only to honor the past, but to help us understand where we are and what responsibility we carry moving forward,” said Aja Rodriguez ’04, director of Community and Belonging at Maryville College. “Black history is American history, and it is deeply intertwined with Maryville College’s story. These events create space for learning, reflection and connection across generations.”
The month’s observances begin with a special Chapel service at 1:15–1:50 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 10, in the Samuel Wilson Tyndale Center for Campus Ministry (CCM), featuring Dr. Adriel McCord ’00. A banker with First Horizon, a member of the Maryville College Board of Directors and a noted community philanthropist, McCord will speak about his experiences as a Black student at Maryville College in the late 1990s and the role the institution played in shaping his path.
“We invited Dr. McCord because he is a notable alumnus who can speak honestly and powerfully about the Black experience at MC,” Rodriguez said. “He is also an important business leader in the region and a strong example of service and leadership.”
At 4 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 18, the CCM will host a special edition of its weekly musical jam session, paired with a presentation on the “History of Soul Food.” The event will include music inspired by Black musicians, a slideshow tracing the cultural roots of soul food, a sampling of dishes, and a group discussion centered on personal and cultural food traditions.
“Soul food carries history, memory and survival,” Rodriguez said. “This event brings people together through music and storytelling to explore how culture is passed down — not just through books, but through kitchens and communities.”
The Black Student Alliance (BSA) will host a a “Natural Hair Workshop” from 12:30-1:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 19, in the Proffitt Dining Room, and the observances continue with “Rap History and How To,” a workshop from 6–8 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 26, in Anderson Hall, Room 140, led by Lane Shuler and Jarius “J.BU$H” Bush of Knoxville-based Good Guy Collective. The presentation will explore hip-hop as an art form rooted in Black American history and include a hands-on rap workshop welcoming participants of all experience levels. Good Guy Collective has collaborated with artists including Atmosphere, Ace Hood, Dead Prez, Blu and Homeboy Sandman. Finally, the month concludes on Friday, Feb. 27, with a karaoke event from 6:30-7:30 p.m. in Bartlett Hall Room 101, sponsored by the BSA.
“Hip-hop is a cultural archive — it tells stories about resistance, identity and creativity,” said Shuler, a Blount County native and local realtor who also performs as a hip-hop and spoken word artist. “This workshop treats rap as both history and living art, while making space for everyone to participate.”
Throughout February, the Division of Student Affairs will also share a Black History Month social media series highlighting Maryville College’s own contributions to Black history. Drawing from archival materials, the campaign will spotlight Black students, faculty and staff whose presence and persistence helped shape the institution.
Maryville College’s relationship with Black history dates back to its founding year. In 1819, founder the Rev. Isaac Anderson welcomed George Erskine, a formerly enslaved man, as a student. In 1880, William H. Franklin became the College’s first Black graduate; he later founded the Swift Memorial Institute to educate Black students during segregation. State-mandated segregation began in 1901 and lasted until 1954, when Brown v. Board of Education paved the way for integration.
That change ushered in the “Maryville Six” — the first Black students to enroll after integration: Shirley Carr Clowney, Queen Elizabeth Crossing, Freeman Wyche, Louise Hill Gilmore, Leo DeWitt “Jackie” Valentine and Nancy Smith Wright ’60. Wright would become the first Black woman to graduate from Maryville College in 1960, later earning a master’s degree from the University of Pittsburgh and spending more than 20 years in higher education at the University of Tennessee as a faculty member and academic advisor.
After retiring, Wright returned to Maryville College as a deeply engaged alumna and leader. Today, her legacy is honored through the Nancy Smith Wright Unity Award, presented annually to individuals or organizations that demonstrate unity through diversity within the Maryville College community and beyond.
“Maryville College benefits immensely from celebrating Black History Month because it reinforces the core values of a liberal arts education — critical inquiry, community and human dignity,” Rodriguez said. “In today’s world — marked by increasing diversity, ongoing conversations and controversy about equity, and a need for deeper cultural understanding — acknowledging Black history is not just symbolic; it is essential to preparing students to engage meaningfully in a complex society.”
All Black History Month events are open to the campus community, with several open to the public. Additional details will be shared through Maryville College’s website and social media channels throughout the month.