EBONI Honors Culture with Series of Black History Month Events

Emerson’s Black Organization with Natural Interest (EBONI) is honoring Black History Month with a series of events designed to uplift and celebrate Emerson’s Black community. The programming highlights different facets of Black culture while recognizing the community’s lasting impact both on campus and beyond.

Founded in 1968—eight years before Black History Month received federal recognition—EBONI was created for Emersonians of African descent to foster community engagement and collaboration. Since then, the organization has continued to serve as a vital third space where members can participate in student-led events and pursue their academic and professional interests.

“EBONI is a safe space on campus where I am free to be myself and to commune amongst others who share the same experiences and interests as I do,” said Reign Bailey ’27, VP of EBONI. “Outside of EBONI, I was and still am one of the few Black students—if not the only—in my classes and other group settings. This can lead to being overlooked in group conversation or feeling the need to overperform as some sort of token.” 

As part of EBONI’s Black History Month celebrations, the organization hosted a self-care night, a line dancing event, and a night featuring Black-owned restaurants in the Boston area featuring soul food, Caribbean, and West African cuisines.

Bailey said the self-care night provided complimentary items, as well as self-care tips to boost their overall wellness.

“I would like the membership to leave this event knowing that their wellness should also be a priority. The items provided at the event require time for members to slow down and check in with themselves to ensure that their needs are being fulfilled,” said Bailey.

On February 25, EBONI will host A Soulful Dinner with EBONI in the dining hall from 4:30 to 9 pm, with music from from 5 to 6 pm.. 

Attendees will enjoy a soul-food-inspired menu celebrating the rich culinary traditions of African American culture.

“A Soulful Dinner with EBONI is a collaboration with the Emerson Dining Center that features Black cuisines curated by the EBONI Executive Board,” EBONI President s Layla Stewart ’27. “From this event, we hope to introduce and showcase a corner of EBONI’s culture to the larger Emerson community through a tasty immersion.”

The following day, EBONI is holding a Black History Month-inspired Family Feud event in the Student Performance Center’s SPC Black Box.

“The idea for a Family Feud-style event was inspired by the role that this game show played in Black households,” said Stewart. “From the captivating host, Steve Harvey, to riveting questions, to the at-home competition to see who can guess the most correct answers, Family Feud has been a staple of television, and, even more importantly, has been led and hosted by a Black man for over 15 years, and loved by so many demographics.”

Students are also invited to visit a display at the Iwasaki Library titled EBONI Through the Decades, on view from February 23 through the end of the semester. The exhibit honors EBONI’s long and impactful history at Emerson College.

“EBONI’s founders wanted to ensure that the Black population on campus was represented and had a place where they could find community outside of the classroom,” said Bailey. “Despite being almost 60 years since EBONI’s founding, Black students on Emerson’s campus may still run into the same complications with being accepted. This acts as a reminder for why the organization is important on Emerson’s campus and why its continuation is necessary in improving the overall experience for Black students at Emerson College.”

Vice President for Student Affairs Christie Anglade also emphasized the importance of student organizations like EBONI.

“Student organizations are at the heart of the Emerson experience. They bring energy, creativity, and purpose to our campus, and EBONI is a powerful example of student leadership in action,” said Anglade. “Through community-building, celebration, and thoughtful dialogue, EBONI creates spaces where students can connect, feel seen, and take pride in who they are. What makes this work especially meaningful is that it is driven by students themselves. Their time, vision, and commitment shape campus culture in lasting ways and enrich the experience for our entire community.”