As an African American takes office as president for the first time in the nation’s history, one Columbia student group feels especially energized.
The inauguration of Barack Obama, CC’ 83, represents a particularly significant milestone for the Black Students Organization. The BSO aims to promote understanding of the problems and needs of the black community on and off campus. Today, they see Obama’s swearing-in as an opportunity to instill a renewed sense of honor in the legacy of Columbia’s black alumni, who include political figures such as incoming Attorney General Eric Holder, CC ’73 and Law ’76 (who is also a University Trustee), David Paterson, CC ’77, and Obama himself.
“On election night, I saw the kind of American pride that until that point I had only ever seen at international World Cup events,” Ruqayyah Abdul-Karim, BSO president and CC ’10, said. “It’s my hope that that patriotism inspires us to invest ourselves and really make this country a better place.”
After Americans pulled their ballots for Obama, BSO hosted a conversation about the implications of electing the country’s first black president. “As a group, we agreed that, contrary to the hopes of some black Americans, Obama’s purpose is not to represent black people, but rather to serve as the leader of all Americans,” Robyn Burgess, BSO campus liaison and CC ’10, said. “And with this in mind, I still shed tears of pride and amazement that such a number and diversity of Americans were able to put aside stereotypes and conservatism to elect Obama,” she added.
Throughout the presidential race, BSO helped people register to vote, hosted viewing parties for the debates, and opened its historic Malcolm X Lounge to all students to watch the election results. “For many black people, his election means that we can look to people of other races with the confidence that our accomplishments might be able to overcome our skin color in this changed world,” Burgess said.
BSO plans to view the inauguration in the Malcolm X Lounge in Hartley Hall today.
“At Orgo Night, CUMB [Columbia University Marching Band] joked that Columbia is the nation’s foremost elite black college. I would love to see that become a reality,” Abdul-Karim said.
