Celebrating African Americans in Art for Black History Month: Soul Food Dinner

Come celebrate African Americans in Art as we close out the end of Black History Month with Pitt-Greensburg’s annual Soul Food Dinner. Sponsored by the Black Student Union in collaboration with the Multicultural Student Coalition, this event will occur on Wednesday, Feb. 28 at Wagner Hall at 7 p.m.

Celebrating their 29th year, the Soul Food Dinner works to raise awareness about African American culture and invite inclusivity within the campus community. Soul food is usually seen as an integral part of cultural identity as it acts like a social glue to bond friends and families together, it passes down traditions, preserves heritage, and extends hospitality to others.

Troy Ross, co-adviser to the Black Student Union, discusses the food options that the dinner will carry. 

“The menu has classic soul food items that people are sure to enjoy such as baked mac and cheese, collard greens, candied yams, fried chicken, jambalaya, and cornbread,” Ross says.

Roland Woods, assistant dean of students, director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, and co-adviser of the Black Student Union, looks forward to seeing Pitt-Greensburg students come together. 

“I’m excited to see diversity because last year’s event showed that there are various ethnicities and genders who are interested in supporting African American cultural experiences and I look forward to seeing more individuals participate and show support in cultural events like the Soul Food Dinner,” Woods says. “As they support this particular event, we want to incline them to support other ethnicities and their heritage because it gives them a better understanding of how it makes people who they are.” 

Black History Month provides Americans the opportunity to recognize and reflect on the achievements, contributions, and resilience of black individuals and communities throughout history. It works to highlight the often-overlooked accomplishments and struggles of black leaders, activists, artists, scholars, and ordinary people who have made significant achievements in various fields and industries. 

“We are trying to make sure that people understand and realize that the black experience still exists and we just want to showcase what that looks to people who might not look like a person of color,” Woods says.

This year’s dinner will also bring in former Pitt-Greensburg alumnus, Chad E. Smith, to discuss African Americans in the arts, entertainment, and non-profit sectors. Smith currently serves as the Senior Director of Communications and Brand Management at Mural Arts Philadelphia, America’s leading public art program, and specializes in higher education advocacy, gender-based violence prevention, and restorative justice. 

By amplifying black voices and narratives, we are able to provide a platform that challenges prejudice, misconceptions, and biases towards marginalized communities. It reminds us to have repeated discussions regarding social justice, systemic racism, and equal opportunities.

“The Soul Food Dinner is an opportunity for the campus to come together to celebrate Black History Month. I went to a predominantly white school in this area. The extent of black history that was taught there never went much further than slavery, Martin Luther King Jr., and Rosa Parks. Unfortunately, that’s true for many people then and even now. But black history is an important part of the American story and an important part of my story. Without the contributions and sacrifices of so many before me, I wouldn’t be where I am today. I would hope everybody in our community would want to learn a little bit more about black history, which too often goes untold. This event helps relay some of the history to our students, faculty, and staff. So I hope people want to celebrate by enjoying some good food but leave with more than just full bellies,” Ross says.