Ohio University's Black History Month Committee highlights the African American Research and Service Association's research from 2000 to 2010 and presents recipients of the Rev. Francine C. Children's Service Justice Scholarship Endowment hosted the event.
The ceremony took place Thursday in the Walter Hall Rotunda and began with a video remembering Francine Childs, professor emeritus of African American studies for whom the scholarship fund is named.
Childs, OU's first black tenured professor, passed away in May 2023. The scholarship will foster the kind of active advocacy work that Childs has done within the university's African American Studies Department.
Acey Claymore, assistant director of multicultural programs, started the program.
“Simply put, I wanted to do my part to ensure that Dr. Childs' legacy here at Ohio University is truly recognized,” Claymore said.
After a commemorative video, Gary Halcomb, director of African American Studies, presented scholarships to recipients Hali Bridges and Jada Wilkins. Each award recipient gave a speech and expressed their gratitude for the award.
Both students also expressed their appreciation for the African American Studies Department and its importance in their lives.
“I think the work that students like us and professors like them are doing is so important to African American studies departments across the country,” Wilkins said. “It’s great to see departments and programs like this thriving.”
Bridges also mentioned the impact that OU's African American Studies Department had on her and how changing her major in the first place changed her life.
“The knowledge and understanding I gained from this department was invaluable to me and I have carried it with me throughout my academic career,” Bridges said. “I am so grateful to be a part of this department and to be a part of the work we are doing.”
After his acceptance speech, Halcomb introduced Andrea Frone, associate professor of African art history and director of the School of Interdisciplinary Arts.
During his presentation, Mr. Frone discussed research and findings conducted by the African American Research Services Institute from 2000 to 2010. The main topic was a project called African American Presence in the Ohio River Valley Oral History Project.
“This project was to collect oral history to document the presence of African Americans in southern Ohio,” Frone said. “To assist communities in remembering, communicating, recording, and preserving the African American experience in this region, and to support community members with the skills to conduct research.”
The presentation featured several interviews and genealogical discoveries that illustrate the African American experience in the Appalachian region throughout history.
To conclude his presentation, Mr. Frone showed the audience a photo of files related to the project located in the Bentley Hall Annex.
pf585820@ohio.edu
