Black Solidarity Day: 50th Anniversary- SUNY New Paltz

By: Aria Manley 

 

For 50 years, students of color at SUNY New Paltz have participated in Black Solidarity Day. These students leave campus and spend the day in Pointe of Praise Church in Kingston, New York. Students on campus participate in this day of absence from campus to prove that they are essential to the institution and that they should be valued equally to their peers of other races. 

 

Black solidarity day, BSD is a memorial day created in 1969 by Panamanian-born activist, historian, playwright, Carlos E. Russell. Black Solidarity Day happens every first Monday of November and is inspired by the fictional play “Day of Absence” by Douglas Turner Ward. 

 

On this day, historically, people of color, specifically black people throughout the country, stay home to not add to the economy. They refrain from commercial activities such as shopping or using public transportation. The purpose of this day is to highlight racial inequality and the gap between the wealthiest and the impoverished.

 

The event was student-led by the Black Student Union here at SUNY New Paltz. The theme of this year’s BSD was Black Nationalism. Black Nationalism is the advocacy of or support for unity and political self-determination for black people. 

 

This year’s Black Solidarity Day consisted of 11 hours of learning in workshops, listening to music, dancing, singing, eating, and performing.  

 

The day started with the singing of the Black National Anthem, followed by a tradition called Karibu, meaning welcome. Everyone stood in a circle around the seats of the sanctuary and followed the person in front of them, hugging everyone saying “Karibu” until you hugged everyone in attendance. This tradition allowed the atmosphere to be positive and for everyone to feel united. 

According to Jimena Ortiz, a student in attendance, stated: “I usually don’t like to hug people or interact with people like that, but I felt very welcomed and surprisingly happy and more willing to interact.” 

 

Throughout the day, three workshops were held focusing on black economics, creativity, and identity. 

 

The black economic workshop shared critical facts about how black people should become more educated about their finances to help close the wealth gap in America. The average income of people of color in America is $17,000 per year compared to white people, which is $171,000 per year. A way that the wealth gap can close is through investing in black businesses and only spending money with companies that align with your values. 

 

Another point that was made was the fact that black people should make an effort to buy things that they need rather than what they want. Lastly, they said that people of color should make an effort to save money, have good credit, and try to own property eventually. These points were emphasized so that all people of color can help educate and work together to close the wealth gap sooner rather than later.

The next workshop was about creativity and was also student-led. This workshop emphasized that everyone is creative, even if it’s not in the standard aspects of drawing or painting. The speaker, Anthony, wanted people in attendance to be aware of black inventors, so he told us that we should read the book “Black Inventors, Crafting Over 200 Years of Success” by Keith C. Holmes to be informed of our contributions to society. 

 

 We broke up into groups and thought of two things we could put together to solve a problem. The problem a group tried to solve was  forgetting to bring  soap to the bathroom when they want to shower. Their solution was to combine the soap and water that comes out of the shower faucet. They would also have a lever to turn on to stop the soap from dispensing to rinse off.

The last workshop was about identity, race, and identity. The ideas taught was that race is a social construct in the form of a dichotomy, black or white. Everyone who was not white was automatically considered black. Students were asked to decide what races belonged in either category, and they soon realized that race is a confusing way to categorize people because it doesn’t exist. Meanings of race change over time, depending on the country and state of the world. 

According to students who attended the event, they felt a strong sense of pride, being able to spend a day with their peers of color, celebrating their culture, and feeling a sense of unity. 

Jainney Satterfield, an African American student who attended this year’s event, stated, “I felt that I gained a newfound family. I felt joy, happiness, and peace.” The room was filled with laughter and pride by everyone in attendance. 

Dr. Margaret Wade-Lewis was one of the founders of SUNY New Paltz’s Black Studies Departments. She helped pave the way for many students of color to feel welcome at New Paltz and has been one of the foremost leaders in changing the narrative for students of color on campus to be more positive. 

 

Dr. Wade-Lewis’ daughter, Dr. Esi Lewis, was in attendance of this year’s BSD and was a guest speaker. In her speech, she talked about the legacy her mother had on the school and the community. Dr. Esi Lewis shared the idea that we should love ourselves, love others, and love the community. She said that if we all do this, then we can help society become better for all of us. 

S.H.A.D.E.S., SUNY New Paltz’s step team, performed at the event with performance around the theme of how to survive to be a black girl. Their performance had a very impactful message around the idea that no matter how much black girls smile, how smart they are, or how hard they work, there are no steps to follow that will grant them survival in society. The purpose of their performance was to prove that without society’s help to improve the lives of black and brown people, they won’t survive even with the “steps” they are told to follow.

 

The energy of the day was very positive and reminded me of being at a family reunion. A lot of hours were spent singing along to popular songs and participating in dances such as the cupid shuffle and the electric slide. 

 

This time away from campus gives students of color a place to feel comfortable, bond, and share a critical message to society. This time allowed students to honor our ancestors that came before us and continuing their fight for equality. The purpose of BSD at SUNY New Paltz is for the student of color’s presence to be recognized and to be granted equal opportunities on campus.