Lack of African American orientated events on campus stressed at Bar-B-Q

Cecily Wiggins
State Hornet
Published Online September 17, 1999

African American students enjoyed an afternoon of fellowship, food, music, and fun games at the "Back 2 School Bar-B-Q" in the campus dorms pool area last Saturday. The event was co-sponsored by Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Inc. and Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc.

"We threw this event so that everyone could come together," said Terrell Bowman, chapter president of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity. A number of the African-American students felt "left out" in the CSUS welcome week’s festivities, he said.

"There isn't much to do for African-Americans on campus, so we might as well do it for ourselves," added Bowman. "If we didn't put on any events that interested us, we wouldn’t have anything to do," said Phi Beta Sigma Chapter President, Damon Brown.

Over 100 students turned out to the barbeque. Swimming, basketball, and domino games were just a few of the activities at the event. A large percentage of those attending were freshman and transfer students.

Both chapters financed the event out of their own funds. The fraternities expressed a need for more activities on campus that are of interest of African-American students, and hope to plan programs to help unify and appease such students.

Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity is planning a party on campus on Sept. 18^th and is planning to have a study hour every Monday to Thursday from 7pm-9pm. They intend holding their Sigma Week around the first week of November.

"We hope to plan more events on campus," Brown said. "Today’s event is just the beginning of more things to come."