The Black History Intercollegiate Consortium (BHIC) will honor College of Charleston African American Studies professor Anthony Greene during the BHIC’s 29th Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration. Greene will receive the MLK Humanitarian Award during the ceremony at Trident Technical College on Jan. 29, 2019.
Anthony Greene (Photo by Heather Moran)
Greene says he is completely humbled by the acknowledgement.
“My academic and social endeavors since joining CofC were never to gain recognition and/or awards, but to improve the academic, social and cultural experiences of the students (and colleagues) I encounter,” says Greene.
Greene says Martin Luther King Jr. fought for social justice and equality for all, yet his message is often reduced to the “I Have A Dream” speech.
“Standing in solidarity with women’s issues, LGBTQ issues, veteran’s issues and addressing economic inequality (e.g. the Poor People’s Campaign) impacted the lived experiences of a variety of people,” he says. “With continued racial, gender and social class inequality, which disproportionately negatively affect African-Americans, King’s message remains relevant.”
The Black History Intercollegiate Consortium represents students and staff who are committed to improving cultural and ethnic diversity. It consists of five area colleges and universities, including The Citadel, the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC), Charleston Southern University, College of Charleston and Trident Technical College.
Traditionally, the program has been student driven. Each of the school’s gospel choirs will perform musical selections and a student from each school will offer a reflection celebrating Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy. Iriana Rucker – second place winner of the Office of Institutional Diversity‘s Creative Concepts Poetry Contest – will represent the College.
The consortium was started nearly 30 years ago by former College of Charleston professor Bob Gillis as a way to enhance racial harmony between institutions located in the Charleston area. BHIC also strives to create opportunities for minorities and their allies to celebrate the achievements of African-Americans throughout the year.
