This year, Black History Month feels different for many people. History was made weeks ago with the inauguration of the country’s first black president.

Sacramento State ethnic studies professor Alexandre Kimenyi visited African countries last summer. He said that individuals all over the world are getting excited about the Barack Obama phenomenon.

“President Obama will be an inspiration for the new generation, not only for blacks but for all ethnic groups and nationalities,” Kimenyi said.

Kimenyi said that Obama does not have a monopoly on being black, but that everyone can identify with him.

“I think that his election is going to have a positive impact on all U.S. university campuses, and that it is going to remind the American youth about its responsibility in being involved in American politics,” Kimenyi said.

The new president may be partly responsible for the increased black pride in students on campus. New groups centered on black culture are on the scene, as well as the revival of a group that had fallen apart in past years.

The Black Fall Welcome program puts on events during the beginning of each semester to get black students involved. All students are welcome to participate. However, the program focuses on increasing black student involvement.

The program’s President La Tavia Gossett said she has noticed that students are more excited about being active on campus, now that Obama has taken office. She noted that there could still be some improvement in the participation on campus.

“I wish there was more communication between African American students . . . more waving, speaking, acknowledging each other,” Gossett said.

The program has a Black History baskets activity planned for Feb. 13, and African American themed poetry and performances on Feb. 24.

Multicultural sorority Sigma Theta Psi, Inc. shows support by participating in many cultural activities on campus, said Sarah Rocha, its academic chair.

“We accept women of all cultures,” Rocha said. “At a diverse campus like this, it is important to have unity.”

Black students have more opportunities to get involved in black culture clubs at Sac State. Years after the Black Student Union dissolved on campus due to lack of participation, it has now been reactivated by concerned students like club president Brittney Avellar.

“This year we have re-vamped the old organization and started things up again,” she said.

The club is hosting the Ebony Ball at the beginning of March. Avellar said that the event is open to the public and that everyone is welcome. There will be speakers, food and dancing.

Africans for Re-education, Innovation, Consciousness and Achievement (A.F.R.I.C.A.) club president Amber Scott thinks the level of excitement surrounding the first black president can translate into more student involvement.

“We have seen a more consistent level of participation lately,” Scott said. “I have had so many politically oriented conversations with other black students on campus recently. I have been here for four years, and it was never that way before.”

The club hosted the opening reception for the Black History Month celebrations on Monday.

A.F.R.I.C.A. is also hosting an academic discussion called The N-word Forum. The discussion is meant to create an intelligent dialogue about the consequences of the N-word. The event will be held in the University Union on Feb. 13 at 7 p.m.

Scott would like to see all the black student clubs on campus come together to unify the black student body. The leaders of these groups are doing their best to honor the history of black culture and increase awareness and participation on campus.

The tradition to honor the contributions of people of African descent started in 1926. It was originally called Negro History Week and was celebrated in the second week of February. The custom was established by Dr. Carter G. Woodson, the son of former slaves. He noticed a lack of information and attribution for contributions made by black people throughout American history.

Woodson chose February because two significant people in Black History, Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass, were both born that month.

Crystal Kirk can be reached at [email protected]