Celebrating Black History Month: Culture and History

As appeared in The Crown on Feb 11, 2025

By: Sasha Seiwell

The Widmann Gallery is nestled in the corner of the Sheehy Campus Center, quiet and usually unbothered. Two of its walls are made of glass, making it easy for students to peer into the gallery, but it’s rare to actually see students view the exhibits inside. 

As a student I try to make an effort to see the gallery’s exhibits. Each month the gallery hosts a different artist or display. I decided to start my month off by seeing a fresh exhibit. Before entering the gallery, I stopped to read the Widmann’s upcoming features and the preview of February’s exhibit, the “African American Evolution of Music,” in honor of Black History Month. As I was reading, I looked up to see fellow King’s student, Joseph Jean, waving to me. Our small talk ended quickly when I told him I was going to see this month’s gallery exhibition. His humble response was, “Oh, I made that.” 

This month’s Widmann Gallery exhibit was curated by junior King’s student, Joseph Jean. I did not anticipate getting a tour from not only the person who created the display but also from a person I know. We walked into the gallery and made a sharp left into the eighteenth century. Starting the tour is a QR code that links to a YouTube playlist curated by Jasmine Giddings, the Widmann Gallery Coordinator, with songs from artists that are featured in the exhibit making it an interactive and immersive experience. 

Each slide hung on the wall, designed and worked on by Jean, gives a brief history of the musicians in chronological order of decades. It starts in the eighteenth century, when the oppression of slavery and repression of expression brought a completely new sound to North America. You then slowly enter the Ragtime Era of the 1910s and 20s, but then before you know it you enter a ‘man’s world’ with James Brown sweating and spinning on stage. The exhibit takes you through the years of not only African American music but the social and historical contexts behind the songs from the slavery abolition, the right to vote, the Civil Rights Movement and the first ever accolades given to black American artists. 

Giddings asked Jean if he could innovate the exhibit. 

“It took about two weeks,” Jean said, “I worked on it in the Multicultural Office.” 

The exhibit had been done before, but Jean was in charge of tweaking it, making it more accessible to the King’s audience.  

“I took the original information and made it more appealing to our audience,” said Jean.  

He said he added more color to the posters and new graphics that were identifiable with each era of music.  

When asked what his focus was for renovating the exhibit this semester, Jean responded with “color theme.” 

“Since it’s Black History Month I wanted to put an emphasis on color,” said Jean. “Color, it represents us.” 

Jean’s favorite decades to work on were the 2010s and 2020s; he found the music more accessible to him. With artists like Kendrick Lamar, Nikki Minaj and Beyonce displayed on the wall. The exhibit will be available to view for the entirety of Black History Month. So, I encourage you to go, travel back in time, listen to every note, learn something new and support your King’s community.  Be sure to also check out other gallery exhibits throughout the semester.