Across the University of Mississippi campus, Black students find a sense of belonging in a variety of places and university programs.
Addison Williams, a sophomore mechanical engineering major, feels at home in Black-centered organizations.
“I found community within organizations like the National Society of Black Engineers and my sorority, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated,” Williams said. “They are safe places for Black people.”
In her free time, Williams can often be found at the Gertrude C. Ford Ole Miss Student Union, building friendships among fellow Black students.
“As a Black student, I have found a sense of community within the Student Union,” Williams said. “A lot of times, Black students like to hang out and just mingle with one another in between classes, and it’s always a good vibe and very welcoming to Black students.”
Like Williams, Keith Thomas III, a senior allied health studies major, discovered a sense of camaraderie while sitting at the tables on the first floor of the Union.
“When I come to the Union, I feel like you go and find who you align with,” Thomas said. “You just naturally find that.”
Kori Jeffries, a sophomore international studies major, finds the environments in the Sally McDonnell Barksdale Honors College and the Croft Institute for International Studies the most welcoming.
“I found community in things like Croft’s Minority Engagement Council and the honors college Minority Engagement Council where I can talk with other minority or marginalized students,” Jeffries said. “We can talk about the issues that we face on campus, and that makes me feel more seen and heard.”
Musa Thomas, a senior majoring in multidisciplinary studies, finds fellowship in church, political organizations and community service. He is the president of the Colonel Reb Foundation, head of events for the UM chapter of Turning Point USA and treasurer of Young Americans for Liberty.
“I found community in church and groups I share common beliefs in — political organizations, volunteering events and volunteering groups,” Musa Thomas said.
Musa Thomas said he believes that Black students can better find familiarity if they do not focus on race.
“You just have to look past race, and you can easily find community,” Musa Thomas said. “Listen to the words of Martin Luther King Jr. that we need to judge by the character of a person, not by their skin.”
Rather than a particular social setting or organization, Jada Pernell, a junior history major, finds belonging in classes that connect to her lineage. For Pernell, these classes align with and inform her daily experiences.
“I would say I have found community in most of my African American studies classes,” Pernell said. “I think it’s good to know that there are reasonings behind the things that we see and experience on a daily basis.”
