KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — The Black Cultural Center at Tennessee Tech University was created in 1989 as a place where Black students could find support among each other. It later opened in 1990.
In 1996, it was voted to be renamed the Leona Lusk Officer Black Cultural Center, after the first Black graduate of the school. She graduated in 1965 with a Bachelor of Science degree in elementary education.
"Over the years, they decided to create our Minority Affairs, which formed as a multicultural affairs (office)," said Charria Campbell, the director of Intercultural Affairs at Tennessee Tech. "And now it's known as Intercultural Affairs Office. And so, the office space for the staff is housed here in this center. And this space is, of course, is for all students, faculty and staff to kind of connect and learn and grow and all those things."
And now, many years later, the cultural center has been renovated and the Intercultural Affairs space has been expanded. Campbell said the renovation was talked about for many years, but once she started working at the school she helped set the plan in motion.
"I think they had just renovated, maybe about two years or so prior to me getting here," said Campbell. "And just hearing from students and hearing from alumni about needing more space. And just looking at how the programs were going, how our student population was growing. We just continued to have those conversations, students were having a conversation across the board, and talking to some administrators on campus about how do we do more for our students here at Tech and in particular, you know, underrepresented students, students of color."
She said this space is used by students, faculty and staff at the school. Some of the Black Cultural Center is also used as administrative offices and graduate officers for the Intercultural Affairs Office, and is open almost every day.
"Anytime the building is open, students got a place to come and hang out, eat, sleep study and all those things — watch TV, or whatever they want to do. It's not just students who are asking, but departments who are looking for opportunities to connect their faculty and staff to make sure everybody knows this space is here. And even professors who've had small group meetings and study sessions and things like that," said Campbell.
Tennessee Tech students also said they enjoying using the space.
"Me and the group of friends that I've met and we're still friends with now — this is literally our home, like our second home from home," said Noel Djenini, a junior at the school. "You get to see people like you, and that you know, and that you can connect with and be comfortable with. So I really enjoy having this space. "
Students say this offers a safe space on campus for people of color, but also people of all backgrounds.
"It feels honestly, amazing, because in my last school, and a lot of schools across the country, there's not spaces like this. There's not programs like this, where they fixate on people of color, and including all races and it's just a good safe space to be," said Tarice McKinney, a sophomore.