---

Kentucky State University honored the past and looked to the future recently during its 2023 Heritage Assembly. 

Chaka Cummings, executive director of The Association for Teaching Black History in Kentucky, provided the Heritage Assembly address.

Cummings explored Black history through the thematic framework of award-winning scholar of Black history education Dr. LaGarrett King - Power, Oppression and Racism; Black Agency, Resistance and Perseverance; Africa and the African Diaspora; Black Joy; and, Black Identities.

He asked the audience to, “consider the framework of Dr. LaGarrett King and our own experiences as students and ask how often, with regards to Black History, you were asked to explore all of those themes,” Cummings questioned. “How often was your experience with Black history siloed and the most significant focus was around the theme of power and oppression.”

He stressed the importance for everyone to understand that Black history doesn’t begin with enslavement.

“What’s missing from many of the context of our understanding is our understanding of those ancient civilizations,” Cummings shared. “I would imagined that most of us in this room have had the experience of learning about ancient Egypt – the sphinx, the great pyramids. In the context that we talk about ancient Egypt, I don’t think we engage in the fact that those people were Black.”

Cummings “sprinkled a little Bluegrass” in his address and talked about notable Kentuckians some of whom were alums of Kentucky State including Moneta Sleet, Jr. ’47.

“Sleet was a Black man from Owensboro, Kentucky. He went to school at Kentucky State. He worked as a photographer for Ebony magazine for over four decades,” Cumming shared adding that, “He was such an incredible photographer that the great Civil Rights leaders of his day would request him to come and be their photographer at events across the country.”

Cummings hope is that discussions about Black history can, “bring that Kentucky lens to the work that we do so that educators within the Commonwealth can better equip our students to be able to really engage and lead in the space when it becomes their time to lead.”

Interim President Ronald A. Johnson provided closing remarks asking, “What is your heritage?”

“In order for you to answer this question, start with a family picture,” Johnson said before sharing a photo of his great-grandmother Mrs. Clarissa Burke, grandmother Emily Burke and great uncle and aunts Allan, Elaine and Clarissa.

“Each of us has a heritage, a story. You should begin to write yours.”

He encouraged all to talk to people, collect census information and photos of their family so that, "we have a complete story and are not missing from that history.”

The Assembly concluded with the singing of the Alma Mater by music majors Tremayia Johnson and Michael Tabb.