Black History Month presents the opportunity to explore the Black student experience at UC Riverside. As one of the leading schools in diversity and social mobility, the UC has a deep history of Black students, staff and faculty members, whose contributions have created a space that allows voices to be heard. An interview with African Student Programs Director Jamal J. Myrick Ed.D. provided The Highlander with insight on the impact of Black history at UCR. 

Portrait of Jamal J. Myrick, Director of African Student Programs at UC Riverside on September 18, 2020.
(UCR/Stan Lim)

With the 50th anniversary of ASP, Myrick acknowledged the work of past Black professionals, scholars, faculty and staff who contributed to the success of UCR students. In regards to UCR’s past, Myrick stated, “It’s important that we recognize history, and it’s important that we pay attention to that history because it can be very easy to forget the folks that have walked this campus before us.” 

Myrick gave recognition to some of the many leading Black figures who are part of UCR’s history and emphasized the importance of recognizing the value and contributions of these historical figures that were part of the UCR campus. Among those discussed include Roy Overstreet, the first Black male scholar to graduate from UCR in 1958, and Zelma Ballard, who was the first Black female to graduate from UCR in 1959. Graduating with a degree in physics, Overstreet also notably became the first Black oceanographer in the United States. 

In addition, Myrick acknowledged Martha Berkeley as the first African American undergraduate at UCR who was part of the chartering class of 1954. Today, UCR has more than 4,400 degreed Black alumni and 1,265 enrolled African American undergraduates. Graduation rates for Black UCR students continue to rise while UCR has garnered national recognition for Black student success.

Through the efforts of the ASP and other ethnic organizations, Black students are able to find support, mentorship and a community on campus. “ASP has provided opportunities for many of our scholars to feel seen, heard and recognized on this campus throughout the years — and most importantly: celebrated at a time when so much is going on in the world, whether it’s now or the ‘70s, ‘80s, ‘90s.” Myrick acknowledged his predecessors, including former directors: Kenneth E. Simons, who served the longest term for 15 years, and Kathyrn Jones, the first African Student Programs director, who according to Myrick “did a lot of heavy lifting in our early years to make sure that we’re here today.” 

Newly elected Black Student Union (BSU) President and ASP member Rayshuna Thomas stated, “Black History Month is just the expression of black excellence and black bodies in our day to day lives.” She remarked that the month’s celebration is meant to show the contributions that black people have made for the world. Thomas added, “Black History Month is celebrating how black people have persevered and are still persevering in a country that kind of doesn’t value us.”

Myrick praised UCR alums, Jalani Bakari and Bert Wright, in their current efforts as Black leaders who support ASP and other Black organizations at UCR. Bakari, a former UCR BSU president, serves as the current Chair of UCR’s Barnett and Eleanor Jean Grier Concerned Citizens, one of the oldest organizations representing African American leaders since 1982. Wright served as a former Black Alumni Chapter president of UCR and was the first male resident advisor for the Pan-African Theme Hall at Pentland Hills residence hall. Bakari and Wright most recently established the “Barbershop Walk,” an unofficial group that aims to overcome the mental and physical challenges caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and provides an opportunity for Black students to get connected with alumni and receive mentorship.

UCR’s upcoming Black Graduation Celebration will occur for the first time since 2019 notably during ASP’s 50th anniversary. Myrick hopes to fund 50 for 50 conversations, where ASP interviewing will be five generations of UCR Black alumni from five differing decades. Myrick hopes to showcase pivotal Black figures from history, not just in the world, but locally. “Having a collection of oral histories to showcase and hold in our collection will be really important.” UCR has previously hosted other leading figures including Coretta Scott King, Martin Luther King III and most recently, Dr. Angela Davis in a Black History Month Zoom event in 2021. 

Discussing the impact of Black History Month, Myrick expressed its long-lasting spirit of “making sure that the country understands the contributions that African Americans and folks of the African diaspora” have provided the world. “We wouldn’t have a lot of the things if it wasn’t for Black inventors or folks that have used their voices for change.”

Contributing writer Antonio Velaochaga assisted with this article.