Feb. Issue (1)

Recommendations

Info

Page 4 The Spectator | www.vsuspectator.comFebruary 18, 2021TREASURE TROVECopeland Museum gleams into Black historyMadison GruberCampus Life assistantmagruber@valdosta.eduVSU’s Copeland AfricanAmerican Museum (CAAM) featuresdifferent artifacts in ThaxtonHall with new hours provided forBlack History Month.CAAM has a wide-ranging numberof precious artifacts of AfricanAmerican descent that help tocreate the heritage that existstoday. This includes letters fromhistorical figures, instruments thatwere played by bona fide artistsand clips from events that pavedthe way we live today.More artifacts include, but are notlimited to, the autographed MuhammadAli boxing gloves thatstarted his career, a letter typedby Martin Luther King, Jr. and ashort script written by Tupac.CAAM’s mission is to honorand preserve historical artifactsthat show how African Americanculture has provided for currenttimes. By showing the differenttypes of history, CAAM hopesto encourage conversations thatengage diverse people.The journey of the CAAM beganin 2016 when Dr. Roy Copelandand his wife, Dr. Cheryl Copeland,created a space where peoplecan be filled with Americanhistory, and be educated on thecontributions that African Americanshave made to the culture.Photo Courtesy of Bailey StoreyCopeland African American Museum is in Thaxton Hall which has African American artifacts.Touring CAAM will help you increaseyour knowledge as well asenhance your overall understandingof diversity and its importanceto society today.“The importance is to have tangibleand close-by museum, becausewe are very rare,” TaMara Tolbert,a grad student who works at themuseum, said. “There’s not manysolely African American museumsand especially on a collegecampus, so our duty is to continueto look for knowledge, to gainin-depth knowledge on things thatpeople have done for us today andprovoke conversation about wherewe are now, where we came fromand all the way we can go.”Tolbert said that the museumrotates its items for the people toview every six months, so theyare encouraging people to checkout what is displayed now beforeit changes in March.The effects that COVID-19 havetaken place for CAAM is that theymust limit the amount of people,which limits the amount of influenceand education provided bythe museum.Although, abiding by the gatheringsof no more than 10 people isnot a bad thing. By doing this, andmaintaining the six-foot distancefrom one another, it makes formore personal tours given to afew people at a time rather than abig group.The tours are small and intimate,and offer a way to ask questions.There’s also the possibility tolearn some secrets and fun factsthat the CAAM doesn’t normallyshare.The museum faculty also likes tomake sure that VSU students aretold about future events, hoursof operation and changing of theartifacts.CAAM sent an email to all VSUstudents including a flier regardingtheir hours of operation, socialmedia outlets and directions onhow to reserve a parking spot.CAAM is on campus in ThaxtonHall, suite 200. You can findThaxton Hall on 2525 N. PattersonSt. The hours of operationare 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Mondaythrough Thursday, and 10 a.m. to1 p.m. on Friday.During Black History Month, themuseum has extended its hoursfor Saturday and Sunday between10 a.m. to 2 p.m.If you would like to call andmake a tour reservation or set upan appointment for a group tour,call the museum’s office at (229)245-2448.The admission is free and open tothe public, meaning that you donot have to be a student at VSU toget a good history lesson.In order to park on VSU’s NorthCampus, you must email caammuseum@valdosta.eduat least 24hours in advance of your desiredtour date so you may receive yourparking pass. Once you have apass in your email, print, fill itout, and place it in your dashboard.Student entrepreneur ‘locs’ in on dread business at VSUTorian Gordonstaff RepoRteRtkgordon@valdosta.eduAlexis Sawyer, a freshmannursing major, has her own hairbusiness, “Lexi’s Lavish Locs.”Sawyer specializes in re-twisting,repairing and styling dreads anddreadlocks, or a “loctician.”Since March 2020, people losttheir jobs due to the safety of theirwork environments being compromisedby COVID-19. Amongstthese people were some collegestudents.College students already don’tearn a lot of money, and thedependent students were unable toreceive. Because of this, studentsused creativity to start businessesin order to come up with anincome.One of these students includeSawyer.“In 9th grade my Aunt askedme if I knew how to re-twist hairand do the interlocking method,”she said. “By going through thelocking journey, you have toenjoy it.”Students usedcreativity tostart businessesin order to comeup with an income.Sawyer uses a natural hairproduct called Loc N Gel and hervery own personal hair moisturizer.She also makes her own hairoils where she mixes oil togetherto work in a variety of ways suchas shinier hair, promoting hairgrowth and can be used on yourbody as well.When doing locks on one’shead, Sawyer uses a re-twistingcomb and a paring comb for partingthe hair in order to work withit. Down below are some picturesof some of her satisfied customers.Sawyer’s most recurring customersaid that she is a professionalhair stylist that they recommendpeople to go .In terms of the ongoingpandemic, Sawyer explains thatCOVID-19 does not affect herbusiness, but customers still mustfollow protocol when coming infor their appointment by washingtheir hands upon entry and keepingtheir mask on at all times.If you would like to have yourhair all dreaded up by this fellowBlazer, you can message her onher business Instagram page, @Photo Courtesy of Torian GordonAlexis Sawyer infront of West Hall. Sawyer is the business owner of“Lexis’s Lavish Locs.”locc.starrr, or contact her byphone at 678-368-5820.All prices for her services arelisted on her page in the highlightssection, and she is availablethroughout the week on Monday,Wednesday, Friday and the weekendswhen she’s on campus.Check out the Spectator’s new Newsletter in your emailinbox every Thursday!
February 18, 2021The Spectator | www.vsuspectator.com Page 5All photos and interviewsby Gwenivere FriedmanJonothan Smith, freshman political science major“Black history month to me is more appreciation of Blackpeople who are actively making history. People today thatare influencing the future of Blacks in America.”Luisa Garrett, freshman theatre performancemajor“As a minority, this month allows more focus to helpother minorities. To bring a light on how they have beenoppressed for so long and to look at how we have progressed.”What does Black History Month mean to you?Robin T. Harrison, graduate student choralconducting major“Black History Month to me means remembering the peopleand events that gave me the liberties to live comfortablyand exist in this world and showing my gratitude and appreciationfor them. Although there are still moments and timesin the world where I’m a little uneasy, I know that on somelevel I’m still safe because of the people who paved the wayfor me.”Aurielle Bonne, freshman nursing major“It means that we get to celebrate being Black and seeingthe history of what we’ve been through. Then getting to seehow far we’ve come.”
Page 1 and 2: February 18, 2021@vsu_spectator@vsu
Page 3: February 18, 2021The Spectator | ww
Page 7 and 8: Page 7 The Spectator | www.vsuspect
Page 9 and 10: Page 9The Spectator | www.vsuspecta
Page 11 and 12: February 18, 2021The Spectator | ww

Feb. Issue (1)

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?