University of Delaware Black Arts Festival

Black circle in the middle with large yellow text. The button is divided in half horizontally with a black line. The upper half the button is red with yellow text which curves around the button. The bottom half of the button is green with yellow text which curves around the button.

In 1968, Black Student Union members from the University of Delaware occupied the Student Center for two days. These students demanded the university address their increased feelings of isolation in an overwhelmingly white campus. Having no official place for congregation, students, faculty, and staff began to meet in a randomly selected campus building. The students renamed the building Ujamaa House, but continued to lobby for a cultural center. Finally, in 1975, the Minority Center was created to support student development; it would later be renamed the Center for Black Culture. Later, the first Black Arts Festivals on campus would be held in this building.