Nyumburu Cultural Center's 50th Anniversary Celebration leads to reflection and celebration
Divine Nine Terps donated $25,000 dollars to Nyumburu during its 50th anniversary celebration. (Aaron Wright/Black Explosion)
As celebrations kicked off for Nyumburu Cultural Center’s 50th anniversary on Oct. 23 with a night of music and history, many reflected on the impact that the cultural center had on their lives.
The celebration of Nyumburu, which was also streamed to virtual attendees via Zuddl, kicked off with a poetic tribute to Nyumburu from UMD Alumna Kesha Naima Robertson.
“May a legacy of nurturing and empowering students through Black cultural awareness always be evident,” said Robertson, in a recorded video of her reciting her poem.
After the spoken word, people gazed in awe as the Malcolm X Drummers and Dancers gave a musical performance accompanied by acrobatic and energetic dancing. However, there would be more musical performances from artists such as Wayna.
Setting the tone of the event well, those who could attend the event were dressed in formal attire, with the amphitheater in Nyumburu decorated with covered tables and formal seating. In addition, the Black National Anthem was sung instead of the National Anthem.
Since 1971, Nyumburu has been a place for promoting an understanding of and appreciation for African American culture, according to their mission statement on their website. Nyumburu has done this through multiple programs and organizations, including their Black History Month Programming, Juke Joint and the Miss Unity Scholarship Pageant.
Josiah Bedford, a senior mechanical engineering student at UMD and a student staff member of Nyumburu who attended the in person event, explained what Nyumburu means to students and himself.
“It’s powerful to know that a center like this still exists at the heart of campus and is still active and well in the community,” said Bedford.
A donation drive ran alongside the event as a way to continue supporting the Nyumburu Cultural Center, with over $50,000 dollars donated to Nyumburu. One of the biggest donations came from the Divine Nine Terps organization, who donated $25,000 the night of the celebration.
Throughout the event, many speakers - and even a video - gave tribute to the late James Otis Williams, former director of the Nyumburu Cultural Center, who was instrumental in the construction of the current Nyumburu building.
Wayna, a Grammy nominated singer and former staff writer for the Black Explosion, believes that part of why Nyumburu has lasted so long has to do with Williams’ leadership.
“The paternal warmth [that Williams provided] … that is the foundation of Nyumburu. [That] sets the tone for everything, and it seems like everyone has just gravitated to it,” said Wayna. “I’m sure Dr. Ronald Ziegler and Anne Reese Carswell will have continued that vision and that reputation.”
Wayna would go on to sing a gogo rendition of “Loving You,” who even got audience members to try and sing the high pitch portion of the song.
By the end of the event, one thing became evident;the cultural center has a long history of being a place for honoring Black culture at the University of Maryland, and its 50 years of existence serves as a testimony to that mission.
“We need a safe space like Nyumburu, so that we can be the great people we know we are,” said Bedford.