Marking 50 Years of Black Undergraduate Life

During 1965 and 1966, the first black undergraduates were admitted to Rice, marking one of the most significant milestones in the school’s history.
To celebrate 50 years of black undergraduate life, Rice, in conjunction with the Association of Rice University Black Alumni (ARUBA) and partners across campus, is organizing a series of events throughout 2016. The yearlong celebration kicked off with the annual Martin Luther King candlelight vigil, hosted by the Black Student Association (BSA) in January, and with a panel discussion, Reflections of the Past, Promises for the Future, in February. The panel — which included President David W. Leebron, Professor Emeritus Allen Matusow, Centennial Historian Melissa Kean and distinguished alumni — discussed Rice’s desegregation experience. An exhibit chronicling the early years of black undergraduate life is on display in the Rice Memorial Center through May 14, 2016. Other events will include Rice’s annual Soul Night event, a cultural extravaganza hosted by the BSA in March, and a reunion and celebration of Rice’s black student–athlete alumni co-hosted by ARUBA and Rice Athletics in April. The celebration will culminate with a gala in fall 2016.
For more information or to register for these and other events, visit alumni.rice.edu/events/50-years-of-black-undergraduate-life.