The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee kicked off Black History Month with a vibrant celebration featuring Black-owned businesses, cultural education and community connection. The event brought African head wraps, waist beads and other culturally significant items to campus, emphasizing the importance of history, education and cultural preservation.
The kickoff event served as more than just a calendar marker, bringing Black culture to life on campus while centering Black voices, Black businesses and Black history.
"This is the start of our whole monthlong celebration, and so today we have vendors, we have food, we have live music, and it's just a way for us to introduce the month to our students, to our community members, faculty and staff," Derrick Harriell said.
Harrell serves as interim director of the Black Student Cultural Center at UWM.
A key component of the kickoff involved inviting local Black entrepreneurs onto campus to showcase their businesses and products.
"The intention is to put money in the pocket of our community and also allow our community members, our entrepreneurs in the community, a platform to express themselves, to sell merchandise and also the fellowship for people to just get together and talk," Harrell said.
Many items carried deep cultural meaning, from African head wraps to waist beads, sparking conversations about history and identity among attendees.
Watch: UW-Milwaukee celebrates Black History Month with cultural marketplace featuring Black-owned businesses
"Making sure that we're in tune with our roots, in tune with the diaspora, in tune with all of the underpinnings of Black culture, which goes back to Africa," Harrell said.
For vendors like Tolu Ojesina of Moda Head Wrap, the head wraps represent more than fashion accessories — they're living history.
"Because a people without a culture, a people without a history are very, very lost. So it is important that we not only remember our culture, teach our children but also teach others," Ajeshino said.
Each pattern tells a story, connecting students to regions across West Africa.
"These are empowering. When my customers wear them, they feel beautiful, they feel seen, they feel heard, but most importantly, they feel regal," Ajeshino said.
Other vendors used fashion and jewelry as ways to share confidence, faith and self-identity with the campus community.
"I think it's good, given this opportunity, because you get a chance to get your business on to many more eyes. People who might not know that you exist now know that you exist," Rachel Torrance said.
Torrance operates Bambi Rae Collections.
For Tiara Walker of Celestial Beads, her African waist beads focus on empowerment and reconnecting with culture.
"They feel good. They feel sexy, they feel confident, they feel powerful ... this is our Black magic," Walker said.
Organizers emphasized that the kickoff represents just the beginning, with conversations, performances and major events planned throughout the month to continue celebrating Black history and culture.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
It’s about time to watch on your time. Stream local news and weather 24/7 by searching for “TMJ4” on your device.
Available for download on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and more.
