By Steve Nakata, Student Affairs
A series of events on the Washington State University Pullman campus will celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Talmadge Anderson Heritage House (TAHH) and African American Student Center (AASC).
Tickets for the celebratory banquet from 6–8 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 25, in the Compton Union Building Jr. Ballroom, are available to purchase online. The event will feature musical and dance performances, a keynote speech by WSU alum Hasaan Kirkland, and a slideshow highlighting the evolution of the student center.
Special tributes will recognize the legacies of Talmadge Anderson and Gladys Jennings, both former WSU faculty members who made significant impacts on campus and beyond.
“Honoring these individuals is important because it helps remind people where we came from, what we have been through, and to celebrate our progress,” said Jessica Samuels, assistant director of Multicultural Student Services and AASC counselor. “It gives us hope and reason to move forward.”
On the same day prior to the WSU football game, the African American Student Center, located in CUB 420, will host an open house beginning at 9 a.m. The event is free and open to the public.
‘Left a lasting impact’
A permanent, multi-paneled display honoring the legacy of Gladys Jennings will be unveiled during a reception on Oct. 24, 11 a.m., on the first floor of Owen Science & Engineering Library. This event is also free and open to the public.
In 1948, Jennings was the first African American woman to earn a master’s degree from WSU, then called Washington State College. She later returned to WSU where she taught food science and human nutrition for 25 years.
“From my research on Gladys, she was a beautiful person who made the world a better place and left a lasting impact,” said David Luftig, a science librarian helping to plan the event. “She was extremely intelligent, and bold enough not to let others tell her otherwise.”
A learning and research hub
The African American Student Center traces its roots to the founding of TAHH in 1975. Originally called the African-American Heritage House, it served as a learning and research hub on campus focused on Black culture. It was located for many years in what had been the Regional School Laboratory adjacent to Cleveland Hall. There students gathered for social events, studied, perused its library, exhibits, and films. In 1977, it became home to the Western Journal of Black Studies, a scholarly publication created by WSU professor Talmadge Anderson, who is also credited with creating a Black Studies program on the Pullman campus.
No small feat
Students and alums say the AASC has played an integral role in their success. It is where they meet other students, learn about culture, receive mentoring, and academic support.
“Twenty years ago, when I first arrived at WSU, the center was one of the first places where I truly felt welcomed,” said Chioma Heim, a WSU alum who directs advising and student services in WSU’s College of Arts & Sciences.
Ifeoluwa Ogabi, a compass mentor in the AASC and president of the campus singing group God’s Harmony, is looking forward to performing at the 50th anniversary celebration.
“Fifty years is no small feat, and this event symbolizes decades of sustained excellence and undeniable influence,” Ogabi said. “It is important to celebrate the wins and milestones as they come, and this is undoubtedly one of the biggest for WSU.”
Mariam Sylla, also a Compass mentor and president of the Black Student Union, said when she thinks about the 50th anniversary, she can’t help but think of the trailblazers that came before her.
“Their courage, vision, and commitment to creating a safe space for students like me is the reason I can be here today,” Sylla said. “The foundation they built has allowed generations of students like me to thrive, and I’m forever grateful for the doors they opened.”