Tacoma Historical Society announcement.
Passing the Torch: Origins of the UPS Black Student Union will be streamed on Monday, February 28 on the Tacoma Historical Society’s YouTube or Facebook.
In honor of Black History Month, Tacoma Historical Society is honored to share an interview featuring Lou Smith, the first president of the Black Student Union at the University of Puget Sound, which, at its inception in 1967, was the first BSU established in the state of Washington.
Current UPS students Kellen Hagans and Serena Sevasin interview Mr. Smith and THS board president Bill Baarsma, who worked with the first BSU leaders at UPS in his role as acting coordinator of the Black Studies program.
With thanks to Tacoma Creates for support of our public programming.
So delighted to have received this event,” Passing the Torch” with Lou Smith. As a Black student during that time and part of the larger group of African Americans who arrived at UPS during the height of the Civil Rights movement in the latter 1960’s and challenges for inclusiveness then, I am pleased to see that the university has continued to open its doors for such inclusiveness. I have fond memories of the university–faculty and students- in my educational pursuits. Looking forward to the continued progress of UPS in every sphere.