CVCC Hosts 21st Annual Black History Celebration
During the ceremony, 6 community leaders were honored with the 2024 Black History Award.
02/28/2024
HICKORY, N.C.—On the evening of Tuesday, February 27th, Catawba Valley Community College hosted its 21st Annual Black History Celebration.
College faculty, staff, and students, along with several members of the Catawba County community, gathered in the halls of the CVCC East Wing for the ceremony. Visitors listened to performances of the national anthem by the CVCC student Jazz Band, along with Johnson & Johnson’s “Lift Every Voice and Sing”, by the CVCC student Choir.
This year, all honorees are local residents who are running for or currently hold city office. Award honorees included Brenda Powell (Conover City Council); Beverly Danner (Newton City Council); Genita Hill (Long View City Council); Rev. Dr. Anthony Freeman (Hickory City Council); Cameron Ramseur (Maiden City Council); and Duane McCombs (Catawba City Council).
Special guest Mr. Chaz Beasley, former North Carolina State Representative, gave the Keynote Address—“Voting: Our right and our responsibility”. His message centered around the significance of our votes and the value that they bring to our communities.
“There are a lot of people who gave their lives so that you would have the opportunity to [vote],” said Beasley, “but it’s so much more than that...it is critical in every single way to acknowledge their legacy. Don’t give away your power. Don’t give away your voice…there are a lot of people who understand the importance of your voice.”
Awards were presented by Dr. Johnny Scott, Minority Community Outreach & Special Projects Coordinator for CVCC, and Ms. Nisha Wright-Cavanaugh, Student Ambassador for CVCC’s Office of Student Equity & Engagement. At the conclusion of the event, guests were invited to the voting registration table, where they could learn more about voting policies in Catawba County.
“At CVCC, we don’t only celebrate Black History on one night, but have celebrated all month long, and we will continue to celebrate past this evening,” said Dr. Felicia Simmons, VP of Diversity & Engagement at CVCC. “Congratulations again to our honorees. Thank you for all that you do in our communities and how you represent the communities that we [CVCC] serve.”
CVCC wishes to congratulate every honoree who received the Black History Award this year.
Pictured (L-R): Mr. Ron Carson, Ms. Brenda Powell, Ms. Genita Beard, Ms. Beverly Danner, Mr. Duane McCombs, Dr. Anthony Freeman, Mr. Cameron Ramseur, and Dr. Felicia Simmons.
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