The Lonnie B. Harris Black Cultural Center is celebrating its 50th anniversary on April 24 with a reception that honors the center’s impact and celebrates pivotal achievements in its five-decade history.
The center was originally opened on April 26, 1975, after several years of student protest on campus by members of the Black Student Union and others against discrimination they had experienced. Out of that turmoil, the Office of Minority Affairs was created, which eventually led to the creation of a number of cultural centers on campus, the Black Cultural Center being one of the first. In 1981 it was renamed the Lonnie B. Harris Black Cultural Center, after the first director of the Educational Opportunities Program. In 2015 a brand-new building was opened on the site of the original center.
Keith Dempsey, a counselor in the Portland area and a donor to many Oregon State University programs, describes himself as a three-degree Beaver. He graduated in 1993 with a bachelors in psychology, in 1996 with a graduate degree in counseling and in 2010 he received a Ph.D. in counselor education. He attended Oregon State at a time when there were very few other Black students, and the BCC was a place that provided friendship and solidarity.
Dempsey grew up in a predominantly Black community in Portland and experienced culture shock upon arriving on campus. At that time, the Black student population was 0.9 % of the total student body (today it’s closer to 1.8 %).
“A lot of times we got looks, a lot of times there were comments,” Dempsey said. “We were in a place that felt foreign. Sometimes people looked at us like ‘you shouldn’t be here.’”
That’s why the BCC became a crucial place for Dempsey.
“It was like a home away from home. It was a place where you could come and talk about all the stuff that was going on,” Dempsey said. “It was a place where you could eat that good food you were used to having at home. It was a place you could come and have that therapeutic process of saying ‘This is happening to me, how do we get through it?’ Having that space was absolutely amazing. It’s needed. It’s an absolute must.”
Dempsey eventually started working at the center and cherished his time hanging out with friends, watching television and building connections that he still maintains 30 years later. That’s why he’s proud that the center is still a strong hub for students.
“We need to send the messages to each other that yes we do belong, and we will thrive and achieve.”
Avari Alcaire is a senior in biochemistry and molecular biology and works at the BCC. She originally moved to Oregon in middle school from the South, and the transition was challenging, as she often found herself the only Black student in class. When she came to Oregon State, she knew that her success would depend on making connections and finding support, and she found that in part at the center.
“A lot of Black students are transplants, so they’re coming from different states or internationally. To help with retention they need a sense of community and that’s what we’re here for,” Alcaire said. Resources including a dedicated counselor from CAPS, a fully functional kitchen, games space and places for quiet study as well as social activities, provide students with a sense of belonging and support.
Dorian Smith is the director of student success and belonging with the Educational Opportunities Program at Oregon State and an alum. He came to the university from California as a football player and says the BCC gave him a place of community outside of the locker room.
“The Lonnie B. Harris Black Cultural Center means so much to OSU and the community of Corvallis,” Smith said. “I remember soulful Sundays where the community would get together and share soul fool, play cards and have a great time together. It made Corvallis feel like home.”
Smith has seen the center and the community grow since his time as a student.
“It's a place to go to replenish your spirit. That is the case for students and faculty,” he said. “It’s been amazing to see the transformation from the little house to the beautiful center that we have now. It makes you Dam Proud to be a beaver.”
Center Director Jamar Bean said the Lonnie B. Harris Black Cultural center was one of the main reasons he stayed at OSU and didn’t transfer out as an undergraduate.
“Being from Texas it was hard to adjust to the PNW and its lack of diversity,” Bean said. “The BCC was one of the only places I saw myself reflected on campus and felt like I wasn’t alone. Fast forward to now, being the director of the center and being able to celebrate its 50 years of service to the black OSU community is truly a blessing.”
When Jason Williams, who grew up in Maryland, was touring college campuses to decide where to attend, he decided on Oregon State as soon as he walked in the doors of the BCC.
“I knew I had a space here, and a community I could come to for anything. That sealed the deal,” Williams said. “It’s got the academic stuff and the community stuff. I knew there were different communities I could reach out to. I felt comfortable and involved.”
Now Williams works at the center and said he’s actively involved in a number of clubs and organizations that fill him with a sense of belonging. As he celebrates the center’s 50th anniversary, he sees a bright future ahead.
“It’s really amazing to see how we’ve grown and how the center has become today,” he said. “I can’t wait to see what we will do with the structure they’ve set up for us, and what we can set up for future generations.”
All OSU community members are invited to participate in BCC events and programs, including the anniversary celebration taking place from 2-4 p.m., April 24, at the Lonnie B. Harris Black Cultural Center, 100 S.W. Memorial Place.
(Story by Theresa Hogue. Some of the interviews drawn from a documentary on the history of the BCC being produced by University Relations and Marketing video editor Darryl Lai).
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