Go Back and Get It: BSO, ACS, SA host Ninth Annual Sankofa, celebrating Black heritage, community, excellence

Friday, Feb. 20, communal embraces, line dances and black-tie attire took center stage in Sadler Center’s Chesapeake Room. Sankofa is an annual celebration of Black faculty, students and staff of the College of William and Mary, hosted by the College’s Black Student Organization, African Cultural Society and Student Assembly. Sankofa is a night to celebrate the achievements of the Black community and the tradition of Black Excellence.

In opening remarks, Student Assembly Sen. Tyson Liverman ’27, described Sankofa as a reflection and celebration of Black achievement. Liverman pushed for the Sankofa gala to get funding from SA.

“Sankofa is a verb originated by the people of Ghana meaning, go back and get it,” Liverman said. “Sankofa teaches us that history is not a burden, but a gift. It reminds us that the resilience, brilliance, creativity and sacrifice of our ancestors are not just stories we inherit, but responsibilities we carry.”

In the introductory keynote speech, Steve Prince, Director of Engagement and artist-in-residence at the Muscarelle Museum of Art, described Sankofa as an opportunity to celebrate the achievements of individuals in the Black community and honor Black heritage.

Prince is the sculptor of the College’s Sankofa Seed sculpture, a memorial to the first Black students to attend the College. Prince describes Sankofa as a living legacy to these first students. 

“Riley, Brown and Eli, those women were the first to come to Jefferson Hall, and they have created a space for all of us to be here”, Prince said. “So I say to you, the Sankofa is to help us remember who we were, who we are and who we are becoming.” 

The Ebony Expressions Gospel Choir then performed an a cappella rendition of “How Excellent.”  

The second keynote speaker, Director of Student Inclusive Excellence Monique Williams, elaborated on Sankofa’s significance as a commitment to service in the Black community. 

“One day you will become the elders in the room, you will someday become the old kids, the Uncles and the Aunties, and you will be leading the next generations for kids like my son, my nieces and my nephews.” Williams said. “How will you show up for each other?” 

Williams’ speech featured a call to action: to embrace your neighbor. In the crowd, individuals went around the room embracing beloved members of their personal circle, and even complete strangers. 

“Wherever you are, turn to a neighbor. ‘I see you, I need you, I will lift you up, and I will reach back to carry you forward,’”  Williams said. “And to each of you I say to you, ‘I see you, I need you, I will lift you up, and I will always reach back to carry you forward.’”

To conclude the speakers, Dr. Carlos Pinkerton, executive director of Planning and Strategy at the College spoke and outlined the significance of Sankofa.

“It is the image of a bird reaching backward to retrieve an egg on its back,” Pinkerton said. “It reminds us that as we move forward, we must retrieve what is necessary from our past to sustain our future.”

Pinkerton detailed the importance of building intentional community support within underrepresented communities. He reminded attendees of their role in creating and preserving Black history. 

“Shared identity does not automatically create shared responsibility. That work is intentional. At times where our identity is at times contested, Sankofa is urgent, because what is not retrieved can be forgotten. What is forgotten can be distorted,” Pinkerton said.

Next, the BSO Honors, a series of awards honoring Black achievement on campus, were presented to students and faculty. The first awards recognized students for their on-campus involvements inside and outside the classroom.

These awards for an outstanding member of each class year went to Madison Marshall ’29, Jackson Webb ’28, Jordyn Jackson ’27 and Allison Robinson-Wilson ’26. 

The next round of awards were given to students and faculty who stood out for their exemplary performance in extracurricular activities and leadership roles. Winners included Nya Pictori ’28 for Excellence in Leadership, Clarity Johnson ’28 for Excellence in Service, Talia Anderson ’26 for Outstanding Female Athlete, Justin Puzan ’26 for Outstanding Male Athlete, William Henderson ’26 for Tribe Involvement and Monique Williams for Outstanding Faculty. 

To close out the night, the community came together for one last line dance. 120 people danced alongside one another, a physical embodiment of their commitment: doing life with one another. 

Class of 2028 President and BSO organizer Devaughn Henry ’28 mirrored the sentiments of the keynote speakers on Sankofa as a motivation for service.

“Sankofa means being there for your community, and giving back to people when they need it,” Henry said. 

Allison Robinson-Wilson ’26, four-time attendee, and BSO Senior Legacy award recipient emphasized the importance of celebrating the Black community on campus because of historical adversity. 

“It’s nice looking back at the history of William and Mary and seeing how far we’ve come because of how many doors were shut in the faces of people like my grandparents,” Robinson-Wilson said. 

Mlumbeni Nkhoma ’29, another attendee, emphasized the encouragement and strong sense of community Sankofa represents.

“As a young student that is just starting her journey at William and Mary, it’s been such a joy to be able to look back on all the works of previous students and reflect on what I can do to better improve the campus for all students of minorities,” Khoma said. 

Williams summarized how the concept of Sankofa connects to the College’s complicated history and current community. 

“Sankofa’s not just about looking back, it’s about deciding what and who you are willing to carry as you move forward,” Williams said. “This institution, like our nation, was shaped by complex realities, including indigenous land dispossession, and the neighbor of enslaved Africans. Acknowledging this does not diminish us, it strengthens us as we move together. Here we are not as victims of history, but evidence of survival.”

That’s Sankofa. It’s remembering why you build; it’s choosing to return even when you’re tired.