Leona Lusk Officer Black Cultural Center History

Black cultural centers have their roots in the Black student movement of the 1960s and 1970s. Students fought for their right to attend predominantly white public institutions while also maintaining and celebrating their Blackness. Tennessee Tech students pushed for the creation of a Black Culture Center during a time of increased attention to the limitations of past desegregation efforts in Tennessee. Since the founding of the Center in 1989 and formal opening in 1990, the Center has provided a welcoming and supportive space for people of color on campus.

This exhibit on the history of the Leona Lusk Officer Black Cultural Center is presented in honor of the Center's 30th Anniversary. For more on the anniversary celebration, check out the website here.

Accessibility note: Click on images in the exhibit to view them in larger sizes and to access image descriptions, transcriptions, or screen reader compliant PDFs.