The Blue Light Special Highlights the Importance of Black History Month Events

By PATRICK FLOOD -- Oneonta, NY

 On Wednesday, February 10^th at 7:00 pm, the Beta Beta Pi Chapter of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity presented The Blue Light Special. The event, which was their second of the month, showcased a diverse group of performers including dancers, steppers, rappers, guitarists, singers, and poets.

Opening remarks at The Blue Light Special.

Due to a larger than expected crowd, the contingent of performers and audiences members relocated from the small Hunt Union Water Front lounge, to the more spacious theater located right down the hall. As the raucous auditorium crowd settled down, Oneonta student Amanda Okun expressed her passion for the event by saying, “It’s important to have live events like this, considering digital music has been taking over.”

Original location of The Blue Light Special in Hunt Union.

The Blue Light Special also featured Rilwan Ameen, a professor at SUNY Oneonta, who performed a synchronized step routine. An exasperated Ameen’s take on the event was that of pride and appreciation, stating “It was great seeing the student body come out on a Wednesday night and display the various types of talents that they have; I think everybody had a great time!” It certainly seemed that way as each performer received a huge round of applause.

Oneonta Senior, Sara Meltzer expressed her interest in attending the event by saying, “I wanted to learn a little bit more about Black History Month and its significance on the campus, while getting to see my friends perform.” The Blue Light Special also featured a presentation on the history of African American artists in the United States, which highlighted an educational aspect of the night.

Students performing at The Blue Light Special.

Overall, The Blue Light Special was considered an enormous success. The event demonstrated the significance of Black History Month events, while giving a voice to the many diverse artists on the SUNY Oneonta campus.