Snowden Multicultural Center
From KCpedia
The Snowden Multicultural Center is located on the north side of campus, near the Eaton Center and the Career Development Center, at 209 Chase Avenue. The Multicultural Affairs Advisory Council (MAAC) proposed its construction, and today the SMC Board, comprised of students, professors, and community members, keep it running. The center, proposed in 1990, opened on September 12, 1992.
Origin of Snowden's Name
Snowden was named for the first black people in Knox County to be married, a couple named Thomas and Ellen Snowden. They arrived in the 1820s and were soon well-known for their musical abilities. They raised seven children in the area, all of whom learned to read at local schools and shared their parents musical talent. Their legacy is widely respected, and though the song "Dixie" was officially written by another Mount Vernon resident, Daniel Decateur Emmett, locals usually attribute it to the Snowden, insisting Emmett learned it from them.
Activities
Snowden Center organizes events, lectures, and discussions, and in the past has presented many programs concerning discrimination and sensitivity. Their most popular event is the monthly Global Cafe, which provides students with the opportunity to sample foods from around the world. Past themes have Greek, Bengali, Mediterranean, Japanese, and Caribbean cuisine. The five dollar cost per student helps support the Multicultural Center. In 2002, Snowden helped bring Kevin Jennings, a gay-rights activist, and Amma Ghartey-Tagoe, a playwright, to campus. Snowden also sponsored the performance of Tagoe's work The Remembering Tree during her visit. The center also attempts to educate the student body about current affairs, and has in the past shown films about issues like the Bosnian conflict. Celebration of cultural holidays, such as Chinese New Year, are also common. Additionally, the center is supportive of the entire community and welcomes anyone who drops by, whether it be to study, read, watch a movie, or cook.
Resources in the Kenyon Archives
- Snowden Multicultural Center -- collected materials (oversize)
