History Alum Rasheed Atwater Creates Historical Marker on Campus

Rasheed Atwater

Rasheed Atwater (BA History and African-American Studies 2016, MA Social Foundations and Community Education with certificate in African-American Studies 2019) has created a historical marker documenting Black student activism at EMU. The marker is part of the Black Ypsilanti Signage Project and is located outside Pierce Hall.

Rasheed tells us, "During the course of my research on the 'Black Protest' sign I had the awesome pleasure of learning from student activists from three generations about their experiences on campus. Working with University Archivist Alexis Braun Marks and Dr. Okafor in the Africology and African-American Studies Department to bring the '68-'72 cohort to campus was invaluable to my research and professional growth.

I’m honored to have the sign on campus; for me, it represents a small token of gratitude to the university that I love so dearly. I hope the sign symbolizes EMU’s ever-present dedication to making the university a more equitable place and reminds students past and present to play an active role in shaping the university’s direction." This year Rasheed is working as an Employment Service Coordinator at Delta College, and in fall 2020 he will enter the PhD program in African-American Studies at Temple University.