In 1989, Samford University’s Black Student Organization (BSO) made history as the first minority group to perform at the Step Sing show.
“I used to be part of the Student Recruitment Team, and every time I walked past the office, I saw a photo there. I wondered who those people were and what they represented,” said Akiem Thames, the 2023-2024 executive Director of Diversity.
Now, in 2025, the Black Student Union (BSU) is set to lead the third multicultural student show in the event’s history, following the inaugural performance over three decades ago.
“When I explored the yearbooks at the Crimson office, I found out that the Black Student Organization had performed at Step Sing, and I thought it was groundbreaking. I made sure to share this with the community,” Thames said.
Intrigued, he dug deeper and discovered the Black Student Organization’s past involvement in Step Sing. As the 2023-2024, the Executive Director of Diversity, Thames seized the opportunity to advocate for bringing the show back.
Kelsey Martin, the current president of the BSU, said she was ecstatic to learn that the organization could participate in this year’s show. Martin expressed pride in her community’s commitment to promoting diversity on campus.
“This will demonstrate that we can create spaces in predominantly white areas. Being pro-Black doesn’t mean being anti-white; it’s about inclusivity,” said Martin.
In 1989, the BSO debuted with a tribute show to Motown and followed up in 1990 with a tribute Harlem, New York’s famous Cotton Club. This year, the group plans to honor this rich tradition by highlighting similar themes of African American culture and celebrating unity within diversity. This year, the group plans to honor similar themes, according to Caleb John, the (SGA) Executive Director of Diversity and Director of the Step Sing group.
“I hope this serves as a wake-up call for Black students on campus who have never experienced anything like this. I’ve been here for three years, and I’m just starting to see the change. Unfortunately, I can’t say that Samford has fully embraced Black spaces as it should,” Martin said.
On Thursday Sept. 12, John met with Emily Paxton, the Assistant Director of Student Activities and Events, inquiring about the possibility of BSU participating in Step Sing. He was thrilled to learn about the opportunity and brought the initiative to Kelsey Martin, the president of the BSU and Jayla Duncan, the NPHC Vice President of Recruitment and other multicultural organizations to recruit and gauge interest.
After securing more than 45 signatures in five days, the Step Sing group was approved on Sept. 17, 2024.
“Our group is called ‘Urban Essence,’ reflecting expressing an authentic piece of African American culture, music and dance. Our performance will highlight aspects of African American culture. It’s going to be significant and exciting,” said John.
Sign-ups to participate in the multicultural Step Sing show will end on Nov. 1, with a total of 60 participants needed. Interested individuals can reach out to Caleb John at sgadiversity@samford.edu. Be on the lookout for tabling events on Ben Brown and around campus.
Staff Writer
