Foley Library celebrates Black History Month by showing Black authors – Bulletin

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Updated: February 14, 2025 @ 12:01 pm
The library’s new display was curated by UMEC peer educator, TJ Aguma.
Staff Writer
The library’s new display was curated by UMEC peer educator, TJ Aguma.
The rotating book display tucked in a corner on the first floor of Foley Library is featuring a selection of texts for Black History Month this February.
Spotlighting the theme of Black labor in the workforce, the books on display are written by Black authors from many backgrounds.
The display was organized by TJ Aguma, a social justice peer educator for the Unity Multicultural Education Center. Aguma said that creating this collection of texts was a way to bring attention to authors and books that he enjoys but also to texts recommended by peers that he has not had a chance to read yet.
“I wanted to highlight people that don’t normally get as much attention,” Aguma said.
The books include perspectives of Black workers throughout history and experiences of those in the present day. Aguma said the broadness is a way to allow people to get as much knowledge as possible and bring attention to issues like white supremacy.
“Especially around this time of political attention, I feel like it’s interesting to highlight some preconceived notions and those telling a narrative that you don’t get to hear often,” Aguma said. “Some of them are a bit more radical, but I chose to highlight that to help navigate the space that we’re in.”
Aguma collaborated with Amanda Ma, a user services specialist at the library, to coordinate the setup of the display. Ma said the books Aguma selected were sourced locally from Auntie’s Bookstore, and there is also a link with additional online resources for Black History Month available on the library’s website.
Ma said that the theme of labor Aguma chose brings attention to differences in how labor is perceived for the Black community compared to other minority groups and white people.
“I thought it was interesting that TJ chose that because with slavery and the history of slavery, labor is definitely seen differently through the eyes of different people,” Ma said. “[With] that lens, we can understand how work is understood by different people in the U.S. and how it still affects people of color today, especially Black people.”
One of the books that Ma said was an interesting display of this theme is “Black Labor on a White Canal: Panama 1904-1981” by Michael Conniff.
“It’s about how the Panama Canal had a bunch of African American people working on it and it mostly benefitted the white community,” Ma said. “It took advantage of the Black laborers who were working on that, so that’s just one take on African Americans and labor.”
The display also features a photo and short biography of five Black Americans who Aguma said have made notable contributions to the workforce and Civil Rights Movement. The five people are Frederick Douglass, Kimberlé Williams Crenshaw, James Arthur Baldwin, Gordon Roger Alexander Buchanan Parks and Gloria Jean Watkins, also known as bell hooks. Aguma said Parks was featured because of the breathtaking and unique nature of his photography.
“The work he does highlights things that aren’t always in the media,” Aguma said. “Things that just don’t get a lot of photography, and not only does he do Civil Rights events, but also everyday regular stuff.”
Ma said bringing attention to Black History Month is an important way of making sure that all people feel welcome and safe on GU’s campus.
“Being an Asian American myself, it’s nice to be able to walk around and see a familiar face,” Ma said. “It’s really welcoming to see that your background and identity is being represented on campus, whether it be on the cover of a book or on a glass display case.”
Aguma also said the books and authors they have selected are not as mainstream, which is a good way of preventing close-mindedness from a lack of exposure.
“Gonzaga is a predominantly white institution, so with that comes that you’re going to have obviously less diversity,” Aguma said. “I feel it’s important for not only the people that are on campus, but also other people, to see different cultures and see people that differ from them. That allows for the engagement and sharing of that culture and traditions.”
GU’s mission statement emphasizes academic, social and mental growth, Ma said. Ma said that the library’s rotating display is one way of fulfilling that promise to the community.
“It’s just one little display, but I think it speaks a lot to what we represent here at the university,” Ma said. “And what all of our staff and employees believe is truly important.”
Holly Fijolek is a staff writer.
Staff Writer
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