Black Cultural Society

The Black Student Union was formerly known as the Black Cultural Society. The Black Cultural Society was established in 1974 under the co-chairmanship of Rodney Evans and Donald McLaughlin to provide a social atmosphere for Black students at Elon College.

  1. Promote understanding and a sense of unity among Black students.
  2. To encourage this college toward greater awareness and appreciation of the culture and achievements of Black people.
  3. To attack with vigor all injustices and inequalities that may exist on this campus toward Black students.
  4. To support and assist in any way possible the surrounding communities.

The Black Cultural Society was active on campus from 1974 to 2015. The society served the campus in many ways. They brought speakers to campus, formed intramural teams, planned parties, and wrote letters to advocate for changes around campus such as creating Black history and literature courses at Elon.

Black Student Union

Elon’s Black Student Union was founded by Alex Bohannon in 2015. The rebranding of the Black Cultural Society was fueled by the organization’s reputation at the time of lacking unity. “Union” promotes a firm statement about solidarity, promoting unity amongst the Black community and all other Black organizations on campus.

The traditions of BCS still live on through BSU’s mission statement and programming.