‘Black and White Affair’ promotes diversity

The University of Mississippi will host a black and white attire event for people of all colors tonight. 

The Fifth Annual Black and White Affair will take place at the Johnson Commons Ballroom from 6-9 p.m. 

The affair is more like a dinner party with entertainment that hopes to celebrate diversity on the Ole Miss campus. 

It was put together by the Associated Student Body, the Office of the Dean of Students/Multicultural Affairs and the Black Student Union. 

The BSU first started the event five years ago. 

Kaylen Addison, ASB director of diversity affairs, has led the way this year to make the event happen. 

“We just want to have an opportunity to celebrate diversity and give out awards for the people who have actually done things to promote the diversity that we embody in the UM creed,” she said. “The very first line is ‘the respect and dignity for each person,’ so we want to give out some awards and recognize the people who have done that the best in this past year.”

It is an opportunity for the university to show it supports and advocates all types of diversity, Addison said. 

Curtis Wilkie, associate journalism professor and Overby Center for Southern Journalism and Politics fellow, will be the main guest speaker and will talk about his experience as a student at the same time the school admitted James Meredith, the first black Ole Miss student.

“I’m going to basically talk about the pride I have in the progress Ole Miss has made since I was a student here myself 50 years ago,” Wilkie said. “It is, as I understand, a group that is encouraging racial reconciliation on campus, and I certainly applaud that.”

The event will have speakers and performers who exemplify the concept of diversity, according to Addison. 

Ole Miss Idol winner LaTonya Herron and the Ole Miss Gospel Choir will perform this evening with a dance following afterward.

Addison said everyone is invited to the event, and he wants as many people to come as possible. The event is an open invitation and free to the public. Those who attend are asked to wear black and white attire. 

For more information on the Black and White Affair, check out its Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=279064395461848.