The Organization of Black Students at the University of Chicago

Welcome to the Organization of Black Students!

The Organization of Black Students (OBS) was founded in 1968 by a group of Ph.D. candidates and Professional School Students. The organization was a unified effort by many members of the black community at the University of Chicago that evolved into one of the most active groups on campus. Since then the Organization of Black Students has been a pervasive and progressive collection of Black students for over the last 35 years in the efforts of making a better community for Black students.

(OBS) functions as both a support group and a cultural outlet for the Black student body at the University of Chicago. As we approach our 40th year of existence, we hope to continue our traditions that enlighten the University community as well as the greater Chicago community. As always, we will, through our members and events, permeate the University atmosphere. In this respect we hope to contribute to the pursuit of multi-cultural expression and understanding.

The purpose of the Organization of Black Students (OBS) at the University of Chicago is to provide an organizational framework to address issues of concern to the Black community. The Organization of Black Students shall endeavor to build a better understanding of the Black experience that, through its members, programs, resources and functions, will permeate the University atmosphere. In this respect, OBS shall contribute to the pursuit of multicultural expression, understanding, and awareness.

Announcements

2008 WINTER QUARTER CALENDER

January 17
OBS General Assembly Meeting @ Harper 130 (7:00pm)

January 19
UCSC MLK Day of Service (7:30-3:30)

January 21
MLK Memorial Service w/ Keynote Address: Loretta J. Ross (12:00)

January 23
Something The Lord Made (6:30pm) BSLC Room 001

January 24
The George Kent Lecture feat. Ms. Angela Davis "How Does Change Happen" (7:00pm)

January 25
Roots & Rhymes IV: A Multicultural Celebration (6:30-8:30)

February 2
Blacklight Poetry Slam (9:30pm-12 am) Ida Noyes Hall (Fourth Floor) 1212 E. 59th St.

February 9
Cultural RSO Conference (10am-4pm) Biological Sciences Learning Center

President's Message

Welcome guests, friends, and students to the University of Chicago's Organization of Black Students website. I am Latricia Booker, currently the 2007-2008 Executive Board President. I wanted to take a minute to personally welcome you to our website as we celebrate our 40th year in the making! We are leaving the past behind us and reaching for the stars! I am very proud to serve as President of an organization that is reaching new levels and maturing each and every day. When I first joined OBS as a general assembly member, I knew this organization contained potential to do great things and it is an honor to finally be able to see those goals come to fruition.

This academic year the Organization of Black Students has worked tiredly, effortlessly and diligently to reach its full potential. With the support of the University Community Service Center, we have increased our volunteer outreach to the Chicago-land community, focusing especially on elementary and high school Chicago Public School students. We have accumilated information and fostered relationships with campus administrators and offices in order to serve as a clearinghouse to our constituency. Most recently, our members along with the Chicago National Action Network participated in the March on Washington for Social Justice this past November. Still, there is so much more that we are looking forward to doing!

If you are just visiting I want to say welcome. If you are a student here at the University of Chicago, I want to stress that OBS is here at your disposal. We would love for you to join us or allow us to be your advocate and ally. If there is anyway that you feel you can contribute, we would love to hear from you.

This website is here to serve as a resource, filled with links to other departments on campus, our yearly calendar with our upcoming events, records of past events, and contact information for the OBS executive board. I hope that you are able to navigate this site with ease and find all that you are searching for. My goal is to make OBS not only an advocate for our constituency, but a support base, and a powerful force on campus.

Before closing, I would like to thank Udodi Okoh and Adama Wiltshire, who put a lot of work into this website, the current OBS board, and all of our constituency and supporters.

Cheers to a good year!

Latricia Booker
2007-2008 President

Thank You!!!