Monmouth University has a rich history influenced by the lives and legacies. During Black History Month, it is especially important to recognize the contributions the Black community has made here at Monmouth.
The Great Hall (formerly known as Shadow Lawn and Wilson Hall) is one of the most recognizable parts of the campus. It was built in 1929 and designed by Horace Trumbauer and Julian Abele. Abele was the third formally educated black architect in the United States upon his graduation from the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Architecture in 1902.
In 1906, Abele’s portfolio was shown to Horace Trumbauer who immediately hired him. Abele worked for Trumbauer for 44 years and eventually worked his way up to being a senior designer, working on buildings up and down the east coast. Abele faced various challenges in his career, including Jim Crow laws, but overcame these adversities and left an everlasting legacy built into Monmouth University’s campus.
Walter McAfee was a renowned physicist who worked at Fort Monmouth as a part of the United States Army Communications-Electronics Command. Dr. McAfee worked on various projects throughout his military career, one including Project Diana. This project included the first time that radar signals were bounced off the moon, beginning the age of space exploration. This project paved the way for the development of space satellites and eventually manned space flight.
Dr. McAfee became one of the very few Black Americans to earn an advanced degree in physics when he graduated from Ohio State University in 1937 with a Master of Science in theoretical physics. He received his Ph.D. from Cornell University in 1949.
From 1958 until 1975, Dr. McAfee lectured at Monmouth College (now Monmouth University) on atomic and nuclear physics and solid-state electronics. During his time at Monmouth, Dr. McAfee served on the Curriculum Advisory Council of the Electronics Engineering Department. He was recognized for his accomplishments and presented with an honorary doctorate of science from Monmouth in 1985.
Black History Month gives the opportunity to learn about the legacies of individuals that may not be well known but are still influential. Melissa Ziobro is the Director and Adjunct Professor of Public History and has published numerous times on Abele, Dr. McAfee, and others. She said, “I think that during Black History Month, there is a sometimes a tendency to celebrate a handful of widely known figures at the national level: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Shirley Chisholm, Rosa Parks, Harriet Tubman. But we have these inspiring individuals who left indelible marks right on our campus, and we should honor them, as well; not only this month, but year-round.”
Influential figures are not something strictly from Monmouth’s past. Walter Greason, Ph.D., had been a lecturer in the department of history and anthropology and was appointed as the dean of the Honors School in 2017. Dr. Greason was the first Black dean of the Honors School and focused on the student experience.
From 2018 until 2021, Dr. Greason was an associate professor and chair of the Department of Educational Counseling and Leadership where he expanded the anti-racist social justice curriculum.
Monmouth has had visits from prominent civil rights activists including Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Ruby Bridges. Dr. King visited campus in October 1966, and he delivered a speech in Boylan Gymnasium that left the audience optimistic and hopeful for working towards a future of equality.
In October 2022, Dr. Bernice King, the daughter of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., visited Monmouth and spoke at the Social Justice Academy’s panel titled, “Combatting Racial Injustice Through Education.” She took questions from the audience of students, faculty, staff, and local community members and discussed racial equity issues.
Ruby Bridges was one of the first Black children to attend an all-white school in Louisiana in the 1960’s during the de-segregation movement. Bridges visited campus in October 2024 and spoke on a panel hosted by The Social Justice Academy in Pollak Theater titled, “The Courage to Challenge Racial Injustice and Build Equity in Education,” giving her perspective on her childhood experiences and on current racial justice issues.
By continually bringing in guest speakers to talk about issues regarding diversity and justice, it helps educate the student body to facilitate a welcoming and inclusive campus community.
Monmouth has multiple organizations on campus that continue to give Black students a voice including the Black Student Union (BSU), National Council of Negro Women (NCNW), Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, and Omega Psi Phi Fraternity. These organizations also work close with the Intercultural Center to create a stronger sense of inclusivity on campus.
Jefferson Gonzalez is a senior communication student who works at the Intercultural Center. During the month of February, the Intercultural Center hosts events to celebrate Black History Month. Some of the events are partnered with BSU including the annual Ebony Night.
Gonzalez said, “Students are busy and may not take a step back and realize how Monmouth
University came to be today. We are only here for a short time and the professors and staff are here for a long time.” He continued, “It is important to have an awareness about Black History Month and have good programming that involves the students by having fun but educating them on the figures that made Monmouth what it is.”
Throughout the university’s history, there have been influences from faculty, staff, and students. Some of these legacies are actually built into the architecture of this campus. Ziobro said, “This is our shared history as Hawks, and I really think not only should it be inspirational to us in the near term, but that we have a shared responsibility to keep it alive for future generations.”
