As Black History Month comes to an end, The Daily Campus takes space to reflect on the long history of Black excellence at SMU, recognizing both historical and current members of the campus’ Black community.
In 1955, five students changed Dallas history by being the first Black students to graduate from Southern Methodist University’s Perkins School of Theology. Their graduation marked a new era for SMU, one that rewarded bravery and welcomed diversity. John Elliot, James Hawkins, James Lyles, Negail Riley and A. Cecil Williams became known as the ‘Perkins Five’ and forever changed the campus we share today.
That same year, SMU’s board of trustees agreed to admit Black students to evening classes at the Deadman School of Law, and in 1961, the campus openly accepted a class of Black undergraduate students. While the journey to full desegregation didn’t stop there, with continued efforts to find equality within athletics, faculty, and student organizations, it was the start of an ongoing journey to embrace a diverse student body here at SMU.
In 1966, Jerry LeVias became the first African American football player to earn an athletic scholarship in the Southwest Conference after joining SMU’s football team. In 2003, he was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame, and he still holds the SMU record for receiving yards in a season and game. After graduating from SMU, he went on to play six seasons with the Houston Oilers. Every year, SMU’s football team chooses a student-athlete to wear the number “23” in honor of LeVias and his contribution to “America, the sport of football and SMU.” Isaiah Nwokobia wore #23 this season.
“When you see somebody in a similar position that looks like you, it makes it a little bit easier,” says special assistant to the athletic director, Coach Rob Evans.
Coach Evans has been a part of the college basketball world for more than 40 years, with the last nine years being a part of the athletics team at SMU. He is a role model, leader and friend to many in the SMU community, dedicating his professional career to making an impact on young student-athletes’ lives.
While his career has been impressive, leading an Ole Miss team to back-to-back NCAA Tournament bids in 1997 and 1998 and being named SEC Coach of the Year and National Coach of the Year in 1997, Evans has always felt that the true value of his job is in the mentorship he provides.
“Every young person, every young man that has played for me, has graduated from the university with a degree. That was always the most important thing,” Evans said.
The Black community on campus is rooted in creating a support system for members of the collective identity. Grace Burno, an SMU junior, serves as the President of the Association of Black Students. As a leader, her goal is to create an inclusive environment rooted in creating conversations while maintaining the morals and values that ABS was founded on.
Burno works hard to create a space where every Black student can come to find comfort when they need it. She understands that being a person of color at a predominantly white institution is a unique challenge, but a common one.
“I’m the only person of color in classrooms of 20-30 people,” Burno said. “I always stand out, I have to try to relate to classmates on certain things, others don’t.”
Burno has found lifelong friends and a community from her time in ABS. She spends her free time at SMU to “merge the gap and make people feel connected” through their shared background.
“The challenges that students of color face create a sense of resilience and hard work,” Burno said. “Use it to your advantage, grow through it.”
ABS isn’t the only Black student association where students can find community. Adele Harris, a senior at SMU, is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha, one of the Black sororities on campus.
“Being a part of my sorority has really created a safe space for me to truly be myself and connect with other Black women who are attending the same university,” Harris said. “[They’re] facing the same struggles, and it’s a really supportive group of girls.”
Harris and Burno are two examples of Black students who have changed the environment of SMU’s campus. The fight for an inclusive community that not only supports differences but also celebrates them.
“Other than AKA and ABS, there’s not a lot of other organizations where I feel I can truly be myself,” Harris said. “My sorority has definitely fulfilled that sense of community that was maybe missing [at SMU] before I joined.”
