Black Alumni Weekend

Black Alumni Weekend
April 10-12, 2025

 

Make plans to come home to Winthrop for the 2025 Black Alumni Weekend, April 10-12! With over 6,700 Black alumni, this weekend is an opportunity to honor the strides made by our trailblazing graduates while building meaningful connections for the future. From thought-provoking panels to community service and celebratory gatherings, this weekend is designed for alumni, students and friends to come together and honor our shared history.

Registration for Black Alumni Weekend closed on Friday, March 28.

Thank you to our Black Alumni Weekend sponsors!

The Black Mill	Vibes Juice Bar & Cafe

Black Alumni Weekend is held in April because April 6 is a day of reflection and pride for Winthrop, specifically for Black alumni and students, marking pivotal moments in our history.

• 1964: The admission of Winthrop’s first undergraduate Black student, Delores Johnson, signaled what would become full integration of the university, setting the stage for subsequent generations of students who started their higher education journey living and learning at the Rock Hill institution.
  • On April 6, 1964, then-President Charles S. Davis wrote a “confidential” letter to the Board of Trustees reporting that the college had received applications from three Black women. Two of the applications from Rock Hill students were “incomplete,” but the Columbia applicant, Delores Johnson, not only met Winthrop’s entrance requirements but had test scores “well above” the Winthrop average. After consulting with Board Chairman John Dinkins, Attorney General Daniel McLeod, and S.C. Gov. Donald Russell, a special meeting of the Board was called in May. Davis told the trustees that it would be advantageous if the students were admitted without a formal court order. When the Board voted unanimously to admit the applicants, the president requested guidance on housing. The trustees agreed that the students should be housed “the same way” and by the “same criteria” as white students. With the official move to integration, the South Carolina legislature had to change the charter of Winthrop from “white women” to “women.”
• 1989: Prentiss Woods became the first Black student body president, exemplifying the leadership and achievements of Black students. Winthrop’s integration website notes the following:
  • On April 6, 1989, Prentiss Woods, Classes of 1990 and 1995, was sworn in as the first Black student body president. The Charleston native said he was motivated to seek office in order to extend representation to all segments of the student body. Woods based his campaign platform on the concept of diverse incorporation.

To ensure sure you are connected with Winthrop and receive information for Black Alumni Weekend, share your updated contact information with the Alumni Association! Also, follow the Winthrop Alumni Association (@winthropalumni) on Facebook and Instagram and the Black Alumni Council on Facebook and Instagram (@winthropbac) to stay connected.

Nametags can be picked up on Thursday, April 10 inside the DiGiorgio Campus Center from 4-6 p.m. or Friday, April 11 at the Morgan-Holcombe Alumni Center at the Stewart House from 9-11 a.m.

Parking for on-campus events will be available at any parking lot on campus throughout the weekend. Refer to the campus parking map for parking information.

For questions, e-mail alumni@winthrop.edu or bac@winthropalumni.com.

Interested in being a Black Alumni Weekend sponsor?

We are looking for sponsors, both employers and individuals, to help amplify the impact of this special weekend. Individual sponsorship opportunities start at $250. Business sponsorship opportunities start at $1,000. Sponsorships directly contribute to scholarships, events and programs that celebrate and uplift Black students and alumni. E-mail  bac@winthropalumni.com to learn more.

 

Black Alumni Council Leadership

Chelsea Brown ’14, president

Bryan Mobley ’16, vice president, communications, membership and programming

Malenia Swinton ’13, vice president, strategy and governance

Erin Blake ’07, treasurer 

DeAlva Wilson Arnold ’92 ’94, advisor

Sherille Barber ’87 ’99, advisor

Isaiah Venning ’95, advisor

Byron Putman ’94, advisor