SU Ag Center celebrates 28th Annual Collegiate Black History Quiz Bowl
Baton Rouge, La. - The Southern University Ag Center and the College of Agricultural, Family and Consumer Sciences held the 28th annual Collegiate Black History Quiz Bowl on February 23, 2023 in the 3rd floor auditorium of T.T. Allain Hall.
Opening remarks for the event were given by SU Ag Center Campus Research Associate Erica Williams Mitchell. Owusu Bandele, Ph.D., SU Ag Center Professor Emeritus and the Quiz Bowl’s creator, served as the event’s moderator. Freddy Bandele, son of Dr. Bandele, provided attendees with a trumpet solo during the competition.
Southern University students representing clubs, organizations, groups, and majors from throughout the campus competed to show their knowledge of current events, politics, history, sports, and entertainment.Six teams competed in the competition with each team consisting of four members with an optional alternate.
Team Talented Tenth consisting of James Nettles, Jimilah Stith, Kendall Banks, and Shannon Wilmer won 1st place; Team Jaguar Blue Consisting of Carrington Curry, Karriem Upshaw, Kelvin Powell, and Zsada Antoine placed 2nd and Team Justice B consisting of Ashonti Scott, Keith Jackson, Knykolas Ross, and Sterling Fluery placed 3rd.
Dr. Bandele has been organizing the annual Black History Quiz Bowl and serving as its moderator for the past 28 years.
“I started with the college bowls about 28 years ago but I noticed in time that there was a need to start earlier with the youngsters and they can in with such ethnicism and a real strong quest for learning,” said Dr. Bandele. “The lower grades have been very competitive."
Bandele has been holding middle and highschool black history quiz bowls for the past 5 years. This year he organized the 1st Annual Elementary School Black History Quiz Bowl on February 14.
“It’s so important to me to start early so they have a deep history going forward,” added Bandele.
Seven teams of eager elementary school students from Indira Mura Institute, Mayfair, Palmetto, Forest Heights, Audubon, SU Lab, and Park Ridge Elementary School competed.
Forest Heights' Deacons for Defense team consisting of Dillon Thomas, Blake Hilton, Jada Robinson, Octavia Graham, and Jeremiah Peeler took home 1st place; followed by Mayfair’s Freedom Fighters Team consisting of Braylen August, Harlem Lindsey, Aryn Avalos Ruiz, Liam Cassidy, and Likitha Bommagani placed 2nd and Palmetto’s The Historians Team consisting of Kane Coburn, Liam Thornton, Wyatt Haynes, Emma Moore, and Kayden Tan placed 3rd.
The high school black history quiz bowl was held on Feb. 16 with teams from Indira Mura institute, Scotlandville, Baton Rouge High, Baker, St. Amant, and Southern Lab.
The middle school black history quiz bowl on Feb. 17 with IMI Inventors in first place consisting of Alion Wilkins, Kalonji Wilkins, Tyeler Anderson, Aris Lodge, Chance Freeman; Freedom Fighters in 2nd place consisting of Braylen Noil, Skylar Towner, Nathan Pia, Valerie Willis, Antwone Johnson and Westdale 106 consisting of Morris Walker, Alexander Owens, Zyon Joseph, Kale Cowen, Oliver Pearce in 3rd place.
The 1st and 2nd place winners in each quiz bowl were awarded a medal, a calendar, and a book by or about some aspect of the Black experience. The 3rd place winners received a medal and a book. Every participant also received a book at the end of the event.