Nicholls students visit River Road African American Museum today

Thirty Nicholls students signed up to take a bus trip to the River Road African American Museum in Donaldsonville today from 12 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The trip, sponsored by Nicholls’ Student Government Association (SGA), is part of the African-American history month celebration.

Austin Wendt, vice president of SGA, said, “Going to the museum will allow students to see what people of color experienced as Americans throughout their history. It’s important because black history is American history.”

According to the museum’s website, the tour and exhibits will expose students to the truths of the African American hardships and accomplishments.

Because the trip to the museum is considered an educational experience, students are excused from their classes that day. Seven other students showed interest in attending the trip after all the spots were filled and were placed on a waiting list.

Wendt said that Nicholls’ African American History Month Committee recommended the museum to SGA, so they decided to sponsor the trip.

SGA partners with the African American History Month Committee every year to sponsor events for black history month in the effort to acknowledge and show respect.

Wendt said that the two organizations gave out t-shirts for black history month this year.

Last year, they organized a trip to Whitney Plantation.

“Doing these events will give us a sense of respect to see where we’ve come from, where we are today as a nation and to hopefully progress even further so we can become more of an equal society that sees past things like race and gender. We should focus more on things that unite us instead of things that divide us,” Wendt said.