UW Students Turn To Their Wardrobe To Mark Black History Month

#blackOclock: That’s the social media tag some University of Wisconsin-Madison students are using to share pictures of themselves decked out from head to toe in the color black to celebrate the first day of Black History Month.

Marquise Mays, president of the UW-Madison Black Student Union, was among those who promoted the social media event.

“I can go days without seeing another African-American student,” he said. “Walking into a classroom of 450 students and being the only student of color — not only the only African-American student, but the only student of color — you can get isolated.”

He said at a school where only 2 percent of the student body is African-American, the hashtag is a way of fostering a greater sense of community among students of color.

“Black o’ clock is more so a time where we can get on Twitter and say, ‘OK, we’re all standing in solidarity with one another and we’re all here with one another. We all go here as well,’” said Mays.

Mays hopes to see the hashtag used by students across the country.

Meanwhile, the Black Student Union plans to host a series of events on campus throughout the month of February.