Preserving student life through film

The Oscars may be over, but there’s a red-carpet event happening at the university this week. Senior Sydney McKinney-Williams’ documentary debut takes place at a U-M tri-campus event on Friday.

“With group projects, I’ve shown at film festivals before, but this is my first red carpet. It’s a film about university history that, when looking back, will be an important moment in my own history,” says McKinney-Williams, a journalism and media production major who produced and directed the short movie. “There were a lot of people at U-M who helped me make this film happen and I was able to connect with alumni going back to the 1970s.”

The film will premiere at the Inclusive History Project Summit, which explores histories of inclusion and exclusion at U-M, at 3:45 p.m. Friday, April 4. The summit takes place from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. at UM-Dearborn’s Fairlane Center North. This event is free and open to the public but registration is encouraged. Browse the day’s sessions and register.

 The Inclusive History Project is a multiyear University of Michigan presidential initiative designed to study and document a comprehensive history of the university’s three campuses and Michigan Medicine that is attentive to previously overlooked, underrepresented voices.

“IHP projects, like Sydney’s, are a way for our campus to find and claim its collective voice in university history,” says Professor of History Cam Amin, who also serves as director of research for the IHP at UM-Dearborn. “Quoting the Whos in Whoville, ‘We are here, we are here, we are here.’ The variety of projects done through IHP feature the good and bad legacies of our past and can help us chart a better future. We have to understand that past and the way it resonates now.”

During the summit, participants can learn about research, engagement and teaching taking place across the three campuses. The event will also include a hands-on archiving workshop l, and presentations on student-led projects. There will be opportunities for members of the U-M community to share stories about the university at a recording booth led by Associate Professor of Journalism and Media Production Jennifer Proctor and Instructional Learning Assistant Rick Marrone.

IHP Co-chair Elizabeth R. Cole says the IHP initiative — and the daylong summit — is about raising up and celebrating all the people who have made the U-M community what it is, while also looking at the full history of the university’s past and present in an effort to build awareness when planning for the future.

“The Inclusive History Project examines the past, but by no means is it backward-facing — it’s an investment in our future. It’s important to keep in mind what people will need 50 years from now when telling the university’s story,” says Cole, who is a UM-Ann Arbor professor of Women's and Gender Studies, psychology and Afroamerican and African Studies “Sydney’s work is one example of how the university community is contributing to this collective effort. She brings her major, her classroom training and her passion together for her film about the BSU. I love Sydney’s project.”

Funded through a $3,000 IHP grant, McKinney-Williams’ 30-minute film features interviews with UM-Dearborn alums from the past 50 years. They discuss their time in the Black Student Union, its beginnings, its purpose for members, traditions and more.

McKinney-Williams, who’s the current BSU vice president, says the organization, which is open to every student, has helped her navigate the stress of the pandemic, political landscape challenges and personal struggles. “The Black Student Union is a welcoming group that brings people together to have fun. It’s also a place where you can go to discuss what you are seeing and/or experiencing in the Black community,” she says.

McKinney-Williams credits a capstone course during her junior year as the spark for “Uncovering.” As her idea was taking shape, McKinney-Williams’ instructor — Assistant Professor of Journalism and Media Production Adam Sekuler — liked the BSU topic, but noticed some gaps in the film’s narrative. “In my proposal, I said I wanted to feature the Black Student Union, talking about what we are currently doing and our future plans. Professor Sekuler let me know that I was missing how it started. I explained that’s because we have no idea,” she says. Sekuler then told her about the IHP grant. “He told me that he found a way for me to expand my project if I wanted to,” McKinney-Williams says. “That’s how this all came to be.” 

The IHP grant allowed her to purchase better equipment, cover travel expenses for alums who agreed to be interviewed and cover some production costs. “This documents an important history about a student org at our university that even the members didn’t know. The Black Student Union now has its history preserved so future members can learn about it and we’re so appreciative,” says McKinney-Williams, who joined the IHP team as a student advisory member after receiving the grant. 

Through the oral histories collected, McKinney-Williams — who was advised by Sekuler and Journalism and Media Production Teaching Professor Anthony Luckett during the project — learned about the evolution of the BSU, social movements encouraging people to join, and about the campuswide events put on by the student organization. “One was called the Blackout Barbecue and it would take place by the pond. Everyone was invited to come by for food and games and to learn how to do the ‘Hustle’,” McKinney-Williams says. “I’m about to give everyone an inside scoop — the Black Student Union wants to bring that back.”

The film, which debuts on Friday, is one way to document student voices and experiences — which is an important part of the IHP mission. In addition to the red carpet, photo opportunities and screening, there will be a panel discussion, popcorn and refreshments.

McKinney-Williams, who plans to submit “Uncovering” to film festivals, says her motivation was to document life at UM-Dearborn. Through the class project and IHP support, she not only did that — she also made something that will be preserved in the U-M archives. 

To McKinney-Williams, that is an ultimate honor. “Sometimes we don’t realize what’s missing until it’s long gone. IHP helped us get our history back and now we are going to take better care of it. Who knows, maybe in 15 or 20 years, someone will see this film and make a part two,” she says. “My hope was to share the story of the Black Student Union and give people something to build upon as time goes on. I hope by people watching it, they can get ideas on how to preserve their histories too.”

UM-Dearborn faculty, staff and students speaking at the IHP Summit include Amin, Proctor, McKinney-Williams, Morrone, Professor of Sociology Pamela Aronson, Assistant Professor of Human Services Finn Bell, Associate Professor of Women’s and Gender Studies Amy Brainer, Professor of History Martin Hershock, Digital Humanities Coordinator for IHP-Dearborn Marlaine Magewick, Professor of Health and Human Services Lisa Martin, Professor of Geology Jacob Napieralski and Mardigian Library Assistant Archivist Hannah Zmuda, with UM-Dearborn alum Leah Olijade serving as the emcee.

Story by Sarah Tuxbury