Through the Eyes of a Student Archivist
BY ESSENCE WILEY
Through the large double doors of Founders Library, to the right, down the hall, tucked away in the left corner lives the Moorland-Springarn Research Center. Home to the largest repository of documentation of the global black experience, Moorland-Springarn celebrates its 50th year of operation this year after becoming a Research Center in 1973.
MSRC provides scholarship and employment opportunities to over 20 undergraduate and graduate students across several colleges at Howard. Archives, Manuscripts, Prints and Photographs, and the MRSC Library are the several departments that make up the most comprehensive collection of black history in the world.
Zoé Coker works in the archival department, based in a small room in the G-level hallway that connects Founders and UGL.
The ‘processing’ room is where Coker and fellow interns spend most of their time. The pair of glasses on the interns’ desks and the magnifying glass lying on top of ripped photos are the perfect representation of the work that goes
into preserving “the legacy of the global black experience.”
The space isn’t as glamorous as the imagination permits. Boxes filled with manilla envelopes sit on top of each other, covering the wooden walls. Miscellaneous, visually aging photographs of ‘Old Howard’ lie around the room. Random remnants of Howard University history, such as the only remaining Hilltop Newspaper Stand, sit in the nooks and crannies.
There’s just enough room for each intern’s desk and a small walkway in between each pile of files. Though packed to the brim, the room has character. The history it houses can be felt through the walls.
Coker’s work is tedious but crucial to the digitization process.
“Archival processing is everything that happens before a collection is made digitally and publicly available, so that pertains to authentication, labeling, relabeling, and developing written procedures for their overall preservation,” says the Texas native.
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Zoe Coker, seated in the MoorlandSpringarn Research Center reading room.
Captured by Alexia Thompson
Each of Coker’s days consists of “a lot of labeling and relabeling.”
Not only is the student archivist preserving history but she’s apart of it.
The MSRC officially launched the Black Press Archives Digitization Project in November, which will preserve and publish over 100,000 newspapers from the United States, Africa, and the diaspora digitally. This is not lost on Coker, especially during Black History Month.
“I see a lot of things that would otherwise go unseen. So I feel pretty special to like have that opportunity.”
As an African-American studies major, Coker feels like “sometimes black studies at Howard kind of seems like theory first before contextualizing black history.”
Job opportunities and the resources available in the library center allow interns, faculty, and other students to apply what they’re studying. “It’s contextualizing the theories and conclusions that we have in current day,” says the student. “It’s situating them in a context that you can very much pinpoint across time.”
The MRSC recently relaunched its monthly newsletter, entitled “The Moorland,” and revamped its Instagram in hopes of keeping the HU Community up to date on the work happening in the library center.
This month, they hosted “Moorland Mondays” where they spotlighted each department.
As an intern, Coker hopes these interactive initiatives will further engage the student body.
“People don’t realize how important library services are,” says Coker. “There wouldn’t be a university without the library center. I would hope from these initiatives to publicize Moorland and Founders more, people just feel more
comfortable just coming in with I don’t know, curiosity? I think sometimes library spaces or resource spaces can be intimidating but you’re literally supposed to come in here when you’re confused.”
Cover 2 Cover was unable to get in contact with other interns however, their excitement about the work they’re doing is obvious in January’s newsletter.
One intern says “being able to be a part of something that is so important, not only for future generations, but also for our ancestors who worked so hard.”
Another intern, Justina Blanco, agrees. “I am excited to be part of preserving this invaluable source of Black community so that we can build off of the incredible work of Black journalists who have left us real-time connections to our ancestor’s experiences.”
The MSRC has over $2 million to allocate to the digitization of the Black Press Archives over the next five years and another $2 million to support new job opportunities in Archives and Manuscripts thanks to recent donations from the Jonathan Logan Family Foundation and the Mellon Foundation.
“I regard this grant as a reflection of growing public recognition of MSRC’s singular importance as custodian of the histories of individuals, organizations, and institutions, including Howard University, that are essential for interpreting and defining the experiences of Africans and people of African descent in the United States and across the globe,” says Dr. Benjamin Tolton, the director of MSRC.
“I feel like everybody just loves Old Howard and is very nostalgic of Old Howard and you can find a lot of that in Founder’s and Moorland,“ advises Coker.
All digitized collections are available at msrc.howard.edu
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The MRSC Libary alone houses over 175 books, pamphlets, periodicals, and microforms in several languages.Captured by Essence Wiley.
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A couple months ago, i was scrolling on Pinterest and I found this fascinating portrait of a young black woman. When I analyzed the photo, I noticed how I felt I could feel her humanity through the photo. Her eyes told a million stories. Her shirt said, “looking for a hunk”, she had grandiose hoop earrings, her hair was slicked back with bangs, and she had cheap headphones on. I could tell she was in a rush. I could tell she was an outspoken person. I could tell she controlled the narrative in whatever space she occupied for the time being. this is the power of photography. Her story is immortalized. This woman’s story is unknown but intrinsically apparent. This photo was part of a series created by Japanese-American photographer Katsu Naito called “Once in Harlem”. In this series, he wandered around the now-ancient 1990’s Harlem and documented the faces of a strong, layered, and noble community. This series inspired me to provoke more emotion in my photography work. I wanted to act on this revelation on my own college campus. So, I began asking students of Howard to be participants of my new project, “Once in Howard”. This name is, of course, a nod to Naito’s prior series, but it also calls to the happenstance of our collective existence in this same place. My entire career thus far has been devoted to capturing the everyday human. No glamour, no posturing. Just existence, as we are. We are all deeply yearning to understand that there are other people who understand. ONCE IN HOWARD, ALWAYS IN MOTION.
BY QUARAN AHMAD
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BY KYNADI HYDE
Howard University student Kyla Warman is a junior philosophy major, on track to attend law school as early as this fall. When she’s not studying the ancient teachings of Socrates or Aristotle, you can find Kyla in her cozy kitchen, mixing love into each of her delicacies. During Valentine’s Day week alone, Warman had about 20 cake orders, including the heart-shaped one seen above.
Warman took up baking amid the coronavirus pandemic, a hobby that she would have otherwise never thought to explore. With extra time on her hands during quarantine, she began working at her local Sam’s Club in Kansas City, Missouri, with the simple hope to earn extra cash.
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Captured by Jamaica Kalika
When an understaffed co-worker in the bakery department begged Warman to assist with a cupcake order, she learned the science of baking. With minimal instruction, she decorated about 200 cupcakes that day. Thereafter, “Kyla’s Crowned Cakes” was born.
“The idea behind it is to crown your event,” Warman explained when asked about the inspiration behind her business’s name.“I feel like cakes are the cherry on top of events.” Her lavish masterpieces perform as just that. From three-tiered vanilla cakes to chocolate-covered strawberries, the student’s baked goods are charming.
Warman began taking her hustle seriously after she garnered mass praise from the Howard University community for the six-inch, teal, and gold cake she made for her best friend’s birthday. The young baker officially set up shop in her dorm at Howard Plaza Towers and created a company logo inspired by the cake.
“My friends are over here every day like, do you have some extra cake?’” Warman revealed.
In true Howard spirit, Warman provides her inner circle with sweets and treats, in exchange for finance and business advice from her School Business friends.
For her birthday last year, Warman’s friends pitched in to buy her a luxury “stand” mixer, making her baking process more efficient. The student’s support system in D.C. has encouraged her to step out of her comfort zone and perfect her craft. She now finishes multiple cake orders a day and makes “the perfect” buttercream icing, a personal favorite of hers.
Incorporating community into baking is especially important for Warman. When she’s home in Kansas City, Crowned Cakes becomes a family-operated business.
“My dad goes to the store for me, my mom critiques my cakes, and my brother assists with content,” she said. Her little sister has even taken
up baking on her own, of course, inspired by her big sister. Baking has impacted Warman’s life both inside and outside of the kitchen.“I was not detail oriented at all,” she said.
Baking must be done meticulously and always with positive intentions. While working in the kitchen, Warman enjoys listening to spiritual sermons or videos from her favorite motivational YouTubers, slowing life down amid the commotion erupting right in her kitchen. Baking has forced Warman to possess a “can-do” attitude, patience, attentiveness, and above all else– love.
“Cakes are love,” exclaimed the cake maker, who feels as though baking is the ultimate love language and display of affection.
Kyla credits Howard University’s historic entrepreneurial spirit with pushing her to “step into her bag,” she exclaimed with a bright smile. “The community encourages me to keep going,” commented the culinarian.
For more information about Kyla’s Crowned Cakes, visit her Instagram @kyla.crownedcakes, or her website kylascrownedcakes.com
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Taco Bell
Popeyes
Pizza
Burger King
Zaxby’s
Panera
Tropical Smoothie
Raising Canes
Which fast food restaraunt do you want to see on campus?
Bojangles
Sweetgreen
Cookout
Chopt
Chik-fil-a
Checkers
* Cover 2 Cover asked Howard student’s which fast food restaraunt they wanted to see on our campus amidst rumors of a mysterious, new restaurant being built in Blackburn cafeteria. These were the responses. Want to be apart of our next poll? Follow us on Instagram @cover2covermag
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BY JACOB HENSWORTH
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BY JAMAICA KALIKA
Most Americans have felt the effects of inflation at some point or another. From gas to clothing to eggs, everything is expensive these days–especially groceries. Affording food is becoming especially difficult for college students.
Cover 2 Cover posed the question “How Do You Get Fed?” to a sample of over 50 students at Howard University living on and off campus, working and unemployed. Here are some of our findings.
Students are simply not eating to combat the cost of food.
34% of students mentioned snacking more, rationing their portions, enforcing more dietary restrictions or eating less overall in order to offset the costs of eating.
54.7% of respondents do not have a meal plan. 45% of them were also unemployed. These students admitted to eating less or skipping meals all together.
One anonymous entry says they replace meals with drinking water. Another says they’ve lost 17 pounds since the beginning of the semester.
SHOPPING HABITS
Disordered eating is not the only response to this economic upheaval. Intentional shopping has been one way many have been able to get by. Several people cited extreme budgeting, couponing, meal prepping, grocery store rewards/member discounts, or working more hours to pay for groceries as their method of choice.
“Living on campus in D.C. has opened my eyes to true food inaccessibility,” says senior Howard student, Samiah Davis.
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Samiah Davis shopping in Whole Foods, the closest grocery store to Howard University’s Campus. Captured by Jamaica Kalika.
Jayla Sheffield, a freshman, says she’s “definitely seen a change in my eating habits like literally just eating less. I feel like the rising costs of fruits and vegetables are the most harmful. The healthiest options tend to be the most expensive.”
Inflation disproportionately affects low-income people, which made up over 44% of Howard’s student body in 2021.
The average meal plan at Howard is $2486 per semester which costs about $622 per month (using an average semester of four months).
According to a 2022 report, the average cost of food per month for one person in the US ranges from $150 to $300.
The average cost of groceries per month for the Howard students that we surveyed totaled $167.40.
“Shopping in D.C, I’ve noticed I hit the $100 mark so much quicker than before, and I look at the items I got (which often aren’t many) and it’s just been so disconcerting having to adapt to the rising food costs,” said Umegbolu.
For some, it is cheaper to eat out with fast food than to buy groceries and eat at home.
It’s been stressful, having to opt toward cheaper alternatives or just not getting certain items altogether,” says sophomore Kristen Umegbolu. “I won’t say I’m handling it well, it’s like I’m constantly monitoring my bank account and grimacing after seeing money leave my account — for things that are essential to my survival.
Others have gotten creative with how they get their meals by eating at campus events, menu hacking, or using delivery promotions.
About 15% of respondents said they are relying on others, whether it be parents or friends, to eat. Those who can, rely on their meal plan entirely.
About 58% of students said they were unable to supplement food costs in any way. 13% said they have access to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, 15% resort to stealing, and another 13% cited other ways.
CAMPUS RESOURCES
It is no secret that a healthy diet is linked to better academic achievement which is why Americans have seen initiatives like First Lady Michelle Obama’s school lunch campaign rolled into action. ‘Food for all’ programs are sparse at the university level though, causing more students to take action themselves.
In October of 2022, HUSA Senate and COAS Student Council released an application for “Emergency Funding for Food Insecure Students” that would supply meal swipes biweekly. While the follow-up has been minimal, the initiative recognizes that food insecurity is a real issue facing college students.
The Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs established a campus food pantry in 2018. Meant to aid students experiencing shortterm food insecurity, ‘TheStore@HU’ allows people to pick up up to 10 non-perishable items and provides hygiene necessities on a request basis.
“I have a total of 576 students who have officially registered for the pantry, when I took over it was maybe only 100,” said Paullete Porter, pantry manager, who took over during the in-person return after the coronavirus pandemic.
Due to a number of factors including supply chain disruptions and the war in Ukraine, food prices rose 10 percent in 2022. They’re expected to rise another seven percent this year.
If you are a student facing food insecurity on Howard’s campus, you can visit the food pantry located in the lower level of College Hall South Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 3-5pm.
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BY OMARI FOOTE
odels of the Mecca (MOTM) held their latest class showcase dubbed “Ascension in Black,” this winter. The program featured three sequences that brought spectators on a trip through Black expression, uprising, and renaissance.
A model skates down the runway as the lights dim. The cameras flash. The music begins. The Class VI model showcase is underway. But who turns the light down? Who activates the camera lens? A group of 50 individuals worked together to bring the showcase to life and introduce new members to the campus community.
Model shows are interwoven in Howard University’s culture with annual showcases at Homecoming and Springfest. In between, Howard’s model groups put on regular presentations to commemorate the initiation of new members.
Conjuring a world that allows the viewer to lose themselves in the project each year, these shows are no easy task.
Ascension in Black combined two ideas conceptualized by Jada Lewis and Zora Allison: Ghetto Renaissance and “punk-rock, dystopian.” Creative direction co-leaders, Phoenix Smith and Nadia Wong led the 11-person creative direction team to bring the vision to life.
“It strengthened my communication skills,” said
Wong. “If I want to do this, I have to make sure that I am explaining it the best way possible.”
Smith emphasized that creating mood boards requires more work than people think. “Pictures, words, words on top of the pictures, additional pictures on top of the words!” she said, frantically.
After conceptualization comes execution. Each team worked diligently to carry out creative direction’s ideas.
“For the first scene, it was more so geometric styles, you [saw] a lot of shapes and very intricate design,” said head hairstylist Jemima Peters. “The second scene was more seductive, so we had long hair, flowy hair, and lots of wig installs as opposed to the last scene where it was very afro-punk. That’s where you see a lot of afro-centric styles. We were able to communicate what the scenes were through hair, I definitely made sure I emphasized that this year.”
11 stylists took on the challenge of dressing nearly 50 models. This tall task included sourcing all fashion looks for each model.
Harris, alongside her team, designed the final looks for the ‘X’s Rebirth’ scene which was meant to reflect a story of the Black Renaissance and rebirth. It felt like the outfits were “meant to be” as each item was sourced from secondhand
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shops. “The things that I made, [were] kind of like avant-garde pieces, things with a lot of volume, but also a fragileness, to the items but at the same time I still wanted to have an impact with strength,” said Cameron Harris, a student stylist, and designer. “So I added a lot of things with raw edges.”
Jemima Peters, a lead hairstylist, took on a “motherly role” during the planning process, trying to ensure people were fed, problems were solved, and hairstylists felt confident while also holding each member accountable.
“This is your name, this is your show, nobody is going out there looking like a mess,” she said
Just days before sending models down the runway, Smith and Wong were informed the items they ordered weren’t going to arrive in time. Smith recalled the two reminding each other to remain unwavering when relaying the information to their “kids,” the inexperienced Class VI creative directors.
Smith and Wong sent their team off to hunt through D.C. for replacements for the missing pieces soon after. Class VI creative director, Casandra Jones, felt this moment was pivotal in personifying the show. It spoke to the very themes they hoped to portray.
“Repurposing items and things like that, in it of itself, is the future. Especially within Black culture, taking things recycling, and giving it new meaning,” said Jones.
Though a fulfilling project, Smith was transparent about the “mental toll” putting on a great show takes on the modeling organization. In the two weeks leading up to the showcase, they spent most of their days in Blackburn, with each other. As Smith put it, “using all of their brain capacity” for the completion of the show.
As the student creatives look to the future, they hope to take time for themselves.
“It feels like I can breathe now,” says Harris.
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BY IXE AKINOMOWO-SIMO
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Cover captured by Alexia Godinez-Thompson
BY ESSENCE WILEY
KYNADI HYDE
JACOB HENSWORTH
OMARI FOOTE
QUARAN AHMAD
JAMAICA KALIKA
