CSUSM student Keenan Ocansey recreates a Jean-Michel Basquiat painting for the Black History Experience.

The Black History Experience was an event held by the Black SistaHood. The event showcased the great works of Black and African people throughout history. Students volunteered and selected from a list of notable figures they wanted to emulate. SistaHood members Sunni Bates and Jake Northington shopped for items to help dress students as their notable figures and they were given a short script. The students researched their figure, and on the day of the event the students transformed into their figure and answered questions of the Black History Experience attendees.

For the event, Northington also printed out a list of 100 inventions Black people created in the U.S. About two dozen of those inventions were on display, including a water gun, a caller ID, a padlock, chips, a door stopper, an ironing board, a stop light, and more.

In addition to Basquiat, some of the figures showcased at the Black History Experience were Bessie Coleman, Assata Shakur, Lewis Latimer, Dr. Patricia Bath, and Walter Rodney.

For more information about this photograph, please see here.