The words “We shall overcome” echoed throughout Dana Auditorium Saturday evening as the clapping audience for “The Collective” helped to top off the weeklong “Journey into Blackness” program. The weeklong program consisted of four events including a community festival, storytelling, a presentation about African ancestry, and finally “The Collective” performance.

Two other planned events, “The Day of Silent Identity” and “The Significance of Red, Black, and Green,” were postponed due to inclement weather. The other events had low attendance.

Rick Kittle, an associate professor from the University of Chicago, gave the presentation “Finding the African in African Ancestry”. Kittle discussed the genetic variations within Africa and how genetics has helped many African Americans gain knowledge about ancestry that was lost during The Middle Passage.

At the end of his presentation, Kittle explained the significance of his research.

“People ask me ‘why you do this? Why do you get so excited?'” said Kittle. “When I was growing up and I was in school I would go to my friend’s house and they would have coat of arms, family shields . all I had to identify with were the horrific images of The Middle Passage. So this is why I do what I do.”

Kittle’s talk was well received by his audience. President of the Campus Activities Board Marcus Rowe was quite moved by the talk.

“I was aware that all of us have some sort of connection to each other but I had no idea that that connection ran as deep as genetics,” said Rowe. “I took a lesson from that, seeing that we essentially are related so that kind of makes us all a family and you’re accountable to your family; so everybody can work together to make a change especially in light of what’s been going on on campus these last couple of weeks.”

Holly Wilson, the coordinator of Africana Community Programs, was also affected by the presentation.

“I think his research is magnificent,” said Wilson. “Just to be able as an Africana person to possibly know what region of Africa I’m from is really exciting to me.”

The week’s events were concluded with “The Collective,” a series of opera-like performances about the meaning of blackness. “The Collective” was by far the best-attended event of the whole week and was applauded tremendously at its end.

“I’ve seen that show before and I get something out of it every time,” said Rowe.

Both Rowe and Wilson were disappointed with the low attendance of the event, but agreed that it was expected due to various reasons.

“They were definitely under-attended, but I have a feeling it had a lot to do with the week before, unfortunately. A lot of people’s energies were towards the incident that happened on the 20th, and between catching up on homework and sleep,” said Wilson, who still considered the program a success. “I’m a firm believer that people who are supposed to be at events are there.”

Marcus Rowe agreed that the events’ low attendance was expected but still believed they were important to have.

“It’s kind of expected when you have events that are centered around topics dealing with minorities; it’s kind of hard to get people who aren’t in that minority to show up,” said Rowe. “We learn from these events and what I think is really good for the community is just to know how close we all really are.