Jasmine Baker-
Several students, staff and community members came to Harvey Hall Theatre to see an inspiring showcase of Muhibb Dyer’s performance “From Kings to Thugs to Presidents.”
On Feb 9, the Black Student Union (BSU) presented Dyer, Milwaukee poet and activist, for Black History Month to share his story of the African American experience from the depths of the ghetto to the cradle of the casket.
Dyer’s stage production told the story of the rise and fall of African Americans. From royal beginnings in Africa to periods of extreme loss and tragedy in the ghettos of America, to victory in the presidency of Barack Obama, the play revealed raw pieces of history that many are afraid to discuss.
Current BSU social media officer, Deon Canon, met Dyer when he came to speak at his high school. “I found inspiration and empowerment from his performance. I got to experience [his performance] at two different points in my life, and they both gave me inspiration to move forward,” Canon said. “As the first individual [in my family] that went to college, I have a lot of pressure and people looking up to me, so I can’t give up for my sake and theirs.” As a resident of Milwaukee, Canon’s own life experiences relate to the play.
Zipporah Turnbull, the event coordinator for BSU, also added her impressions of the play. “I found the skit to be very inspiring. Muhibb did a great job capturing the mood and expressing the emotions different black men experience. This skit helped me understand and emphasize with the point of views of a reality similar but different from my own,” Turnbull said.
BSU will continue hosting Black History Month events throughout the month of February.