UNT Multicultural Center Through The Years: Center for Cultural Diversity
In 1995, student leaders from the UNT NAACP formed the Blue Ribbon Committee with other student leaders calling for the creation of the Office of Multicultural Affairs. This Office was created in 1995, and was quickly combined with the existing Intercultural Services Office, and renamed Center for Cultural Diversity. At this time the Center moved to the University Union as a temporary measure while other building construction was underway, but eventually the Union ended up being the Center’s permanent location.
Dr. Pamela Hill
Dr. Pamela K. Safisha Nzingha Hill(-Traynham) was named Director of the Center for Cultural Diversity after it was decided that the expansion of the department and programming merited the hire of a full time staff member to do the job. Hill’s desires coming into this position focused on having students of color get involved with UNT and with the Denton Community. She wanted to have students tutor youth and perform community service, and she wanted to establish a leadership conference for students of color.
The first Native American Heritage Month celebration was held in 1998, in collaboration with Texas Woman’s University’s Intercultural Services Office. The two universities had previously worked together to sponsor events for Native American Heritage Week, but they felt that the Native American history and culture should rise to the same level of importance that black and Hispanic culture held.
