Black UC Students Preserve Tradition After AACRC Closure
Black U Of Cincinnati Students Preserve Tradition After AACRC Closure
The University of Cincinnati’s (UC) African American Cultural and Resource Center (AACRC) has been dismantled, but Black organizations at the university are doing everything in their power to make sure the center’s crucial initiatives and resources dedicated to the needs of the community remain intact.
According to WVXU, the AACRC was forced to close in June following the implementation of the Advance Ohio Higher Education Act (Senate Bill 1), which prohibits universities from supporting diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. The UC announced it would shut down its identity center serving Black students. Governor DeWine signed the bill into law on March 25, 2025, and it took effect on June 25, according to a release shared to the UC African Student Association (UCASA).
The AACRC also issued an announcement on Instagram stating that it would be “no longer active” on its account due to the new law—a statement that sent shockwaves rippling through the comments section.
“I’m sorry, y’all. I really wish I knew the answers,” wrote one student. “The legacy lives on, no matter what names change or which pages get shut down. Community can’t be contained. Love my center family–students and staff.”
Another frustrated student penned, “UC will never see a penny of my money until it’s restored its commitment to protecting our students and their sacred communal spaces. The AACRC will forever be home.”
March was a lively and impactful month for Black student organizations involved with the AACRC. According to a March 28 Instagram post, students participated in a variety of engaging and community-building events. Some of the gatherings included a fun trivia night titled African Card Revoked, and the United Black Student Association’s (UBSA) Pie the E-Board event. The month also featured a powerful Student Advocacy gathering, Student 101, a workshop-style event aimed at teaching attendees how to harness their voices and campus resources to advocate for community initiatives, along with UCASA’s annual Kick Back party, filled with music and entertainment.
Students protested the school’s compliance with Senate Bill 1.
Challenging the decison, students and faculty organized several large protests throughout the spring. On Feb. 25, a particularly significant protest took place, with powerful images later shared on social media by student and UBSA chair, Ife Oshunniyi. The photos, posted on Feb. 27, showed a diverse group of students—both Black and white—gathered in frustration and unity, rallying against the university’s compliance with Senate Bill 1. Protesters held signs with bold messages such as “We Will Not Be Silent,” “UC Compliance, We See Cowardice,” and “We Woke,” as they surrounded campus buildings to voice their outrage.
Despite the strong opposition, by late June, UC’s leadership announced it would revise its diversity policies to comply with the new state law.
Black organizations at UC are taking matters into their own hands.
In a statement released June 24, UC President Neville G. Pinto announced that the AACRC would be renamed the Cultural Center. Framed as a “general connection space” for all students, the rebranding came with a vague promise of “new programming” that would honor the spirit of the AACRC’s mission. But many Black-led organizations at UC aren’t waiting for institutional follow-through—they’re taking action themselves to ensure their traditions and community remain strong.
Oshunniyi shared that despite the name change and significant reductions in financial and staffing support, Black student organizations continue to carry forward the legacy of the AACRC. One example of this commitment is the Tyehimba Black Graduation Celebration, which was relocated to an off-campus venue earlier this year after losing university backing. Similarly, the welcome event for incoming Black students—once a signature AACRC tradition—was fully student-led this year, organized without any support from UC staff.
Many of the staff members previously dedicated to AACRC programs have been reassigned to other departments within Student Affairs, where they can no longer engage directly with the initiatives they once championed. But Oshunniyi believes they will remain in solidarity as students come together to keep the AACRC’s traditions and resources alive.
“A lot of the staff are being retained in that building. I truly believe they will be there to encourage us,” she told WVXU.
In response to the action, a group of Black UC alumni—some of whom helped launch the AACRC have stepped in to bridge the gap. They’ve founded the Cincy Cultural Resource Center Foundation, an independent nonprofit aimed at funding and sustaining key programs once housed under the AACRC umbrella. These include mentorship initiatives, the student gospel choir, and various educational and cultural events.
Funded entirely through donations, the foundation plans not only to restore the AACRC’s long-standing traditions but also to explore the creation of a new off-campus cultural space. While Black student organizations are still allowed to host events within UC buildings like any other student group, many alumni believe a dedicated, independent location is essential, especially as higher education becomes a battleground in state and national politics.
For these alumni, the mission of the AACRC is more relevant now than ever. Founded in 1991, the center wasn’t just a cultural hub; it was born out of a need to confront the long history of segregation, exclusion, and racial tension both at the university and in the broader Cincinnati community. In their eyes, preserving that mission is not just about maintaining tradition; it’s about continuing the fight for equity, visibility, and belonging in a time when those values are increasingly under threat.
Sadly, in addition to the closure of the AACRC, three other identity-based centers at UC were also shut down: Ethnic Programs & Services, the LGBTQ Center, and the Women’s Center.
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