Savannah State University News

The Savannah Black Heritage Festival kicks off Feb. 1 This Year’s Theme is "Legacy and Innovation: Framing the Future of Our Culture." Savannah, GA - The 35th annual Savannah Black Heritage Festival (SBHF) will take place February 1 - 25 with the central theme, “Legacy and Innovation: Framing the Future of our Culture.” Committed to emphasizing the importance of celebrating Black culture, the festival brings to the community cultural events, live performances, art exhibits and historical explorations of the African-American legacy. “We are excited to kick off our 35 annual Savannah Black Heritage Festival,” said Festival Director Teresa-Michelle Jackson. “This is a long-standing festival filled with performances, lectures, and exhibitions presented by Savannah State University with investment from the City of Savannah.” The festival opens with the 82nd National Freedom Day Observance at Savannah State University (SSU) on Feb. 1. A campus wreath-laying ceremony will be held at

  VIEW FULL SCHEDULE - HERE SAVANNAH, Ga.- The Savannah State University Department of Athletics has announced their 2024 football schedule which includes five home games and two first time opponents.   The 2024 Homecoming game will be on October 26 against Lane College at 3 p.m.   The Tigers will open the 2024 season on the road at Southern University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana on September 7. This will be the first meeting between SSU and the Jaguars. Southern competes at the FCS level and is a member of the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC).   In week two, on September 14, Savannah State will start their Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference slate with their first home game of the season against Central State University at 6 p.m.   Savannah State will travel to Tuskegee University on September 21 for their second conference match-up of the season.   A week later, SSU will host in-state rival Fort Valley State University on September 28 at 6 pm.   After a trip to Atlanta,

  Savannah State University to Observe National Freedom Day Feb. 1 Campus Wreath-Laying Ceremony to Take Place at 12 p.m. SAVANNAH, GA -  Savannah State University’s (SSU) Honors Program will commemorate National Freedom Day on Tuesday, Feb. 1. A campus wreath-laying ceremony will be held at 12 p.m. at the Richard R. Wright Sr. bust in front of Wright Hall. A keynote address and a student panel discussion will follow at 6:30 p.m. in the King Frazier Student Center.  Dr. Melva L. Sampson, professor of preaching and practical theology at Wake Forest University, will deliver the keynote address. Major Richard Robert Wright Sr. Wright is considered the architect of National Freedom Day, established to commemorate President Lincoln signing a resolution proposing the 13th Amendment, which abolished slavery in the United States. A proclamation naming Feb. 1 National Freedom Day was signed by President Truman in 1948. "National Freedom Day has been celebrated since its inception in 1948.

 Registration link:  https://futuretiger.savannahstate.edu/register/savannahinvaldosta

  SIDC Holds Annual Conference on SSU Campus Jan. 26-27   The Savannah Interagency Diversity Council (SIDC) will hold its 9th Annual Savannah Traffick Jam Conference on January 26-27 at Savannah State University’s (SSU) Student Union. This year’s conference theme is "Fight for Freedom, United Against Human Trafficking” and focuses on gangs and their involvement in human trafficking.   The program will include a Law Enforcement Training workshop and public safety/public service job fair on Friday, Jan. 26. The training workshop is open to law enforcement officers and SSU’s criminal justice students. The job fair, which runs from 1-3 p.m., is open to all and will attract recruiters from local, state and federal agencies.   The general public conference is Saturday, Jan. 27 from 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. More than 40 community organizations are expected to attend, along with speakers from across Georgia who will provide their expertise on how to recognize the signs of human trafficking.

  Savannah State to Host the Inner City Youth Orchestra The Nation’s Largest Primarily African-American Orchestra SAVANNAH, GA – Chuck Dickerson, the subject of an award-winning short film - The Orchestra Chuck Built, will be visiting Savannah State University on Wednesday, January 17 to host a viewing of the film and showcase a quintet performance by members of his orchestra. The event will be held at 3 p.m. in the Kennedy Theater on the SSU campus. The event is free and open to the public. Los Angeles-based Inner City Youth Orchestra has garnered national attention as the nation’s largest primarily African-American orchestra. Dickerson, a former lawyer turned conductor, set out to create opportunities for youth in Los Angeles and reverse a 2016 statistic published by the League of American Orchestras: only 1.8 percent of the professional orchestra workforce in the United States is African-American. Dickerson and his orchestra are in Savannah for a film festival hosted by the non-pr

The Savannah State University (SSU) administrators are closely monitoring  Winter Storm Finn   and severe w eather alerts  to assess  the potential impact on the Savannah area. Based on information received from the Chatham Emergency Management Agency, severe weather is expected to arrive in our area by 1:00 pm on Tuesday, January 9, 2024, and continue into the evening hours.  Therefore, all classes will be shifted online for Tuesday, January 9, 2024, in an asynchronous style learning environment. Classes are expected to resume according to normal schedules on Wednesday, January 10, 2024.    SSU professors will provide details and instructions for all students through email and Brightspace/D2L accounts.  We encourage all students that have already moved in to shelter in place  during that time .       Essential personnel, including staff from the Department of Public Safety and Campus Police, Facilities, Information Technology, as well as select Student Affairs team members, are expect

Longtime Savannah State University fine arts professor Dr. Peggy Blood recently attended the Intercontinental Biennial Ceremony at the National Museum of Colombia on December 7, 2023. Dr. Blood, along with others, had their artwork featured in the Intercontinental Biennial Exhibition called Crossing Continents, which is a travel exhibition. The exhibition began in South America earlier this year, traveling to Colombia, Argentina, and Brazil. “It's an honor to be selected for this world jury exhibition. More importantly, I have been able to meet artists from around the world, visit several artist studios, and learn a little about Bogota's history,” stated Dr. Blood when asked about her feelings on being included in the exhibition. When asked what artwork she submitted, she said the work is titled  Providence Baptist Church ,  a small oil painting depicting women she saw at a church in Liberia. “They are in church, and one older woman stares at the viewer as to bring one