The Afro-American Society kicked off its 27th year with a private convocation ceremony welcoming black members of the Class of 1997 into Dartmouth's Afro-American community and pledged to improve communication within the group.
Nearly 100 students and faculty members attended the ceremony in Alumni Gymnasium Saturday afternoon.
The AAm is the College's black students association and often sponsors academic and cultural events at Dartmouth.
AAm President Zola Mashariki '94, Vice President Shakari Cameron '96 and African Caribbean Students Organization President Lee Addo '96 addressed the gathering.
Mashariki welcomed the Class of 1997 and emphasized that the AAm is open to all black students, regardless of their geographic origins.
All three speeches touched on the theme of inclusion after a turbulent year for the organization.
Last spring, several AAm members confiscated issues of The Dartmouth Review to protest what they considered racist portrayals of the AAm and of African Americans in the off-campus conservative journal.
In May, AAm president-elect Amiri Barksdale '96, who participated in the removal of the Reviews, resigned after conflict and criticism within the society.
Mashariki told the new students that there needs to be more communication within the society and AAm members need to be more tolerant.
"We had a tumultuous year," she said. But for the coming year, Mashariki said she is "very optimistic there is a lot of hope."
Cameron said the ceremony helped start the year on a positive note for the group. "It was a really good ceremony it put us off on the right foot," Cameron said. "We should not have the problems we had last year."
Other speakers included James Breeden, the dean of the Tucker Foundation; Sylvia Langford, dean of the Class of 1996; and Sociology Professor Deborah King.
Dean of Students Lee Pelton and members of the Black Caucus black faculty members who provide support for black students also attended.
The speeches were followed by a candle-lighting ceremony. "The lighting of the candles is ... for us to be able to create light where there is darkness ... and serve as a beacon for those who have lost their way," Mashariki said.
Cameron said the ceremony promoted a sense of community. "We really welcomed the freshman into their home away from home," she said.
