2025 Poster Competition for Marshall University Students

“African Americans and Labor”

Sponsored by The Dr. Carter G. Woodson Lyceum

Dr. Carter G. Woodson, the father of Black History, said that the turning point in his career came during his West Virginia years, a period that included work in the coal mines, graduation from Huntington’s Douglass School (1896) and subsequent service as its principal. A statue of Dr. Woodson, located at 820 Hal Greer Blvd., honors his connections to Huntington and West Virginia. Marshall University memorialized Dr. Woodson’s achievements by creating The Lyceum in his honor.

Additional details of Woodson’s life can be found here: https://asalh.org/about-us/carter-g-woodson-the-early-years-1875-1903/

Eligibility

The competition is open to all Marshall students. One entry per student. It is free to enter.

Prizes Awarded

The first-place winner will receive $250. Additional awards may be made at the discretion of the jurors.

Guidelines

• Printable Version (PDF File)

Students are encouraged to communicate ideas and concepts they have learned in their university classes and/or through life experience and personal research. Entries will be judged based on these criteria:

1. Theme: the extent to which the design effectively expresses the 2025 theme, “African Americans and Labor”
   The annual national theme is developed by the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH), which was founded by Dr. Carter G. Woodson in 1915. Information about each year’s annual theme is provided by ASALH at Black History Month Themes, and is a beginning point for research and ideation.
2. Social Impact: the potential of the design to improve race relations and/or preserve/observe Black history.
3. Visual Impact: the expression of ideas through the composition and execution of the poster.
4. Statement: Describe your research, what you learned, and factors that you considered in designing your poster. Your statement should be at least 200 words.

Poster Design

Students may create their posters using digital tools and/or traditional media such as letterpress, silkscreen, markers, paint, pens, collage, stitching, photography, mixed media, etc.

If using traditional media, scan or photograph your entry for online submission.  Posters should be 11 x 14 inches. Submit only JPG, JPEG, or PDF formats. Images must be 24 MB or smaller.

Students should submit their entries and statements no later than Thursday, November 14 at 11:59 pm.

Judging

A diverse committee will judge the posters, and winners will be invited guests at the Awards Ceremony early next semester, when the winning posters will be unveiled. The winning posters may be reproduced and displayed on the Marshall University campus and featured on The Woodson Lyceum’s website. Winners will need to complete paperwork to receive the monetary prize. Winners grant The Woodson Lyceum and Marshall University permission to use the posters in their promotions.

For questions about the competition, contact Professor Sandra Reed, chair of Black History Month Poster Competition for Marshall Students, at sandra.reed@marshall.edu or Professor Burnis Morris, Director of the Woodson Lyceum, at morrisb@marshall.edu.

Poster Entry

This competition will open for submissions on Monday, September 16, 2024.