English Department Undergraduates Presented at the Sema Hadithi African American Heritage and Culture Foundation

On September 13 and 20, 2025, a team of English Department undergraduate researchers were featured speakers at the Sema Hadithi African American Heritage and Culture Foundation annual conference. English majors Eden Marroquín, Yasamin Osqueezadeh, and Ella Stott, as well as history major Morgan Evans, presented their research with Professor Christine Cooper-Rompato.

Their research is on Black Safety Travel Guides, which were guides in the mid-1900s that outlined safe places for Black Americans to stay, eat, and shop as they traveled, as seen in Utah. It has been an ongoing project for almost two years. Last year, they presented their research at the Sema Hadithi conference in a smaller poster session, making way for their more in-depth slideshow presentations at both the Salt Lake City and the Kaysville conferences this year.

At the Salt Lake City session, Christine was the keynote speaker, delivering “The Kate Holbrook Black American History Advocate” speech on “Black Motorists’ Safety Travel Guides, 1930- 1967,” which gave an overview of the travel guides and why they were necessary during the time of segregation, which was very present in Utah despite widespread belief it was only present in southern states.

Eden’s presentation followed, entitled “Utah Hotels, Motels, and Guest Houses in BlackMotorist’s Safety Travel Guides,” which gave an overview of rooming available to Blacktravelers in the guides. Morgan presented “Utah Restaurants and Nightclubs in Black Motorist’sSafety Travel Guides,” followed by Ella’s presentation, “Ogden Businesses in Black Motorist’sSafety Travel Guides.” Yasamin discussed a person who appeared in the guides in herpresentation, “David H. Oliver, Attorney at Law and Civil Rights Activist,” and then the groupparticipated in a Q&A.

“Working on a research project over a longer period of time has been an amazing and unique opportunity that has really shaped my undergraduate experience and who I am as a learner and researcher,” Ella comments. “Participating in this conference has been so influential as I’ve learned more about Black history, which is an extremely necessary history to study, from my research and from the people I shared conversations with.”

The group received the first-ever Sankofa Now Award at the conference — Sankofa means “it is not taboo to fetch what is at risk of being left behind” — in honor of their commitment to researching a previously understudied topic.

“The conference was a unique opportunity for me to take part in a deep and significant history,” Morgan reflects. “It was particularly special to discover and include the direct voices of Black Utahns who experienced discrimination and segregation firsthand and share that with others. The history really comes alive when a passionate group comes together to learn and appreciate important truths and stories. I’m grateful to have been a part of it.”