The Legends Ball event program defined a legend as "someone who has served the African American and Ball State University community whose achievements are aspiring others to believe and achieve."
Award recipient Maude Jennings didn't consider herself one, she said in an interview prior to the event.
"I'm really something if you say I am," Jennings, associate professor of English, said in her acceptance speech.
The second-annual Legends Ball was sponsored by the Black Student Association as part of its celebration of Black History Month. About 50 students and family members and friends of award winners gathered at 7 p.m. Thursday in the Alumni Center's ballroom to acknowledge black faculty members at Ball State who have made a difference in the university.
To Legends award recipient Tiffany Washington, however, the ceremony was more of a "passing of the torch" to future legends.
"It's great that we're honoring all of these faculty and staff members on campus here today, but this right here, the people in this room today, those are the future legends," Washington, assistant director of Student Life, said. "I'm passing the torch to exceed beyond what I have been able to do, just like the people that paved the way for me."
Other honorees included assistant professor of English Yeno Matuka; assistant professor of education Sharon Fraser-Burgess; assistant professor of journalism Tendayi Kumbula; and assistant professor of theatre Dwandra Lampkin.
The reception included Will Foster's reading of an original composition of "Legends of Our Time," a performance by Rhythms Dance Troupe, student presentations of the honorees and words of gratitude from both students and the legends themselves.
In addition to an honorary plaque and picture frame, each honoree received a Black History Month T-shirt and cup and a Black Student Association pin.
"I feel fulfilled indeed," Yeno Matuka said. "I have a deep gratitude for those living and dead fighting for the education of all different cultures."
BSA worked closely with the Multicultural Center for developing ideas for Black History Month, including the Legends Ball.
"The Multicultural Center has always been supportive of the activities that emanate from BSA and has continued to show general support for all of its events this year," director Derek Virgil said.
Virgil said black students are about 4.4 percent of the total student population of more than 17,000 students at Ball State.
Black History Month may be almost over, but that doesn't mean the other 95.6 percent of students shouldn't be aware of the importance of a multicultural perspective for the remaining 11 months out of the year, he said.
"A multicultural perspective, especially as it concerns working with people of other races, will enable a person to adapt, learn, excel and coexist with people that are visibly different and ethnically different," he said.
Black History Month has always been something Brittany Black knew was important, but after planning the month's events with Janell Tillman, Black Student Association's co-social chair, the month's meaning became more important to her, she said.
"After doing a lot of research into how the month started, it really opened my mind up to what it's all about and why our history matters," she said.
Tillman said she wished more people would have made it out to the event, but she couldn't be more proud of all of the recipients.
"Nobody thinks of similar people like Martin Luther King, Jr. and Rosa Parks are at Ball State, but some of them are sitting in this room, and we're honoring them tonight," she said.
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