Students Gather to Celebrate Cromwell Day

On Nov. 12, Smith students gathered to celebrate Cromwell Day. Classes were canceled so that students could participate in educational activities about racism, inclusivity and diversity around this year’s theme “Now What?: Liberation in the Midst of Uncertainty.” The day’s schedule included a keynote speech, workshops and film screenings. 

Cromwell Day is an annual Smith event celebrating the legacy of Otelia Cromwell, Class of 1900, who was the first African American graduate of Smith and her niece, Adelaide Cromwell ’40, who was Smith’s first African American professor. 

One of the events to start the day was hosted by the Center for Religious and Spiritual Life (CRSL) called “Mindfulness for Social Engagement.” Run by Anna Ostow, the Contemplative Practice, Mindfulness, and Social Change Facilitator at CSRL, the group engaged in mindfulness activities relating to the Cromwell Day Mission. Ostow asked everyone to envision a goal-related to diversity and inclusion. The group was led through physical activities such as turning from one side to the other exemplifying the next steps to racial inclusion whether that be via engaging in discussions or participating in a group fighting racism in society. 

The keynote event, one of the most important parts of the day, began at 1:30 p.m. with an introduction from President Sarah Willie-LeBreton. Following her introduction, the Vice President of the Office of Equity and Inclusion, Floyd Cheung, who acted as a moderator, discussed the legacy of the Cromwells. 

Tessa Prodromou ’28 said of the introductions, “I really appreciated hearing from Floyd Cheung and President Sarah. They’re both really wonderful speakers so I always like when they participate.”

Cheung included a video presentation about both of the Cromwells that detailed their legacy at Smith. The presentation consisted of interviews with professors and students at Smith including assistant professor of the Study of Women and Gender Jennifer DeClue. 

One of Smith’s acapella groups, Blackappella, performed the black national anthem: “Lift Every Voice.” Following the performance, there was a reading of Nikky Finney’s poem “Maven” by Kamali Williams ’26. The poem debuted in 2009 after Smith commissioned it in honor of Otelia Cromwell. 

After the performance, Cheung explained the connection between the theme for Cromwell Day and the 2024 election. He said that in a time of uncertainty, stemming from a contentious election, the committee choosing subject matter for this year identified a keynote speaker that can identify and discuss Cromwell Day’s theme. 

Cheung subsequently introduced the keynote speaker, artist, writer and activist Tourmaline, by sharing one of her films, entitled “Devoted to the Dream.” She began her speech by discussing the concept of freedom dreaming. “Freedom dreams are born again in harsh conditions, not with despair, but with deep knowledge that these conditions are changeable,” she explained. “A world filled with softness, beauty and care is not only possible, but inevitable.”

She then read a section from her unpublished biography entitled “Marsha: The Joy and Defiance of Marsha P. Johnson.” The section she shared discussed Johnson’s sit-in inside New York University’s Weinstein Hall. 

“I really enjoyed getting to hear the reading selection from the book because it was really special to get an exclusive sneak peek like that and I was really honored that we got this experience,” Prodromou said. 

Tourmaline also spoke about creating power from a place of desire instead of fear, which  resonated with Prodromou. “When you feel the most hopeless and drained, that’s when the most change does happen,” she said.

Tourmaline concluded her speech with a message on the importance of ordinary actions. “These everyday acts of liberatory, glamor, care, openness, those are the things that keep us alive,” she explained. “Small everyday acts using these harsh conditions were [used] as fuel for casting our political imaginations of what ought to be, and can be, as far and as wide as possible are necessary and urgent at this moment.”

The keynote event finished with another performance by Blackappella. The group performed “Stand Up” by Cynthia Erivo and Joshua Brian Campbell as audience members stood and clapped along to the song.