Christopher Dennis Jr. poses in front of his handiwork. Couresy photo
Members of UAAM hang out on their plot on the quad.
In honor of the United Afrikan Amerikan Men, Inc. Spring ’18 celebrated their first anniversary on March 20.
As part of the celebration UAAM member Christopher Dennis Jr. – who celebrated his first anniversary as well – restored the UAAM plot found on the quad located on Grambling State University’s campus.
UAAM was ordered to change the location of their plot, now putting them next to their DBW sisters.
“Being that I’m the most artistic person on campus and being a part of the UAAM organization, my brothers asked me to design the plot to the best of my ability to make it the best looking plot on campus,” Dennis, a junior business administration major with a minor in marketing, said.
Dennis, a self professed perfectionist, took three days to come up with a concept, about five days to paint the letters and about three hours to paint the bricks on the plot.
“I’ve never done something this big in my entire life. And to look at the letters and how proud everyone is, makes me feel happy on the inside,” Dennis said. “This plot is to pay the respect to my founders and to all the hard work the brothers who came before me have done. It means a lot that we can now say we have a nice-looking plot like everyone else.”
Dennis has not been a painter for a majority of his life, although he did begin drawing in the third grade. He said being able to be himself in his drawings is what he enjoys the most about his work. Oftentimes, people would ask him to draw different pieces.
“I just ask for their ideas and what they want, and I just take that into my own way and create something,” Dennis said.
Dennis also uses his drawings to demonstrate other aspects of his life.
“I sometimes have depression flashes and drawing is my way of handling that depression,” Dennis said. “I sometimes draw my depression and make it look beautiful in order to help me feel better.”
Dennis’s ultimate goal was to make their plot the best-looking plot on campus.
“I believe I did just that,” Dennis said proudly.
Nathan Ismael, of the Fall ’15 line, said serves as a reminder and guide to look to in order carry on with the organization’s purpose and to uphold a proud spirit in its meaning.
“I am ecstatic about the new plot design,” Ismael said. “Over the years, this has been the best design and concept of the plot.”
UAAM strives to structure and model its members through taking a look at the lives of great men such as Marcus Garvey, and his unification of the black people, the Black Panther movement and Martin Luther King Jr. and his vision of true freedom and modern philosophers who strive for the black man’s well-being.
United African-American Men stands to uplift the plight of all African-Americans. The members of UAAM strive to promote similar ideas, scholarship, unity and service (on and off campus) within the African-American community.
The organization will also seeks instill the importance of historical, political, and economic awareness among the black masses.