The mission of Black Graduation is to provide a rewarding and joyous graduation ceremony for seniors in the Black community at the University of California, Santa Barbara. Black Graduation ceremonies serve to recognize the heritage of African American students by paying homage to the rich culture histories from which they hail. Black Graduation provides an opportunity for family, friends, and allies of Black students to celebrate the remarkable accomplishments of their peers and loved ones.
As early as 1970 African American students have participated in a reception to honor their graduation, typically during Black Culture Week. The purpose of this event was to acknowledge the accomplishments and academic success of the African American graduating seniors. Unfortunately, due to a lack of funding the reception was no longer feasible for African American students. Therefore, In 1982, in an effort to continue the tradition of recognition, the director of Academic Services in the Education Opportunity Program (EOP), Dr. Regina Smith, Ph.D founded the Black Graduation Committee.
In 1982, Anthony Tolbert was one of the first African American students to receive the Thomas More Storke Award for excellence. The Storke award is given to a student that exhibits outstanding scholarship and extraordinary service to the university, its students, and the community, and is the highest honor that any UCSB student can receive. Tolbert graduated with a 3.88 Grade Point Average and was accepted to Harvard University School of Law. In order to celebrate this momentous occasion and the achievements of other African American students a Black Graduation Ceremony was established. Over the years this celebration has grown into a culturally symbolic tradition for African American students at the University of California, Santa Barbara.