The CUNY Newmark Wikimedian-in-Residence project recently partnered with the Newman Library at CUNY Baruch College for two Black History Month Wikipedia Edit-a-Thons on February 19 and 26. The two sessions served as an opportunity for participants to share Black histories at Baruch and across CUNY, build research and digital literacy skills, and improve and expand public information on Wikipedia.

The sessions resulted in a new Wikipedia article (this month’s #CUNYpedia focus article), as well as improved information on Wikipedia around the history of Baruch College and CUNY overall. The new article describes CUNY’s SEEK Program, giving historical background and context on this opportunity program within CUNY that provides comprehensive academic, financial, and personal support to first-time college students. Officially named the Percy Ellis Sutton Search for Education, Elevation, and Knowledge (SEEK) Program, it was championed by New York State Assembly members Shirley Chisholm and Percy Sutton who led a 1966 “midnight march” in Albany to advocate for its incorporation into a larger spending bill that year.

In addition, one participant improved the history section of the Baruch College Wikipedia article, by sharing information on Percy Sutton’s proposal to relocate the Baruch College campus to Harlem, using an archived newspaper article from the Baruch College student newspaper, The Ticker. The article includes direct quotes from both Sutton and the Student Council. In the end, the college was not relocated.

Ethnic Studies Librarian and Outreach Archivist Jade Obler created a participant guide for the edit-a-thons, providing resources from the William & Anita Newman Library and The Baruch College Archives & Special Collections, as well as further resources from CUNY Research Centers for participant research and writing.

Special thanks to Newman Library’s Jade Obler and Circulation Assistant Indira Georges for planning and hosting the events.