A home for connection
The Neal–Marshall Black Culture Center (NMBCC), a division of the Office of Student Life, is dedicated to fostering the success, well-being, and development of students at Indiana University. Through meaningful programs, services, and opportunities for engagement, the center provides a supportive environment where students can connect, grow, and thrive.
The center offers welcoming spaces for study, collaboration, and community building, including a library, meeting rooms, and a rich collection of books and resources that celebrate history, culture, and experiences.
In partnership with departments and organizations across campus, the NMBCC connects students with academic, personal, and professional resources that support their success and help them navigate the college experience with confidence.
The center is also home to the administrative offices and rehearsal spaces of the African American Arts Institute’s renowned performing ensembles: the IU Soul Revue, African American Dance Company, and African American Choral Ensemble. Together, these groups enrich campus life through artistic excellence and cultural expression.
Our story
The center traces its roots to a period of student activism and advocacy at Indiana University in the late 1960s. During this time, African American student organizations developed a proposal calling for increased Black faculty representation, expanded recruitment of Black students, and the creation of Black studies programs. The proposal was approved by the Faculty Council in 1969, marking a significant step toward a more inclusive and equitable university.
That same year, Herman C. Hudson, Ph.D., became the first chair of Afro-American Studies, now known as the Department of African American and African Diaspora Studies. Hudson later established the NMBCC to support the university’s teaching, research, and service missions while providing a welcoming and affirming environment for African American and African students, faculty, and staff.
In January 2002, the center was officially dedicated as the Neal–Marshall Black Culture Center in honor of Indiana University’s first African American graduates: Marcellus Neal, who earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1895, and Frances Marshall, who received a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1919. Their legacy continues to inspire the center’s commitment to education, community, and cultural engagement.
