Marshall University’s Center for African American Students sponsored the annual Soul Food Feast Sunday in the John Marshall Dining Room of the Memorial Student Center.

The Soul Food Feast is the first of many events hosted by the Center for African American Students in celebration of Black History Month.

Fran Jackson, program assistant in the Center for African American Students, said this is an opportunity to unite the community.

“This is a time when the community and the campus get together, and they eat, socialize, catch up and just have a good time,” Jackson said.

The event has been celebrated on Marshall’s campus for more than 25 years.

Maurice Cooley, associate vice president of Intercultural Affairs, said it was created to model the traditional African-American Sunday dinner.

“Growing up, Sundays were ‘Sunday Dinner Day,’ so that’s when most families gathered and they talked about whatever the family did during the week, and it was always over some good food,” Jackson said. “So we’re trying to keep that tradition up in our community and on campus.”

Although the food is a major part of this event, it isn’t the biggest take away,” Cooley said.

“I think it is more about the experience and people coming together to celebrate their love,” Cooley said. “To me, the food is secondary and the most important part of what we are doing today is to gather the people in the community.”

Derek Robinson, graduate assistant in the Center for African American Students, said Marshall students attend this event annually because of the good experiences.

“I attended this event in past years and the food, of course, was amazing, and then also the commodity with all of the friends and the laughter was great,” Robinson said.

The buffet menu included fried chicken, macaroni and cheese, collard greens, the special of the day, chitterlings and much more.

Athletic training major Jamecia James said she had a favorite dish of the day.

“I liked the macaroni and cheese and the chicken the best, and the greens, oh yeah, the greens were my favorite,” James said.

Cooley said the Marshall community can look forward to the next Soul Food Feast in February 2016.

Nichole Henderson can be contacted at [email protected].