Dramatic, Elegant Ebony Ball Celebrates Black Love

Dramatic, Elegant Ebony Ball Celebrates Black Love

"Think 1920s Black Renaissance, with a Sinners movie feel," said Arianna Rodriguez, assistant director of the Center for Multicultural Life, a couple weeks ahead of the party. "It'll be dramatic, with low light, jazz in the background, love in the center, Black love. Ebony Ball will celebrate passion, mystery, and the beauty of loving boldly and unapologetically."

The ball's décor and color scheme-red, gold, black, and white-enhanced the elegance of the theme, as will its dark, moody, jazzy Harlem vibe, said Jickinson Louis '26, president of the Black Student Union, which organizes the Ball every year.

Louis said the ball is the most anticipated Black History Month event every year. "The Ebony Ball is another Bowdoin tradition that's right up there with the lobster bake and the Bowdoin-Colby hockey game. It's turned into Bowdoin's version of the Met Gala."

Photos by Andrew Estey.