Center of Pan-African Culture
The Center of Pan-African Culture is the cultural arm of the Department of Pan-African Studies. It exists to promote the cultural traditions of African peoples as well as peoples of African descent living in the global African Diaspora. The original location of CPAC was the Ward House, which stood on the hill where the current College of Business is located. In 1971, the Center was moved to the second floor of Rockwell Hall, which now houses the School of Fashion Design. CPAC was moved to the ground floor of its present location, formerly the Old Student Union, in 1972. This building was renamed and dedicated in 1977 to the late Dr. Oscar W. Ritchie who was hired in 1947 becoming the first African American faculty member at KSU.
The Center was expanded in 1981 when the African Community Theatre [ACT] moved to the first floor of Franklin Hall, and, again in 1988 when DPAS received control of the third floor of Oscar Ritchie Hall. The third floor was dedicated to the late Queen Mother Audley Moore in 1991. As of 1997, the entire building has come under the control of the Department including the relocation of ACT onto Ritchie Hall's second floor. Ritchie Hall was completely renovated in 2008. Oscar Ritchie Hall is suitable for a wide variety of academic, professional and cultural programming.