Spelman College strongly emphasizes legacy, encompassing its traditions and the individuals who uphold it. On Sunday, April 14, The Granddaughters Club (GDC) held its annual pageant in order to determine who would hold the titles of the next Miss Granddaughters Club, Miss Legacy, and Miss 1910.
The judges voted for the pageant winners based on aspects such as the contestants’ introductions, platform, and stage presence: Miss Granddaughters Club, Sydney Taylor, along with Miss 1910, Zaria Samuel, and Miss Legacy, Camryn Henry.
“My girls have jumped leaps and bounds to where they are now, and I am just so proud of all of their progress. Witnessing all the growth has definitely been the best part for me,” director Aminah Fard said.
Former Spelman dean Lucy Houghton Upton founded GDC in 1910 in an attempt to unite students whose mothers and aunts attended the illustrious institution at one point. Throughout the years, the club has opened its membership to those with sisters, grandmothers, and cousins who attended Spelman. GDC aims to preserve and embrace Spelman’s heritage and traditions through its legacies.
“As a legacy, I feel like I am a born leader to Spelman College, I feel like we have this opportunity and obligation to immerse ourselves in the traditions. I plan to do that by supporting my platform, ‘Liberation Through Legacy’, and really making a safe space through Spelman,” Samuel said.
The idea of a public pageant originated from directors Aminah Fard and Kayli-Joy Cooper, followed by the current Miss 1910 Ariel Niel, while brainstorming successful ways to make GDC more prominent in the Atlanta University Center (AUC). Over the past years, it has served as a closed pageant exclusive to GDC members and family. However, they publicized this year’s pageant to highlight its presence on campus as the oldest organization on campus.
The pageant’s theme, “A Legacy World,” is based on the sitcom “A Different World,” a series filmed at Spelman showcasing a similar HBCU experience to the institution.
When the doors opened at 6:45 p.m., friends, families, and students filled the Cosby to support the six contestants in the running for these admirable titles. Hosts Autumn Gary and Ashe Kelsey hyped up the crowd and kept them engaged through their dancing, satire, and audience participation.
The contestants then took the stage and executed their introductions, where the audience showed the most support for their desired contender. The individuals announced their platforms and elaborated on how they would effectively embody the mission of GDC if they were crowned.
“It’s honestly a privilege to be a Spelman legacy, and to be introduced to this beloved institution at such a young age has influenced me in ways I can’t even begin to explain,” contestant Kayla McClain said. “I’m forever grateful to all of the women who paved the way for me, and I hope they’re proud of the way I’m carrying their legacy.”
