Celebrating Black History Month at Villanova
Written by Laura Norwood on February 12, 2025
Celebrating Black History Month at Villanova
February is Black History Month, a time to celebrate and honor the accomplishments, struggles, culture, and contributions of Black individuals in history. Villanova is taking steps to celebrate Black History Month by hosting events, talks, and weekly “Soul Food Sundays” as a way to acknowledge and embrace the Black individuals who make up Villanova’s student body now and the ones who have played a crucial part in Villanova’s history.
As part of Villanova’s Black History Month celebrations, events are being held all throughout the month. Student organizations on campus are doing their own celebrations in addition to the campus-wide events. Villanova’s Black Student Union, African Caribbean Villanovans, and the Office of Inclusion and Belonging in particular are hosting frequent events for students to attend.
Though Black history should be a topic of conversation year round, the dedication of the month of February to educate and spread awareness about Black individuals and the Black experience is important, especially on a college campus. Happy Black History Month!
Black History Individual Spotlight
Two black individuals in particular played a crucial part in Villanova’s history, yet rarely are brought up when talking about Villanova and its founding. William and Julia Moulden were a free Black, Catholic couple who lived next to the Augustinians as they began Villanova back in 1842. Present at the first ever mass held by the Augustinians, the Mouldens continued to work and live on the property before eventually buying up some land and starting a shop nearby which students would frequently visit. The will of William Moulden shows him leaving his property to the Augustinians after the death of the rest of his family. Villanova experienced difficult economic times in its early years, even closing down twice due to low finances; this donation of over 3 acres of land allowed the Augustinians to get essential funding to continue keeping the school open in its difficult early years.
Today, Villanova has recognized the Mouldens by dedicating a dorm building, Moulden Hall, and a deanship, the William and Julia Moulden Dean in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, to them. However, many students don’t realize just how crucial of a role these two individuals played in the founding of Villanova.
For more information on the Mouldens and other aspects of Black history at early Villanova, visit rootedproject.org.
