Cromwell Day

A graduate of Columbia University with a B.A. in comparative ethnic studies, Tourmaline’s academic journey was heavily concentrated in African American studies, which has profoundly influenced her work. Her early career as an organizer for Queers for Economic Justice and later, Critical Resistance, helped forge her path as a powerful voice in the fight against the prison-industrial complex and for LGBTQIA+ rights. These experiences also shaped her approach to filmmaking, leading to poignant works that engage with the lives and legacies of notable figures like Marsha P. Johnson and Miss Major Griffin-Gracy.

Though she had no formal film training, Tourmaline credits her time as an assistant to Dee Rees on the film Mudbound as a pivotal educational experience that honed her skills in storytelling and visual communication. Her films not only celebrate the spirit of her characters but also challenge viewers to reconsider the past and its impact on contemporary social contexts.

Her profound impact on both art and activism has been recognized widely; she is a TIME 100 honoree, a 2024 Blackstar Film Festival Luminary awardee, and a Guggenheim Fellow.

Tourmaline’s contributions to the arts have been recognized and showcased in prestigious institutions worldwide, including The Studio Museum in Harlem, the Tate Modern, and the Whitney Museum of American Art, among others. Her works are held in the permanent collections of major museums such as The Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Guggenheim, the Tate, the J. Paul Getty Museum, and the Museum of Modern Art.

Currently, Tourmaline’s solo exhibition “Video Room: Tourmaline” is on view at MASP in São Paulo. She is also featured in the 2024 Whitney Biennial and has ongoing exhibitions at MASS MoCA and The Metropolitan Museum of Art Afrofuturist period room, where her explorations into Afrofuturism continue to inspire audiences.

Her biography of Marsha P Johnson published by Penguin Random House and Tiny Reparations comes out in spring of 2025.

Socioeconomic Datashare

with the Office for Equity & Inclusion and Institutional Research
Klingenstein Browsing Room, Neilson Library
10–11 a.m.

Mindfulness for Social Engagement

Helen Hills Hills Chapel Sanctuary
10–11 a.m.

Join Anna Ostow of the Center for Religious and Spiritual Life, for a mindfulness practice and discussion open to students, staff, and faculty. Program is suitable for beginners and experienced alike, and will include mindfulness practice, reflection, and discussion.

Black Community Building on Campus

Unity House
10:30–11:50 a.m.

Forum to Discuss Concerns Regarding Commemorations in the Name of L. Clarke Seelye

with Floyd Cheung, Vice President for Equity & Inclusion
Seelye Hall 201
10:30–11:50 a.m.

Q&A with Tourmaline and Floyd Cheung, Vice President of Equity & Inclusion

Stoddard Hall G2
3:15–4 p.m.

The Spiritual Foundation of Flow: Black Spirituality Workshop

with the Center for Religious & Spiritual Life
Bodman Lounge, Helen Hills Hills Chapel
3:15–4:45 p.m.

This workshop will create conversations around the spiritual understanding of Hip Hop flow, and overall, spark conversation around black rhythmic expression and Black spiritualism. Flow is something that is fluid and infinite and allows emcees to express themselves through creative story-telling, which is rooted in Black spiritualism. People who embrace hip hop as a culture and take part in it along with those who are interested in artistic spaces that reimagine and embrace blackness will enjoy this workshop. It will show that Hip hop is more than a genre of music, but a universe in itself replete with culture and lifestyle that produces deejays, emcees, dancers, stylists, artists, designers and visionaries. The workshop is not intended to present the history of Hip hop as a chronological/linear exploration but rather to analyze traditions within Hip hop surrounding the complexity of flow along with different factors that determine the spiritual fluidity of flow. Sponsored by the Center for Religious and Spiritual Life. 

Moderator: Kylie Gregory ’26
Presenter: Lena Santana ’26

Critical Fishbowl Dialogues

Joining together in dynamic conversations about our present social/historical/political moment with the Smith Roundtable Group
Helen Hills Hills Chapel Sanctuary
3:15–4:45 p.m.

The Smith community is invited to a space where we can talk, share, and process a range of thoughts, ideas and reactions. What does this moment call us to do and how can we support each other through it?

Working Toward the Many Facets of Liberation with LASO and BSA

Seelye Hall 106
3:15–4:45 p.m.

In this student-led workshop, explore the ongoing struggles in Venezuela, Haiti, Congo, and Sudan, and learn about the trailblazers working for change. Through a focused presentation, we’ll shed light on what liberation looks like in different contexts, examining how unique forms of activism are helping communities rebuild and putting the work towards healing in the face of crisis. Discover how the journey toward freedom takes many forms and inspires diverse approaches across the globe.

Activity for Cromwell Day

with Special Collections
Neilson Library 304
3:15–4:45 p.m.

Join Special Collections in celebrating new donations to the Cromwell Family papers! Come see these archival photographs, scrapbooks, Smith College academic papers, and other interesting items created by Otelia Cromwell, class of 1900, and Adelaide Cromwell, class of 1940. (The Cromwell Papers also are available to view on other days in the Special Collections reading room during our open hours.)

Hip Hop Dance Workshop and Performance with Shakia Barron

Join us for an inspiring dance workshop celebrating joy, justice, and the power of movement in community! This workshop is open to all levels, welcoming anyone with a desire to move and connect. Together, we’ll explore foundational dance movements, with plenty of room to make each step your own. In a safe and supportive space, you’ll have the chance to showcase your unique style and learn from those around you.

Our time together will culminate in a heartfelt performance focused on finding joy, celebrating resilience, and honoring the strength it takes to persevere. Whether you’re a seasoned dancer or new to movement, come and be part of this powerful experience.
Hallie Flanagan Studio Theatre, Mendenhall
5–6 p.m.

Poetry Reading by John Murillo and Nicole Sealey

Followed by a conversation with Nathan McClain
Co-sponsored by the Boutelle-Day Poetry Center
Weinstein Auditorium, Wright Hall
7 p.m.

Creative Career Lunch with Tourmaline

November 13 from noon–1:30 p.m.

Quilting & Collaging as a Practice in Social Justice & Community Building

Join the Meridians team for an evening of collaging, paper quilting, and learning using materials from our previous issues.
22 Green Street, Meridians Office
November 14 from 6–8 p.m.

After graduating from the Miner Normal School, Otelia Cromwell taught in the Washington, D.C., public schools for several years. She transferred to Smith College in 1898 and graduated in 1900. She returned to teaching for a number of years and then resumed her education, receiving a master of arts from Columbia University and a doctorate from Yale University in 1926; Cromwell was the first African American woman to receive a Yale doctorate. She soon became professor and chair of the department of English language and literature at Miner Teachers College in Washington, D.C.

Cromwell remained at Miner Teachers College until her retirement in 1944. A distinguished scholar and teacher, she authored three books and numerous articles including Readings From Negro Authors, for Schools and Colleges, the result of collaboration with Eva B. Dykes and Lorenzo Dow Turner. It was one of the first collections of its kind. She received an honorary degree from Smith College in 1950.

After her retirement from teaching, Cromwell accomplished her most significant scholarly work, The Life of Lucretia Mott, the Quaker abolitionist and women's rights activist. It was published in 1958 by Harvard University Press and continues to be cited by contemporary scholars. Cromwell passed away in 1972 at the age of 98.

Adelaide Cromwell was also a leader and activist in Africa, convening the first conference of West African social workers in Ghana in 1960, and serving on a commission to assess the state of higher education in what was then called the Belgian Congo. A member of the executive council of the American Society of African Culture, the American Negro Leadership Conference in Africa and the advisory council on Voluntary Foreign Aid, among others, she also maintained active membership in the Council on Foreign Relations and a number of professional organizations.

She is the author of several books, including Unveiled Voices, Unvarnished Memories: The Cromwell Family and Slavery and Segregation, 1692–1972, and An African Victorian Feminist: The Life and Times of Adelaide Smith Casely Hayford, 1868–1960.

Cromwell earned a master’s degree in sociology from the University of Pennsylvania and a doctorate in sociology from Radcliffe College. A recipient of the Smith Medal in 1971 and an honorary degree in 2015, she was the niece of Otelia Cromwell, class of 1900. Adelaide Cromwell passed away in 2019 at the age of 99.