Members of the university work year long hoping to bring diversity into each student's life.

Their efforts culminate in February, a month when students are encouraged to explore and respect the diversity of all cultures, but particularly that of African Americans.

In accordance, the Candace and Patrick E. Malloy III Diversity Studies Room, 109 Pattee Library, is honoring three significant African-American men via exhibits.

Paul Robeson's influence is still felt today and thanks to contributions by Lawrence Young, director of the Paul Robeson Cultural Center, students have the opportunity to view books, videos and other artifacts from the man for whom the center was named.

"I grew up with my parents having his music and talking about him in my household," said Young. Robeson was "a really important figure in American history, and certainly one of the perhaps gigantic figures from the African-American community," he continued.

Some of the more interesting artifacts in this exhibit are black and white photos that are over 50 years old. There is a photo of the original Paul Robeson Center, which was built in the days when State College was virtually a farm, not the thriving town it is now.

There is even a valuable signed photograph of Robeson, and a copy of a program, contributed by Young, from when Robeson performed at Schwab Auditorium.

Another important figure, particularly in the Penn State community, was John Biggers, the artist of the large murals that greet visitors of the Burrowes building. Young met Biggers several times before his death last year.

"He was a tremendous personality, just a very down-to-earth likeable individual, and a genius with his artistic talents."

Biggers graduated from Penn State with a degree in art education in 1948. He later received his master's and doctoral degrees in art history also from Penn State. Amongst his accomplishments is his founding of the art department in Texas Southern University in Houston in 1949.

The third individual whose life students have the opportunity to discover is Charles L. Blockson, a former Penn State football player who is now the curator of the Charles L. Blockson Afro-American Collection at Temple University Pennsylvania. He has spent over 40 years amassing one of the largest private collections of black history, including over 15,000 books, pamphlets, drawings and other artifacts.

He is also the former president of the Pennsylvania Abolition Society and the author of several books. He received his honorary doctorate from Villanova University. Young is hopeful about the exhibits' influence on viewers.

"I think that the first thing that we want is that people will be introduced to some personalities that they may not find otherwise within the framework of their educational experience. And secondly is the hope that that introduction will lead them to further exploration, perhaps even some interaction outside of their area of normal comfort and understanding and perception and appreciation and see that there is this wider range of people who are very productive and who are important to know."

These three exhibits will remain until March 13.