SALISBURY — Livingstone College’s Office of Institutional Advancement hosted its annual Katharine W. Osborne Women in History Tea to benefit the campus United Negro College Fund (UNCF) campaign on Friday, April 14, at the college’s School of Hospitality Management and Culinary Arts.

The attendees gathered in fancy hats to support the cause, network and fellowship with women empowerment as the framework. This year’s theme was “Weaving the Stories of Women’s Lives.”

Dr. Da’Tarvia Parrish, an associate professor of English, introduced guest author Dr. Ceretta A. Smith to participants as a personal acquaintance and professional colleague, while detailing the speaker’s attributes with an adjective name-inspired acronym. Smith serves as a city councilwoman in Grovetown, Georgia, and is author of  “Jealousy and Envy: The Diabolical Duo,” “The Black Sheep,” “Lord Deliver Us from the Diva” and “La Oveja Negra.”

Deborah Johnson serves as the annual fund UNCF director and Associate Vice President of Student Affairs Terri Stevenson served as mistress of ceremony for the event. The college’s Counseling Services Director Dr. Rhonda Flowers-Corpening provided an opening prayer that followed with greetings by Livingstone College student Miss UNCF Akera Barnes and Dr. Jacqueline Davis, the college president’s spouse. As the group brunched, Dr. Catrelia Hunter presented a memorial candle lighting tribute in honor of Katharine W. Osborne and Elizabeth Fields. Crediting Osborne with the idea of the event years ago, Hunter said, “We are standing on the shoulders of giants in our community and we must always acknowledge and remember their legacies.”

Smith focused on her favorite self-defining text, The Black Sheep, but she said, “If you want to know the rest, you have to buy the book.”

The event concluded with a fashion parade contest in several categories: Classy Hat, Church Hat, Sassy Hat, Best Fascinator and Most Unique Hat. Smith also signed books.