Wide Variety of Events Set for African-American Heritage Month at UA

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – An array of events will be offered at The University of Alabama to recognize February as African-American Heritage Month, ranging from forums on race relations to musical performances to a health and fitness fair to comedy entertainment and hip-hop poetry.

“Voices of Africa,” an all-female a cappella choral and percussion ensemble will give two performances in Tuscaloosa on Feb. 16, including a 9 a.m. session at Shelton State Community College’s Bean Brown Theater and a 7 p.m. performance in the UA Ferguson Center Theater. The group performs and teaches the audience about the history, techniques and style of the traditional African instruments they play. For more information about the group, go to www.voicesofafrica.net/.

Comedy entertainment will be offered by University Programs sponsoring a performance by CoCoa Brown, a comedian from Black Entertainment Television’s popular show “Comic View,” on Feb. 6 at 8 p.m. in Ferguson Theater. For more information on Brown, go to www.bet.com.

Prior to the month-long celebration in February, the UA African-American Gospel Choir will perform on Saturday, Jan. 28, at 3 p.m. in the Ferguson Center Theater. They will be followed by a performance of the Umbadu Dance Company on Monday, Jan. 30, at 7:30 p.m. in the Ferguson Theater, sponsored by University Programs.

A listing of UA events for African-American Heritage Month includes:

Wednesday, Feb. 1
Voices in Black History, radio program to air on WVUA 90.7 FM.
Sponsored by College of Arts and Sciences, College of Education and New College Radio Lab, 8-10 p.m.
Contact: 205/348-6073

Thursday, Feb. 2
Discussion: Africanisms in American Life, led by Ross Bryan
Sponsored by UA Crossroads Community Center
204A Ferguson Center, 12:30 p.m.
Please feel free to bring a lunch
Contact: 205/348-6930

Forum Series: “Moving Forward”
Sponsored by Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc.
Ferguson Center, 7 p.m.
Contact: 205/317-1028

Seminar: “I’m Every Woman” Learning to Love Yourself
Sponsored by Empowering Women Campus Ministry
Contact: 205/347-8363 or 246-3692
Location TBA

Monday, Feb. 6
17th National African-American Read-In
Ferguson Center TV Lounge, 7 p.m.
Sponsored by UA Women’s Resource Center
Contact: 205/348-5040

CoCoa Brown — Comedian of BET’s “Comic View”
Sponsored by University Programs
Ferguson Center Theater, 8 p.m.
Contact: 205/348-7525

Tuesday, Feb. 7
Forum: Black Student Life at UA
Sponsored by Black Student Union
Contact: 256/322-0557 or hulle002@bama.ua.edu
Location TBA, 6 p.m.
(Held again on Feb. 14, 21 and 28)

Wednesday, Feb. 8
Richard Height — Freehand Artist
Sponsored by University Programs
Ferguson Center TV Lounge, noon
Contact: 205/348-7525

Thursday, Feb. 9
Forum Series: “Moving Forward”
Ferguson Center, 7 p.m.
Sponsored by Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc.
Contact: 205/317-1028

Friday, Feb. 10
Bryan Stevenson, executive director, Equal Justice Initiative of Alabama
223 Little Hall, 2 p.m.
Lecture sponsored by UA School of Social Work.
Contact: 205/348-3924

Sunday, Feb. 12
NAACP Founder’s Day
300 Ferguson Center, 5 p.m.
Sponsored by NAACP
Contact: 205/348-0667

Monday, Feb. 13
African-American Heritage Month Art Exhibition
223 Little Hall, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
School of Social Work.
Contact: 205/348-3924

State of the Black Union
Heritage Room, 322 Ferguson Center, 7 p.m.
Sponsored by NAACP
Contact: 205/348-0667

Tuesday, Feb. 14
Forum: Black Student Life at UA
Sponsored by Black Student Union.
Contact: 256/322-0557 or hulle002@bama.ua.edu
Location TBA, 6 p.m.

Wednesday, Feb. 15
Brown Bag Luncheon and Viewing of “And Still I Rise”
Ferguson Center Forum, noon
Sponsored by UA Women’s Resource Center
Contact: 205/348-5040

Tribute to Trailblazers
Ferguson Center Forum, 7 p.m.
Sponsored by NAACP.
Contact: 205/348-0667

Forum: Save Foster Auditorium
Ferguson Center, 7 p.m.
Sponsored by Black Faculty and Staff Association
Contact: 317/250-7962

“A Conversation with Clarence Norris,” radio program to air on WVUA 90.7 FM
Sponsored by College of Arts and Sciences, College of Education and New College Radio Lab, 8-10 p.m.
Contact: 205/348-6073

Thursday, Feb. 16
Voices of Africa, Mini-Performance and Lecture
Sponsored by UA Women’s Resource Center, NAACP, Housing & Residential Communities, Judicial Affairs, Ferguson Center, Career Center, Healthy Campus and Shelton State Community College, 9 a.m.
Bean-Brown Theater, Shelton State Community College
Contact: 205/348-5040

Forum Series: “Moving Forward”
Ferguson Center, 7 p.m.
Sponsored by Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc.
Contact: 205/317-1028

Forum: “What’s Flava? Defining African-American Culture”
Sponsored by African-American Graduate Student Association.
Location TBA, 7 p.m.
Contact: 205/242-4918

“Alabama Memoirs: Perspectives on Black History,” radio program to air on WVUA 90.7 FM, 8-10 p.m.
Sponsored by College of Arts and Sciences, College of Education and New College Radio Lab.
Contact: 205/348-6073

Voices of Africa – Performance
Ferguson Center Theater, 7 p.m.
Sponsored by UA Women’s Resource Center, NAACP, Housing & Residential Communities, Judicial Affairs, Ferguson Center, Career Center, Healthy Campus, Women’s Studies, African-American Studies and Shelton State Community College
Contact: 205/348-5040

Friday, Feb. 17
“Think Fast and Win $200” Game Show
East Dining Hall, Ferguson Center, 7:30 p.m.
Sponsored by University Programs.
Contact: 205/348-7525

NAACP Appreciates You Day
Ferguson Center second floor, 11 a.m.-2 p.m.
Sponsored by NAACP
Contact: 205/348-0667

Monday, Feb. 20
Panel Discussion: African American Portrayals in the Media
222 Reese Phifer Hall, 7 p.m.
Sponsored by Capstone Association of Black Journalists.
Contact: 205/347-3592

Celebrations of Black History
Ferguson Center Theater, 7 p.m.
Sponsored by Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc.
Contact: rober169@bama.ua.edu or 205/393-0395

Tuesday, Feb. 21
West Alabama Blues Camp Kids featuring Debbie Bond and Willie King
223 Little Hall, 4:30 p.m.
Musical performance sponsored by School of Social Work.
Contact: 205/348-3924

Forum: Black Student Life at the University of Alabama
Sponsored by Black Student Union, 6 p.m.
Contact: 256/322-0557 or hulle002@bama.ua.edu
Location TBA

“Crash” into Race Relations
Ferguson Center Theater, 7 p.m.
Sponsored by University Programs
Contact: 205/348-7525

Wednesday, Feb. 22
African-American Heritage Health and Fitness Fair
“Make the Connection…Mind, Body and Spirit”
Student Recreation Center, 3-8 p.m.
Sponsored by Russell Student Health Center Health Education and Wellness Department, Counseling Center, Healthy Campus and University Recreation
Contact: 205/348-2258 or 348-4930

Thursday, Feb. 23
Forum Series: “Moving Forward”
Ferguson Center, 7 p.m.
Sponsored by Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc.
Contact: 205/317-1028

African-American Quiz Bowl
150 Shelby Hall, 7 p.m.
Sponsored by UA Chapter National Society of Black Engineers
Contact: ua3_academic@yahoo.com

A Missing Link: Hip-Hop and Poetry
Ferguson Center Theater, 8 p.m.
Sponsored by Creative Campus, Punch Literary Arts Project, College of Arts and Sciences, Coalition for Diversity and Inclusiveness, New College, SGA Financial Affairs Committee, Women’s Resource Center and Community Service Center.
Contact: latoyascott925@prodigy.net

Tuesday, Feb. 28
AAHM Culminating Reception
Ferguson Center TV Lounge, 4 p.m.
Sponsored by UA Crossroads Community Center
Contact: 205/348-6930

Forum: Black Student Life at the University of Alabama
Sponsored by the Black Student Union.
Contact: 256-322-0557 or hulle002@bama.ua.edu
Location TBA, 6 p.m.

Extended events over the month include:

Feb. 1-March 17

Exhibition: Faces and Places: Selected 19th and 20th century Photographs of African-Americans from the Wade Hall Photographs Collection.
Sponsored by the W.S. Hoole Special Collections Library
2nd Floor, Mary Harmon Bryant Hall
Every Wednesday, Feb.1, 8, 15 and 22, 10 p.m.-midnight

7Soul Radio Show: Will air programs dedicated to Jazz, R&B, Gospel, and Hip Hop Music.
New Rock WVUA 90.7 FM

During the Entire Month:

Exhibit: Notable Alabama African-Americans: Did You Know?
Sponsored by University Libraries.
Amelia Gayle Gorgas Library

Exhibit: A Tribute to Sylvester Jones
Sponsored by the Career Center
Ferguson Center

“African-American Women Who Dared” Flyer Campaign
Sponsored by UA Women’s Resource Center

For more information on African-American Heritage Month events at UA contact Bettina Byrd-Giles, director of the UA Crossroads Community Center, or Elizabeth Denson, Crossroads program assistant, at 205/348-6930. Online go to www.sa.ua.edu/dos/aahm.html.