UA Celebrates African-American Heritage Month With Variety of Events

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — The annual celebration of National African-American Heritage Month at The University of Alabama will begin Thursday, Feb. 1 and continue throughout the month with a wide variety of events including film screenings, forums, radio shows, lectures and performances.

The festivities will open with a kickoff celebration to be held on campus in the Crossroads Lounge outside of 232 Ferguson Center on Thursday, Feb. 1 from noon-2 p.m. The celebration will include student artwork, music and food and is open to the public. At the event, guests will have the opportunity to learn about other programs that will be offered throughout the month.

The Realizing the Dream Coordinating Committee will offer “An Evening with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.” The program will feature actor Craig Alan Edwards as King and will be held at the First African Baptist Church in Tuscaloosa on Feb. 20 at 7 p.m.

The Black Faculty and Staff Association will sponsor a lecture by George Curry at 7 p.m. on Feb. 19. A native of Tuscaloosa, Curry serves as editor-in-chief of the National Newspaper Publishers Association News Service and BlackPressUSA.com.

Other events will include an employer panel on “Black Professionals Best Practices for Professional Development” Feb. 5 as well as a series of radio programs to be aired on WVUA 90.7 FM, beginning with the program “Voices in Black History” on Feb. 19.

Posters and buttons advertising events for African-American Heritage Month will be available to the public in the UA Crossroads Community Center, 232 Ferguson Center.

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

Thursday, February 1, 2007
African American Heritage Month Kick-Off Celebration.
Crossroads Lounge, Ferguson Center, 12:00–2:00 P.M.
Sponsored by the Ferguson Center Student Union, African American Graduate Student Association, Common Ground, Black Student Union, Creative Campus, Crossroads Community Center, Capstone Association of Black Journalists, Art Student League, Career Center, NAACP, FAME, and National Council of Negro Women.
Contact: LaToya Scott, latoyascott925@prodigy.net.

Thursday, February 1, 2007
Hip-Hop: Beyond Beats & Rhymes.
Film Showing and Discussion.
Ferguson Theatre, 7:30 P.M.
Sponsored by Men Against Violence and Housing and Residential Communities.
Contact: Damien Readus, 345-5542.

Monday, February 5, 2007
18th Annual African American Read-In.
Crossroads Lounge, Ferguson Center, 7:00 P.M.
Sponsored by the University of Alabama Women’s Resource Center and Women Involved in Learning and Leading (WILL).
Contact: Elle Shaaban-Magaña, lshaaban@sa.ua.edu or 348-5040.

Monday, February 5, 2007
Black Professionals Best Practices for Professional Development.
Employer Panel.
322 Heritage Room, Ferguson Center, 5:30 P.M.
Sponsored by Target Corporation.
In collaboration with the University of Alabama Career Center and Student Recreation Center.
Contact: Tasha Smith, tashasmith@sa.ua.edu or 348-5848.

Tuesday, February 6, 2007
Intercultural Student Council Café Series.
Africa: Image and Reality. Personal Experiences of Alabama Students.
Crossroads Lounge, Ferguson Center, 7:00 P.M.
Sponsored by the Intercultural Student Council and Crossroads Community Center.
Contact: Beverly Hawk, bhawk@ua.edu or 348-6930.

Wednesday, February 7, 2007
Forum: Affirmative Action.
312 Ferguson Center, 7:00-8:00 P.M.
Sponsored by the National Council of Negro Women and Black Student Union.
Contact: Kristena Hatcher, hatch021@bama.ua.edu or (205) 602-6046.

Wednesday, February 7, 2007
To Believe and Serve: A Caucus on Community Service and Religion.
“Faith Perceptions of Race, Religion and the Duty to Serve.”
151 Shelby Hall, 7:00 P.M.
Sponsored by the Community Service Center and Crossroads Community Center.
Contact: Joshua Burford, burfo003@bama.ua.edu or 348-5586.

Thursday, February 8, 2007
To Believe and Serve: A Caucus on Community Service and Religion.
“What Do We Owe: Combating Materialism with Faith.”
151 Shelby Hall, 7:00 P.M.
Sponsored by the Community Service Center and Crossroads Community Center.
Contact: Joshua Burford, burfo003@bama.ua.edu or 348-5586.

Friday, February 9, 2007
Diversity Luncheon.
311 Carmichael Hall, 12:00 P.M.
Sponsored by Coalition for Diversity and Inclusiveness, Black Faculty and Staff Association, and the Alliance of Women of Color.
Contact: Margaret D’Souza, mdsouza@nc.ua.edu, to RSVP.
Lunch is free of charge.

Friday, February 9, 2007
Judge U.W. Clemon, United States District Court.
Lecture with reception to follow.
223 Little Hall, 1:00 P.M.
Sponsored by the University of Alabama School of Social Work.
Contact: Sandy Wilson, 348-3924.

Sunday, February 11, 2007
NAACP Founder’s Day.
309 Ferguson Center, 6:00 P.M.
Sponsored by NAACP.
Contact: Gwen Little, 348-7525.

Monday, February 12, 2007
University of Alabama Chapter of National Society of Black Engineers’ 8th Annual Date Auction.
322 Heritage Room, Ferguson Center, 6:00-9:00 P.M.
Sponsored by the University of Alabama Chapter of National Society of Black Engineers.
Contact: Horus Muhammad, ua3president@yahoo.com.

Tuesday, February 13, 2007
The Race Beat: The Press, the Civil Rights Struggle, and the Awakening of a Nation.
Lecture and Book Signing with Hank Klibanoff.
W.S. Hoole Special Collections Library, 4:30-6:30 P.M.
Sponsored by University Libraries and the Frances S. Summersell Center for the Study of the South.
Contact: Jessica Lacher-Feldman, jlfeldma@ua.edu or 348-0500.

Tuesday, February 13, 2007
State of the Black Union.
322 Heritage Room, Ferguson Center, 6:30-8:30 P.M.
Sponsored by Black Student Union.
Contact: Kristena Hatcher, hatch021@bama.ua.edu or (205) 602-6046.

Wednesday, February 14, 2007
An Evening of Art & Politics.
“Southern Discomfort: The Black Panther Party in the Heart of Dixie.”
Public Lecture by Dr. Curtis Austin, University of Southern Mississippi.
Featuring the art of Alabama printmaker Amos Kennedy.
Room 205 Gorgas Library, 3:30-6:30 P.M.
This event is free to the public.
Sponsored by the Frances S. Summersell Center for the Study of the South.
Contact: Kari Frederickson, Associate Professor, Department of History, 348-1862.

Saturday, February 17, 2007
Debbie Bond and The Project (formerly the Blues Camp Kids).
Musical Performance.
223 Little Hall, 12:00 P.M.
Sponsored by the University of Alabama School of Social Work.
Contact: Chris Bushey, 348-3844.
All are welcome to attend.

Monday, February 19, 2007
Voices in Black History.
Radio program to air on WVUA 90.7 FM, 8:00-10:00 P.M.
Sponsored by The College of Arts & Sciences, The College of Education, New College and the New College Radio Lab.
Contact: Carlton McHargh, cmchargh@bamaed.ua.edu.

Monday, February 19, 2007
George Curry , Editor-in-Chief of the National Newspaper Publishers Association News Service and BlackPressUSA.com.
Location: TBA, 7:00 P.M.
Sponsored by the Black Faculty and Staff Association.
Contact: Ms. Pamela H. Foster-Payne, 348-5148.

Tuesday, February 20, 2007
An Evening with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Featuring Craig Alan Edwards as Dr. King.
First African Baptist Church, 2621 Stillman Blvd, 7:00 P.M.
Sponsored by the Realizing the Dream Coordinating Committee ( Shelton State Community College, Stillman College, and the University of Alabama).
Contact: Linda Grote, 391-2253.

Tuesday, February 20, 2007
Perspectives on Black History: The Stillman Program.
Radio program to air on WVUA 90.7 FM, 8:00-10:00 P.M.
Sponsored by The College of Arts & Sciences, The College of Education, New College and the New College Radio Lab.
Contact: Carlton McHargh, cmchargh@bamaed.ua.edu.

Wednesday, February 21, 2007
“Wild Women Don’t Have the Blues” Brown Bag Film Screening.
107 Manly Hall, 12:30 P.M.
Sponsored by the University of Alabama Women’s Resource Center and Department of Women’s Studies.
Contact: Elle Shaaban-Magaña, lshaaban@sa.ua.edu or 348-5040.

Wednesday, February 21, 2007
NAACP Tribute to Trailblazers.
312 Ferguson Center, 6:00 P.M.
Sponsored by NAACP.
Contact: Gwen Little, 348-7525.

Thursday, February 22, 2007
Hip Hop and Beyond.

Panel Discussion: Exploring African American Issues Through Hip-Hop Culture.
360 Ferguson Center, 2:00-4:00 P.M.

Panel Discussion: Hip Hop in the Media.
312 Ferguson Center, 6:00-7:15 P.M.

Final Performance.
Ferguson Ballroom, 8:00 P.M.

Sponsored by Punch Writers Project, University Programs, Creative Campus, Ferguson Center Student Union, Intercultural Student Council, Arts Student League, Crossroads Community Center, and Capstone Association of Black Journalists.
Contact: Latoya Scott, latoyascott925@prodigy.net.

Monday, February 26, 2007
Where To From Here? A Panel Discussion.
Radio program to air on WVUA 90.7 FM, 8:00-10:00 P.M.
Sponsored by The College of Arts & Sciences, The College of Education, New College and the New College Radio Lab.
Contact: Carlton McHargh, cmchargh@bamaed.ua.edu.

Tuesday, February 27, 2007
Footsteps of Foster: Speaker and Tour of Foster Auditorium.
Mary Burke Hall West- Crimson Nights, 8:00 P.M.
Sponsored by Housing and Residential Communities.
Contact: Ben Davis, hrcthepoint@sa.ua.edu or 348-5878.

Wednesday, February 28, 2006
African American Heritage Month Culminating Reception.
Crossroads Lounge, Ferguson Center, 4:00 P.M.
Sponsored by Crossroads Community Center.
Contact: Liz Denson, edenson@bama.ua.edu or 348-6930.

Wednesday, February 28, 2007
NAACP Appreciation Day.
2nd Floor Ferguson Center, Table by left entrance of Starbucks, 11:00 A.M.-3:00 P.M.
Sponsored by NAACP.
Contact: Gwen Little, 348-7525.

Date TBA
Dance Course: Traditional African American Dance.
Student Recreation Center, Time TBA.
Sponsored by the University of Alabama Student Recreation Center.
Contact: Derrick Taff, 348-4701 or Stacy Pegenau, 348-5131.

Ongoing Events:

Thursday, February 1, 2007- Wednesday, February 28, 2007
“African American Women Who Dared” Flyer Campaign.
Sponsored by the University of Alabama Women’s Resource Center and Women Involved in Learning and Leading (WILL).
Contact: Elle Shaaban-Magaña, lshaaban@sa.ua.edu or 348-5040.

Thursday, February 1, 2007- Wednesday, February 28, 2007
They Came…They Saw…They Reported: Images from the World Press Coverage of “Segregation’s Last Stand” at The University of Alabama.
Photographs by Camille Elebash taken in June, 1963 for her Tuscaloosa Alabama weekly newspaper, The Graphic.
W.S. Hoole Special Collections Library, 2nd Floor Mary Harmon Bryant Hall, 8:00 A.M.-5:00 P.M. (open until 9:00 P.M. Thursdays).
Exhibit by Jessica Lacher-Feldman and Mary-Keeley McAllister.
Camille Elebash will comment on her experiences on February 13, 2007 during “The Race Beat” a lecture and book signing with Hank Klibanoff. See above for details