Tuesday, February 28, 2012

The Smithsonian broke ground for its 19th museum, the National Museum of African American History and Culture VIDEO

The Smithsonian broke ground for its 19th museum, the National Museum of African American History and Culture, Wednesday, Feb. 22, at 10 a.m. in an invitation-only ceremony on the National Mall. President Barack Obama spoke at the ceremony. Other honored guests included First Lady Michelle Obama, former First Lady Laura Bush, Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.) and Gov. Sam Brownback (R-Kan.). The ceremony took place on the museum’s five-acre site adjacent to the Washington Monument at 14th Street and Constitution Avenue N.W.

“I think about my daughters and I think about your children, the millions of visitors who will stand where we stand long after we’re gone,” said President Obama. “And I want them to appreciate this museum not just as a record of tragedy, but as a celebration of life. When future generations hear these songs of pain and progress and struggle and sacrifice, I hope they will not think of them as somehow separate from the larger American story. I want them to see it as central—an important part of our shared story.”

“With this groundbreaking we move closer toward creating a museum to make manifest the dreams of many generations,” said Lonnie G. Bunch III, founding director of the museum. “The structure about to rise on the National Mall will be a signature building, and the museum it houses will give us a way to ensure that America understands the African American experience as a history that has shaped us all.”

The National Museum of African American History and Culture was created in 2003 by an Act of Congress, establishing it as part of the Smithsonian Institution. The museum will be the nation’s largest and most comprehensive cultural destination devoted exclusively to showcasing African American life, art, history and culture.


Design and Construction

The construction of the museum will begin in summer 2012 and is expected to take three years. FreelonAdjayeBond/SmithGroup was selected as the museum’s architectural and engineering firm in April 2009, and Clark/Smoot/Russell was selected as the construction firm in July 2011. The museum is expected to cost about $500 million, with half of the funds being raised by the museum and half of the funds provided by Congress.

National Museum of African American History and Culture

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Freelon Adjaye Bond / SmithGroup

When it opens, the 380,000-square-foot museum will have a three-tiered bronze “Corona,” or crown. Other design elements have been chosen to mirror the faith, hope and resiliency of the African American spirit. The museum also will be designed to achieve Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Gold certification. Sustainable elements in the museum will include solar hot water panels on the roof and a geothermal groundwater system.

Collections

The museum currently has about 25,000 objects in its collection, which cover the major periods in African American history, beginning with the origins in Africa and continuing through slavery, Reconstruction, the civil rights era, the Harlem Renaissance and into the 21st century. Some highlights of the collection are the Harriet Tubman collection, including her hymnal, lace shawl (given to her by Queen Victoria) and family photographs from her funeral; a Jim Crow railroad car (c. 1922); the Black Fashion Museum collection; a Tuskegee Airmen Boeing-Stearman PT-13D trainer plane and Congressional Gold Medal; and works of art by Charles Alston, John Biggers, Elizabeth Catlett, Jacob Lawrence and Lorna Simpson.

Inaugural Exhibitions

The museum’s inaugural exhibitions will focus on the broad themes of history, culture and community. These exhibitions (all titles are working titles) will include:

Slavery and Freedom will focus on the crucial role slavery played in the making of America and its impact on generations of enslaved Africans and their descendants. It will consider the paradox of a nation founded on the principles of life, liberty, justice and equality at a time when one-fifth of the population was enslaved.

Defending Freedom, Defining Freedom: The Era of Segregation will explore the years following Reconstruction, the restrictive laws and practices that created a segregated society, and the violence and intimidation that kept the races separate. It also will explore the great migration of African Americans from the South, cultural movements such as the Harlem Renaissance and the modern civil rights movement.

Beyond 1968 will explore the social and political history of an era beginning with the death of Martin Luther King Jr. and ending in 2009. It also will examine how the quest for racial equality helped shape the development of popular culture, education, entertainment, politics and social policy.

Power of Place will show the broad diversity of African American life and regional cultures in communities that took root in different areas of the country. Visitors will recognize pieces of their own history and regional cultures in the exhibition and make connections to gain insight into the variety of places that exist across America.

Making a Way Out of No Way will examine how African Americans acted to change and build their lives in the midst of racial oppression. It will showcase the stories of individuals whose lives exemplified this struggle as well as the organizations and institutions that provided strength and support for the black community.

Military History will look at the service and sacrifice of black soldiers, Airmen, Marines, Coast Guardsmen and sailors, as well as the roles that African American women and families played back home.

Sports: Leveling the Playing Field will showcase the inspiring ideas, efforts and skills that African Americans have put into this vital part of American life. It also will explore how sports helped people respond to injustice and form communities.

Musical Crossroads will tell the story of African American music from the arrival of the first Africans to the present day.

Additional exhibitions will focus on cultural expressions, entertainment, visual arts and youth.

The exhibitions are being designed by Ralph Appelbaum Associates in collaboration with the museum’s curators and historians. RAA has designed exhibitions for numerous museums, including the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, the William J. Clinton Presidential Library and the Newseum.

Currently, the museum has its own gallery at the National Museum of American History. The museum’s current exhibition “Slavery at Jefferson’s Monticello: Paradox of Liberty,” opened to the public Jan. 27 and will be on view until Oct 14. This exhibition, presented in partnership with the Thomas Jefferson Foundation at Monticello, features artifacts from the Smithsonian’s collections and from excavations at Jefferson’s Virginia plantation. It provides a rare and detailed look at the lives of six slave families living at Monticello.

# # # SI-71-2012

GENERAL SMITHSONIAN CONTACT Linda St.Thomas, Chief Spokesperson, Smithsonian Institution (202) 633-5188 stthomasl@si.edu

Saturday, February 25, 2012

Histories of African Americans in the town of Muskogee

STILLWATER -February is Black History Month, and the OSU Library’s Oklahoma Oral History Research Program has helped that history be recognized through a project on Muskogee’s African American community.

In 2009 the OOHRP partnered with the Muskogee Public Library to record the histories of African Americans in the town of Muskogee. Muskogee was once the third largest city in Oklahoma and was home to a thriving African American community.

The OOHRP’s goal for the project was to discover the effect integration in the 1960s had on the population. Current members of Muskogee’s African American community were interviewed about their perceptions of Muskogee before integration as well as their perceptions of the town today.

Tanya Finchum, an OORHP librarian, said, “Jan Bryant, the director of the Muskogee Public Library, was very interested in gathering oral histories with members of the African American community that her library served. The OOHRP was also eager to increase the diversity in our collection, not to mention that this was part of the little-documented cultural history of Oklahoma.”

In his interview, Lansing Lee, an OSU alumnus, said, “When I was a grade schooler, I can remember (we didn’t have a car at the time) walking to town with my mother and seeing the little water fountains that said, ‘white’ and ‘colored.’ Going to a laundry mat and seeing a sign that says, ‘Whites Only Beyond This Point.’ Not being able to go into some stores at all or being very careful to be in one section of the store only. You know, it’s a lot different now. Some say there’s more freedom now. There’s more freedom to interact with other people. More freedom to get around and go buy whatever you want from whoever you want.”

Oklahoma State University LogoThere are currently 11 interviews in the Muskogee African American Heritage project. The entire collection can be viewed online through the Library’s website at www.library.okstate.edu/oralhistory/soohp/muskogee-list.htm.

Oklahoma State University is a modern land-grant system of interdisciplinary programs that prepares students for success. OSU is America’s Brightest Orange. Through leadership and service, OSU is preparing students for a bright future and building a brighter world for all. As Oklahoma’s only university with a statewide presence, OSU improves the lives of people in Oklahoma, the nation, and the world through integrated, high-quality teaching, research, and outreach. OSU has more than 35,000 students across its five-campus system and more than 24,000 on its combined Stillwater and Tulsa campuses, with students from all 50 states and around 120 nations. Established in 1890, OSU has graduated more than 240,000 students to serve the state of Oklahoma, the nation and the world.

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TEXT and IMAGE CREDIT: Oklahoma State University | Stillwater, OK 74078 | 405.744.5000, February 22, 2012. Story by Emily Nielsen, OSU Library Communications Intern, For Immediate Release.

Thursday, February 23, 2012

The Black Men's Initiative Forum this year's theme of "Building Capacity: Are You Equipped?"

MADISON - The Black Men's Initiative Forum on Friday, Feb. 24 and Saturday, Feb. 25 will help develop strong leadership through programs embracing this year's theme of "Building Capacity: Are You Equipped?"

The event, is made possible through a partnership with the Wisconsin Association of Black Men (WABM) and the UW-Madison Office of the Vice Provost for Diversity and Climate, begins with a session Friday, Feb. 24 in the Phillips Lounge of Ogg Hall, 835 W. Dayton St., from 6 to 8:30 p.m.

Nationally known scholar on black male achievement, Shaun Harper, associate professor and director of the Center for the Study of Race and Equity in Education at the University of Pennsylvania, will provide the keynote message for the program.

"With the challenges that we face in our communities regarding male youth of color, I am glad that we have created this space for individuals from across our community to share, learn, and grow with one another," says Damon A. Williams, UW-Madison vice provost and chief diversity officer. "There has never been a more imperative time to plant and nurture the seeds of leadership in our community and we are glad to partner with members of the student and Madison community in this way."

Leadership for the event is provided by Williams' office, WABM and representatives of the 100 Black Men of Madison. This year's forum will continue into a second day of seminars on developing personal leadership, accountability, character, and personal integrity on Saturday, Feb. 25 in the AT&T Lounge of the Pyle Center, 702 Langdon St. from 8:30 a.m. to noon.

Shaun R. Harper

Shaun R. Harper
"This year WABM decided to develop additional training that addresses the leadership needs and goals defined in past forums," says Shawn Harris of the Wisconsin Association of Black Men's leadership team. "Our long-term intent is to provide intergenerational mentorship for developing strong black male leaders among college men, expand our reach to learn from our experienced mentors while reaching back for younger men to follow."

Although this event is targeted toward the concerns and challenges of African American males, the event is open to anyone in the community, regardless of background.

Registration is available here:

- Friday and Saturday sessions: http://www.ohrd.wisc.edu/reg/catalog_course_detail.asp?course_key=37198

-Friday only: http://www.ohrd.wisc.edu/reg/catalog_course_detail.asp?course_key=37653

-Saturday only: http://www.ohrd.wisc.edu/reg/catalog_course_detail.asp?course_key=37655

### FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 2/17/12 CONTACT: Valeria Davis, (608) 890-3079, vadavis2@wisc.edu BLACK MEN'S INITIATIVE FORUM SET FOR FEB. 24-25

Monday, February 20, 2012

BRAIN STORM!, trivia game based entirely on African American trivia, is coming to Marshall University

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – BRAIN STORM!, a team trivia game show based entirely on African American trivia, is coming to Marshall University’s Huntington campus on Tuesday, Feb. 28.

The production, presented to Marshall by Simplified Entertainment of New York, begins at 7 p.m. in room BE5 of the Memorial Student Center. It is sponsored by Marshall’s Center for African American Students’ Programs and helps promote February as African American History Month.

During the trivia game show, the entire audience plays at the same time. A 10-foot video screen displays the questions for all to see. A flashy stage display with an energetic host keeps the action going while the audience uses remote control handsets.

Participants “brainstorm” it out for the best answer. Categories include politics, medicine, drama, television, music, sports and others. Students and community groups are encouraged to form their own teams of four to eight participants.

Church groups, friendship groups, clubs, fraternities, sororities, class groups, student organizations and residence halls are examples of possible participants. It is free to play, and the winning teams receive cash prizes.

For more information, persons visit the Center for African American Students’ Programs in room 1W25 of the Memorial Student Center or call Director Maurice Cooley at 304-696-5430.

Marshall University LogoFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Friday, February 17, 2012 Contact: Maurice Cooley, Director, Center for African American Students' Programs, 304-696-5430

For further information, contact: Office of University Communications Marshall University 213 Old Main | Huntington, WV 25755-1090 Fax: (304) 696-3197

Saturday, February 18, 2012

Marshall University discovery of a lost manuscript by Dr. Carter G. Woodson.

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – Dr. Daryl Michael Scott, a Howard University historian, will be on Marshall University’s Huntington campus next week to discuss his discovery of a lost manuscript by Dr. Carter G. Woodson.

The event will take place at 2 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 21, in room BE5 of the Memorial Student Center. It is free and open to the public. A reception, sponsored by the MU Information Technology Library Associates, will follow.

Scott, who is also vice president of the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (founded by Woodson in 1915), will discuss how he discovered the manuscript in a storage container about five years ago and authenticated it.

Scott’s visit is being sponsored by the Marshall’s School of Journalism and Mass Communications, Division of Multicultural Affairs, Center for African American Students’ Programs, and African and African American Studies program, as well as the MU Information Technology Library Associates and the Cabell County Schools. While in Huntington, Scott also will make a presentation to social studies teachers and students at Huntington High School.

Woodson was a graduate of Douglass High School in Huntington and later served as the school’s principal, as well as dean of what is now West Virginia State University. He was the second African American to earn a Ph.D. from Harvard University and the only offspring of former slaves to receive a doctorate in history from any university. Widely known as the “father of African American history,” Woodson came up with the idea for Negro History Week in 1926, which is now Black History Month. In addition to founding the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History, he started the influential “Journal of Negro History” in 1916.

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Carter G. WoodsonFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2012 Contact: Burnis Morris School of Journalism and Mass Communications, 304-696-4635 +sookie tex

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Redefined 2012: African-American Male Summit

Redefined 2012: African-American Male Summit

When: February 25, 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM - Add to Calendar
Where: Walb Student Union
Tagged: ODMA Black History Month 2012
Filed Under: Home , Black Collegian Caucus , All Events at IPFW , Diversity & Multicultural Affairs , PR , Sociology , Athletics

If you are looking for an opportunity to develop educationally, plan to attend......................

Redefined 2012: African-American Male Summit in the Walb Student Union, 8 a.m.-4 p.m.. Admission is free for IPFW students. High School Students, $5, Non-IPFW Students, $25.




Indiana University–Purdue University Fort Wayne (IPFW) LogoFor more information, please contact the Office of Diversity and Multicultural Affairs, Indiana University–Purdue University Fort Wayne (IPFW) (260)481-6604. 2101 E. Coliseum Blvd. Fort Wayne, IN 4680 1-866-597-0010 +sookie tex

Monday, February 13, 2012

The University of Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC) Black Studies Program will sponsor poet, professor and lecturer Sonia Sanchez

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The University of Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC) Black Studies Program will sponsor poet, professor and lecturer Sonia Sanchez as its keynote speaker on Friday, Feb. 17 at 6:45 p.m. at the UMKC School of Education, Room 115, 615 E. 51st St., Kansas City, Mo.

The UMKC Division of Diversity, Access, and Equity, the UMKC College of Arts and Sciences Bernadine Haskell Fund, and the UMKC English Department: Language & Literature are co-sponsoring the event.

Sanchez will be interviewed on stage by KC Currents radio host, Susan Wilson, Ph.D., followed by a reading from her works. The program will conclude with a book signing. Additionally, on Wednesday, Feb. 16, Sanchez will visit the UMKC African American Literature 1 class and later meet with area poets and creative writers.

"Sonia Sanchez emerged as one of the leading poetic innovators and political visionaries of the Black Arts and Black Consciousness Movement of the 1960s and 1970s," said Clovis E. Semmes, Ph.D., Professor and Director, Black Studies Program. "She has remained an exemplary and fresh creative force to the present."

An activist, scholar and author of more than 16 books, Sanchez is a national and international lecturer on Black culture and literature, women's liberation, peace and racial justice. In December 2011, she was named the first poet laureate of the City of Philadelphia and has lectured at more than 500 universities and colleges in the U.S. As an advocate for the introduction of Black Studies courses in California, she was the first to create and teach a course based on Black Women and literature in the U.S.

Sonia Sanchez

Sonia Sanchez
Sanchez was named the first Presidential Fellow at Temple University where she began working in 1977 and held the Laura Carnell Chair in English. In addition, she is the Poetry Society of America's 2001 Robert Frost Medalist and received the Langston Hughes Poetry Award for 1999.

About the UMKC Black Studies Program

The Black Studies Program is an academic unit that holistically examines the experience, contributions and condition of African-descent peoples in the formation and evolution of American society and culture.

The focus extends to an examination of the active role of Africa and the African Diaspora in global society and human culture. Through both a social scientific and a humanistic orientation, the Black Studies Program provides a unique and rich approach to accessing and comprehending the human experience.

About the University of Missouri-Kansas City

The University of Missouri-Kansas City, one of four University of Missouri campuses, is a public university serving more than 15,000 undergraduate, graduate and professional students. UMKC engages with the community and economy based on a four-part mission: life and health sciences; visual and performing arts; urban issues and education; and a vibrant learning and campus life experience. For more information about UMKC, visit www.umkc.edu. You can also find us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter and watch us on YouTube.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Feb 9, 2012 #013. Contact: Wandra Brooks Green 816-235-1601

Saturday, February 11, 2012

Gospel Extravaganza, films among TTU’s free Black History Month events

February will be busy for Tennessee Tech University’s Office of Minority Affairs as it hosts various Black History Month celebrations.

Events will include a spoken word artist, film screenings, a banquet honoring Cookeville residents who have contributed to and improved life in town, and the annual Gospel Extravaganza.

“We’ve always got a lot going on this month,” said Robert Owens, TTU’s director of minority affairs. “I want to give some history but to make it interesting and entertaining.”

All events are free and open to the public. Each of the films will all begin at noon in the Black Cultural Center on the second floor of the Roaden University Center.

- “Wade in the Water, Children,” a documentary that tells the story of children growing up after Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans’ violent Central City neighborhood, will be shown on Wednesday, Feb. 1.

- “Heaven’s Fall,” a film based on the true story of two women who accused nine young black men of rape in the segregated South, will be screened on Wednesday, Feb. 8.

- A soul food dinner featuring spoken word artist Black Ice will be at 6:30 p.m. Monday, Feb. 13, in the RUC multipurpose room. Black Ice has starred in five consecutive seasons of HBO’s “Def Poetry Jam,” and was a leading cast member of the Tony-award winning “Def Poetry on Broadway.”

Tennessee Tech University Logo- “Banished: How Whites Drove Blacks out of Town in America,” which looks at three cities that forced African-Americans to leave through violence in post-reconstruction America, will be shown on Wednesday, Feb. 15.

- Gospel Extravaganza begins at 2:30 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 19, at Trinity Baptist Church. Several groups from the church and the TTU United Voices of Praise will sing.

- A forum, “Racism in America: Does it still Exist,” will be held at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 21, in the TTU Black Cultural Center on the second floor of the RUC. Panelists include TTU education professor Lisa Zagumny; TTU history professor and chair of the diversity council Wali Kharif; TTU students Camille Woods and Andrew Scott; Ryan Dalton, a Cookeville resident who served as a missionary in South Africa; and Robert Redhawk Eldridge, a Native American.

- “Scarred Justice: The Orangeburg Massacre of 1968” will be screened on Wednesday, Feb. 22. The film tells the true story of a shooting rampage at South Carolina State University that is often called “the Kent State of the South.”

- IMPACT, Innovative Men Progressing the African-American Community Together, will hold a banquet to honor Marc Burnett, TTU vice president for student affairs; Johnnie Wheeler, a former member of the Putnam County Board of Commissioners; and Morris Irby, one of the earliest TTU African-American alumni. It will begin at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 28, in the RUC multipurpose room. To reserve a seat, email cjohnson@tntech.edu"> cjohnson@tntech.edu

- “The Help,” the award-winning film about white women and their black maids, will be screened on Wednesday, Feb. 29.

Tennessee Tech University Contact: Posted by Lori Shull - Thursday, February 09 2012 lshull@tntech.edu

Thursday, February 9, 2012

Halifax Community College (HCC) "Saluting Our Local African-American Heroes" celebration

Seven to be honored at HCC African-American Heroes event, Feb. 16

WELDON, N.C. – For the fifth year, Halifax Community College (HCC) will hold its "Saluting Our Local African-American Heroes" celebration. Special honors will be bestowed on six community leaders and one HCC student during the Feb. 16 ceremony to be held at The Centre. The event will begin at 11:30 a.m. Roanoke Valley Chamber of Commerce President/CEO Allen Purser will be the guest speaker. The event is sponsored by The Daily Herald.

This year’s honorees include:
• George Branch (volunteer firefighter and founder of a local medical transportation company)
• Gary Grant (educator, author and community activist)
• Lester Greenwood Jr. (first African-American fire chief in Northampton County)
• Donte Johnson (HCC student)
• Rev. Dr. Charles McCollum (retired educator, current minister and community activist)
• Beatrice Strayhorn (retired educator and community volunteer)
• Ruby Vincent Ward (retired educator and community volunteer)

Heroes are chosen based on their commitment and contributions to the community, unselfish devotion to others, initiative, innovation and leadership, and willingness to share time and wisdom through community service. HCC student heroes are chosen based on their commitment and contributions to the HCC community, initiative, innovation and leadership, and demonstration of academic promise.

Halifax Community College (HCC) Saluting Our Local African-American HeroesHalifax Community College’s Mission: Halifax Community College strives to meet the diverse needs of our community by providing high-quality, accessible and affordable education and services for a rapidly changing and globally competitive marketplace.

Primary Media Contact: Melanie Temple, Director of Public Relations and Marketing, templem@halifaxcc.edu, 252-538-4319

Wednesday, February 8, 2012

St. Cloud State's observance of Black History Month

St. Cloud State's observance of Black History Month includes films, food, entertainment, presentations, discussions, poetry and more.

February is the month students and employees honor nearly 500 years of contributions to American life by people of African ancestry.

Between the 16th and 19th centuries, an estimated 645,000 African slaves were brought to the American colonies and later the United States. Descendants of those slaves -- and others -- helped build, defend, govern, feed, educate, entertain and inspire a nation.

Feb. 7

Singer, performer, filmmaker and photographer Byron Motley presents "The Negro Baseball Leagues: An American Legacy," an educational and entertaining look at the segregated baseball leagues and the roles they played in the early days of the civil rights movement. Included is a 10-minute preview of a documentary film Motley is producing on the subject. Be there: 12:30 p.m. in Atwood Theater.


"Pride and Perseverance: The Story of the Negro Leagues" is a 50-minute film narrated by Hall of Famer and native Minnesotan Dave Winfield. The film, which includes rarely seen footage from the 1920s through 1950s, is a Major League Baseball production. Be there: 4:30 p.m. in Atwood Theater.

Feb. 11

Ebony Night is a celebration of Black America. This year's theme is "Illuminating our Path, Revealing Our Essence." Tickets are $8 for students and $10 for non-students. Be there: 6-9 p.m. Atwood Ballroom.

Daniel Bergin

Daniel Bergin. documentarian and adjunct faculty member, screens his 2004 film "North Star: Minnesota's Black Pioneers" Feb. 15 in Stewart Hall.
Feb. 13

"Brown Sugar: A Night of Poetry" will feature spoken-word performances, music and conversation, by and about African Americans. Be there: 6 p.m. in The Quarry, Atwood Memorial Center.

Feb. 13-17

Look for the "Black Love: A Week of Facts" kiosk in Atwood Memorial Center. Questions, facts and prizes about everything Black.

February 15

Daniel Bergin, award-winning film documentarian and adjunct faculty member, will screen "North Star: Minnesota’s Black Pioneers." The film discusses Minnesota’s African American citizens and their histories. Bergin will facilitate a discussion following the screening. Be there: 2 p.m. in Room 120, Stewart Hall.

Feb. 16

The film "Memphis Dreams: Searching for the Promised Land" reveals the tragic story of the African-American experience, documenting the brutal reality of slavery, the milestones in the struggle for fundamental rights, and the 1968 killing of Martin Luther King, Jr. in Memphis. Be there: 5 p.m. in Atwood Theater.

Feb. 18

Liberian Night will feature food, entertainment and fun. Be there: 6 p.m. in Atwood Ballroom.

Feb. 22

A student panel titled "Fulfilling the Dream" will discuss the ongoing struggle for racial, religious and cultural equality. Be there: 6 p.m., South Voyageurs, Atwood Memorial Center.

Programming is sponsored by these St. Cloud State entities: Council for African American Students, Liberian Student Association, Multicultural Student Services, Media Out of the Box, Cultural Diversity Committee and the Student Finance Committee. All events are free and open to the public, unless otherwise noted.

Contact: University Communications St. Cloud State University (320) 308-2284 jcwood@stcloudstate.edu

Tuesday, February 7, 2012

Cornell University Library’s extensive new collection of African-American photographs

Completing the African-American Picture In Time for Black History Month, Library Acquires Thousands of Historical Photographs

ITHACA, N.Y. (Jan. 31, 2012) – Cornell University Library’s extensive new collection of African-American photographs contains impressive images of iconic leaders of the civil rights movement and world-changing events — but the less momentous moments in black history make up an equally important part of the collection.

Among the nearly 2,000 items, recently donated by Beth and Stephan Loewentheil, are images of African Americans going about their regular lives in the 19th and 20th centuries.

“Certainly, African Americans were fighting for justice in this country, but at the same time, they were celebrating births and graduations and marriages, mourning deaths, holding family reunions, buying new homes and cars and clothes — the stuff of everyday life,” said Katherine Reagan, curator of Rare Books and Manuscripts. "Those things can be easily overshadowed, but this collection provides a window into the lives of men and women who are so frequently underrepresented in the historical record.”

Images in the collection depict the African-American experience from slavery in the agricultural antebellum South to celebrities of modern media-frenzied America.

“I'm thrilled about the collection for the possibilities it offers for research in African and African American Studies, especially as portraits like those in the new collection are hard to find today in both private and public collections,” said Cheryl Finley, associate professor of art at Cornell. “Images such as these reveal volumes about the social, material, cultural and political lives of the people pictured as well as those who may have lived similar lives or had similar experiences.”

Two boys standing on a crescent moon with a starry backdrop

Two children standing on a crescent moon with a starry backdrop.
Among the collection’s most memorable images are striking photographs of Martin Luther King Jr. in a jail cell, rare tintypes of freed slaves and personal family photo albums. The photographs also encompass a wide diversity of formats: daguerreotypes, ambrotypes, carte-de-visite photographs, albumen prints, Polaroids and more.

In honor of Black History Month, the Library’s Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections will display a sample of the collection in the gallery space between Olin and Kroch libraries on Cornell’s main campus in Ithaca, N.Y. The exhibition will open Wednesday, Feb. 1, and it is free and open to the public.

The collection will soon be open to researchers from all over the world and, Reagan added, “it has a tremendously high research value. It’s a trove of material that will help scholars who are looking for a more comprehensive view of a period that saw enormous changes for people of color in the United States.”

The African-American photographs are the newest component of the Beth and Stephan JD '75 Loewentheil Family Photographic Collection, a magnificent set of 16,000 historic images that make up a candid cross-section of the early American experience.

Many of those photographs are also currently on display on level 2B of the Carl A. Kroch Library as part of the major exhibition, “Dawn’s Early Light: The First 50 Years of American Photography.”

FOR RELEASE: Contact: Gwen Glazer. Phone: (607) 254-8390. E-mail: gglazer[at]cornell.edu

Sunday, February 5, 2012

Howard University's Women as Change Agents Peeling Back the Labels: Black Women in America'

WASHINGTON (February 1, 2012) –Howard University's Women as Change Agents (WACA) and The Washington Post will host a panel discussion related to the newspaper's recent series of articles on African-American women. The forum, titled 'Peeling Back the Labels: Black Women in America' takes place in Armour J. Blackburn University Center on the main campus on Wednesday, Feb. 29. at 6:30 p.m. Doors open at 6 p.m.

Panelists will include Dr. Tricia Bent-Goodley, a Howard University professor of Social Work; Cara V. James, director of the Disparities Policy Project of the Kaiser Family Foundation; Rahiel Tesfamariam, founder and editorial director of UrbanCusp.com; and Krissah Thompson, a national staff writer for The Washington Post. The Washington Post's nationally syndicated personal finance columnist, Michelle Singletary will moderate the forum.

The discussion will feature results from a new, national survey conducted by The Washington Post and the Kaiser Family Foundation that captured experiences and perspectives of black women. The topics include career success, raising families and romantic relationships.

All guests are requested to RSVP and submit questions for the panel to Jaye Linnen at (202) 334-4917 or email behindtheheadlines@washpost.com by noon on Wednesday, Feb. 29.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Media Contact: Rachel Mann Communications Specialist Office of University Communications rachel.mann@howard.edu 202.238.2631 www.howard.edu/newsroom/

ABOUT HOWARD

Peeling Back the Labels: Black Women in America

Photo Credit: Marvin Joseph / The Washington Post
Howard University is a private research university that is comprised of 13 schools and colleges. Founded in 1867, students pursue studies in more than 120 areas leading to undergraduate, graduate and professional degrees. Since 1998, the University has produced two Rhodes Scholars, two Truman Scholars, a Marshall Scholar, 24 Fulbright Scholars and 11 Pickering Fellows. Howard also produces more on campus African-American Ph.D. recipients than any other university in the United States. For more information on Howard University, call 202-238-2330, or visit the University's Web site at www.howard.edu.

ABOUT THE WASHINGTON POST (www.washingtonpost.com)
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Friday, February 3, 2012

Southeastern Louisiana University will host a month-long slate of activities in February in celebration of Black History Month

HAMMOND – Student organizations and academic departments at Southeastern Louisiana University will host a month-long slate of activities in February in celebration of Black History Month.

The month’s activities will be outlined at the Black History Month Kick-off, scheduled Feb. 1, at 7 p.m. in the Student Union Theatre.

“The kick-off is a student-lead effort, which will feature a combination of skits, musical selections, and motivational address,” said Eric Summers, assistant to the Vice President for Student Affairs. “We think the event will help those who attend appreciate the contributions of African Americans and how those accomplishments impact our lives today.”

Throughout February, Southeastern’s Sims Memorial Library will highlight the contributions African Americans made in the American Civil War. A special exhibit will be on display throughout the month during regular business hours, and a film series is scheduled, as well. The exhibit highlights the efforts of African Americans as soldiers, caregivers, and workers during the Civil War. The film series begins on Feb. 8 and will highlight the role of the African American soldier throughout the Civil War.

“We’re delighted to tie our Black History Month celebration into the 150th anniversary of the Civil War and to show the important contribution that African Americans made in so many different roles,” said Library Director Eric Johnson. “Our exhibit and films are running concurrently with the grant-funded book discussion and lecture series on the Civil War that the library is presenting in conjunction with the Tangipahoa Parish Library.”

Southeastern Louisiana University LogoIn conjunction with Black History Month, the Southeastern Department of History and Political Science will sponsor its annual Black History and Politics Lecture, which is dedicated to Albert Doucette Jr., Southeastern’s associate dean of the College of Arts and Sciences and special assistant to the provost for recruitment of minority faculty and staff, who died in 2004.

“Dr. Rob Alan Lawson will discuss his award-winning new book, ‘The Blues and Black Southerners 1890-1945’ at 11 a.m., Tuesday, Feb. 28, in the Student Union Theatre,” said Bill Robison, History and Political Science department head. “Copies of his book will be available for purchase and signing afterward.”

Black History Month activities are free and open to the public. The Black History Month schedule includes:

▪ Feb. 1, 7 p.m., Student Union Theatre, Kick-off: The Past is the Key to the Future – a look at how past events define the future, sponsored by the NAACP and the Office of Multicultural and International Student Affairs.
▪ Feb. 6-29, Monday-Thursday: 7:30 a.m. to 11 p.m., Friday: 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and Sunday from 2 to 11 p.m., Sims Memorial Library, “Mine Eyes Have Seen the Glory: African American Efforts in the Civil War,” an exhibit highlighting African American contributions during the American Civil War, sponsored by Sims Memorial Library Diversity Committee. The library will be closed Feb. 18 – 21 for Mardi Gras.
▪ Feb. 6, 6 p.m., The African American Heritage Museum, a trip to visit Hammond’s African American Heritage Museum, sponsored by the Black Student Union.
▪ Feb. 8, 2 p.m., Sims Library, room 252, documentary – “Royal Federal Blues: The Story of the African American Civil War,” sponsored by Sims Memorial Library Diversity Committee.
▪ Feb. 9, 2 p.m., Sims Library, room 252, PBS Documentary “The Massachusetts 54th Colored Infantry,” a film series about the role of the African American soldier in the Civil War, sponsored by Sims Memorial Library Diversity Committee.
▪ Feb. 13, 6 p.m., Sims Library, room 252, feature film “Glory,” the 1998 film about the Massachusetts 54th Colored Infantry, sponsored by Sims Memorial Library Diversity Committee.
▪ Feb. 16, 6 p.m., Student Union Theatre, Phenomenal Women – an empowerment program honoring women of all nationalities, sponsored by the Effervescent Women of Confidence, Praise in Motion, Southeastern Gospel Choir, and Delta Psi Epsilon Christian Sorority.
▪ Feb. 29, 7 p.m., Student Union Theatre, Culture Night – a celebration of a unique American culture, sponsored by the Black Student Union.

A complete list of Black History Month programs is available at www.southeastern.edu/misa. For more information, call the MISA office at (985) 549-3850. Contact: Tonya Lowentritt 1/31/12

Wednesday, February 1, 2012

The Citadel will celebrate Black History Month with community service, culture

The Citadel will celebrate Black History Month with several events highlighting the importance of public service as well as maintaining communities. The featured event will be the keynote address by state Rep. Bakari Sellers, the youngest black elected official in the country.

The annual Black History Month Bazaar will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 4, in Buyer Auditorium on the second floor of Mark Clark Hall. The bazaar attracts visitors from all over the Lowcountry with music, exhibits and food.

During the bazaar, the Center for Heirs Property Preservation, which works to empower and support heirs’ property owners and their communities, will give a seminar and answer questions. For reservations, call the center at 843-745-7055.

The Citadel African American Society, a cadet club, will discuss Hollywood Director Spike Lee’s film “Do the Right Thing” at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 8, in the Greater Issues Room in Mark Clark Hall. Controversial at the time of its release in 1989, the film brought serious issues of the African American community to light and to the big screen. Cadets will have an open discussion about issues raised in the movie and lingering issues that still exist in the African American community 23 years after its release.

On Thursday, Feb. 16, Sellers will serve as the keynote speaker for the college’s celebration of Black History Month.

Elected in 2006 to the state House of Representatives at the age of 22, Sellers is the youngest black elected official in the country. Sellers, who is passionate about civil rights, equality, education and faith, will speak at 6:30 p.m. in Copeland Auditorium in Grimsley Hall.

Bakari Sellers
Bakari Sellers
Finally, on Saturday, Feb. 25, members of the African American Society will demonstrate their servant leadership by volunteering at the First African Child Development Center at 1020 King St. The cadets will help make improvements to the development center.

All Black History Month events at The Citadel are free and open to the public. For questions, please call Multicultural Student Services at 843-953-7382.

For more information: Charlene Gunnells charlene.gunnells@citadel.edu (843) 953-2155

Monday, January 30, 2012

Ideas Have Consequences: The Radical Pedagogy of W.E.B. Du Bois

Amherst, MA – The UMass Amherst Libraries will host the 18th Annual Du Bois Lecture on February 23, 2012, at 4:30 p.m., in the Cape Cod Lounge, Student Union, at UMass Amherst. Derrick P. Alridge will give a talk, “Ideas Have Consequences: The Radical Pedagogy of W.E.B. Du Bois.” He will explore Du Bois’s many meanings of pedagogy and offer a genealogy of Du Bois’s ideas about a variety of issues faced by black Americans during the 20th century. Refreshments will be served. The event is open to the public.

Derrick P. Alridge, an educational and intellectual historian, is Professor in the Curry School of Education at the University of Virginia. Previously, he served as Professor of Education and African American Studies and Director of the Institute for African American Studies at the University of Georgia.

Alridge has published The Educational Thought of W.E.B. Du Bois: An Intellectual History; Message in the Music: Hip Hop, History, and Pedagogy (an edited volume with James B. Stewart and V.P. Franklin); and numerous articles in the fields of history, education, and African American Studies.

Alridge also serves as an associate editor for the Journal of African American History and is a Distinguished Lecturer for the Association for the Study of African American Life and History. Currently, he is writing The Hip Hop Mind: An Intellectual History of the Social Consciousness of a Generation and conducting research on the role of education and schooling in the civil rights movement.

Derrick P. AlridgeThe event is sponsored by the W.E.B. Du Bois Center at the UMass Amherst Libraries. For more information, contact Rob Cox (rscox@library.umass.edu, 413-545-6842). -30-

University of Massachusetts Amherst Amherst, MA 01003-9275 (413) 545-0150 18th Annual Du Bois Lecture Press Release January 30, 2012

Friday, January 27, 2012

Jackson Community College will present the Black History Month event, the Wilbur L. Dungy Film Festival

Jackson Community College will present the Black History Month event, the Wilbur L. Dungy Film Festival, for students and the community in February.

JCC’s Dr. Wilbur L. Dungy Endowed Chair in Life Science, Science & Health and Physical Fitness, Dr. Steven Albee-Scott, is coordinating the film series. Films focus on aspects of black history, and will include:

“The Help,” Thursday, Feb. 9, 6-9 p.m. in Federer Rooms B & C, Potter Center. An inspirational, courageous and empowering story about very different, extraordinary women in the 1960s South who build an unlikely friendship about a secret writing project – one that breaks society’s rules and puts them all at risk. Based on the New York Times No. 1 best-seller by Kathryn Stockett and with a powerful ensemble cast.

“Amistad” Thursday, Feb. 16, 6-9 p.m. in Federer Rooms B & C, Potter Center. In June 1839, the Amistad set sail from Havana with 53 Africans who had been abducted from West Africa and sold into slavery aboard. Three days into the voyage, the Africans, led by 25-year-old "Cinque," revolted, killing the captain and ordering the ship back to Africa. Later, the ship was seized, and the Africans were sent to a New Haven jail and charged with piracy and murder. Please attend to find out the rest of the story. Note that “Amistad” is rated R.

“Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner,” Thursday, Feb. 23, 6-9 p.m. in Federer Rooms B & C, Potter Center. A 1967 film about old-line liberals Matt and Christina Dayton who have raised their daughter Joey to think for herself and not blindly conform to the conventional.

Jackson Community College LogoStill, they aren't prepared for the shock when she returns home from a vacation with a new fiancé: African-American doctor John Prentice. While they come to grips with whatever prejudices they might still harbor, the younger folks must also contend with John's parents who are dead-set against the union.

All films are free, and students and the community are welcome to attend.

Jackson Community College January 24, 2012, For immediate release, 517.787.0800, M-Th 7:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., F 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Media Contact: Marilynn Fryer, 517.796.8466, e-mail: FryerMarilynT@jccmi.edu

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

The Unique Contributions of African Americans in the 21st Century

FORT WAYNE, Ind.—“The Unique Contributions of African Americans in the 21st Century” is the theme for the 2012 celebration of Black History Month at Indiana University–Purdue University Fort Wayne (IPFW). The celebration is sponsored by the Office of Diversity and Multicultural Affairs (ODMA) and the Indiana–Purdue Student Government Association (IPSGA).

The following events are free and open to the public, unless otherwise noted.

Tuesday, February 7

CTE/STEM STEPS TO SUCCESS WORKSHOP: “African-Americans in STEM Related Career Fields,” Walb Union, Rooms 114–116, Noon to 1:15 p.m.

Friday, February 10

Students with Families: “Gardening for Busy, Stressed-Out, Space-Challenged People,” presented by Ricky Kemery, Allen County Extension Office and “Stories From the African-American Tradition,” presented by storyteller Chief Condra Ridley, Walb Union Ballroom and Walb Union, Room 114–116, 6 to 8 p.m.

Tuesday, February 14

“Ain’t I a Woman,” featuring The Core Ensemble (Chamber Music Theatre),Rhinehart Recital Hall in the Rhinehart Music Center. Doors will open at 7 p.m., with the performance beginning at 7:30 p.m. This event is cosponsored by the College of Visual and Performing Arts.

Malcolm X

Malcolm X
Friday, February 17

Multicultural Campus Visit Day, Walb Student Union Ballroom, from 8 a.m.to 1 p.m. For more information, please contact Admissions at 260-481-6855.

Saturday, February 18

Brother Outsider: The Life of Bayard Rustin; panel discussion will follow the showing of the film, Allen County Public Library, 900 Library Plaza, 2 to 5 p.m. This event is cosponsored by The Society of Friends.

Monday, February 20

98th Omnibus Lecture featuring journalist and author Michele Norris and her presentation “The Grace of Silence and the Power of Words,” 7:30 p.m. in the Auer Performance Hall of the Rhinehart Music Center.

Free tickets are required; please note that the box office location has changed. Pick up tickets at the Marilyn and Jim Larson ticket office at the Gates Sports Center, Monday through Friday from 12:30 to 6:30 p.m. Tickets will be available starting January 30. The Rhinehart Music Center will be open one hour before each lecture.

Tuesday, February 21
Rhyme and Reason Reunion, a talent expo, on the 47th anniversary of the assassination of Malcolm X. The featured poet is Brandon “Xplicit Poet” Thornton; Walb Union Ballroom, from 6 to 8 p.m.

Saturday, February 25
“Redefined 2012: African-American Male Summit,” Walb Union Ballroom, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission for non-IPFW college students is $25; $15 for high school students; and free for IPFW students. For more information, contact ODMA at 260-481-6604.

Sunday, February 26
8th Annual Gospel Fest, Walb Union Ballroom, 6 to 8 p.m.

Tuesday, February 28

“Voices from the Motherland: Personal Narratives of Refuge and Migration,” Walb Union, Room 114–116, noon to 1:15 p.m.

Tuesday, February 28
Maafa 21: Black Genocide in 21st Century America; this free movie will be shown at the Allen County Public Library, meeting room A, 900 Library Plaza, at 6 p.m. For more information on this event, contact Sally Williams, Urban Life Matters, at 317-748-6269 or urbanlifematters@ymail.com.

For more information, contact the Office of Diversity and Multicultural Affairs at 260-481-6608 or dmaservices@ipfw.edu, or go to ipfw.edu/odma. Downloadable photos are available.

Monday, January 23, 2012

Black women and their contributions to American history and culture

Athens, Ga. - Black women and their contributions to American history and culture will be highlighted on the University of Georgia campus in February as the university celebrates Black History Month.

From civil rights pioneers Rosa Parks and Mahalia Jackson to modern icons like professional boxer Laila Ali and First Lady Michelle Obama, black women will take center stage during a month-long series of lectures, performances, movies and discussions at UGA.

"Almost all of our programs will tie into the theme, which is a national theme" of highlighting contributions African-American women have made to American history and culture, said LaRetha Spain-Shuler, associate director of intercultural affairs at UGA. "We wanted to reflect the contributions of African-American women in history and in the present day. For example, our keynote speaker is Mary Evelyn Dickson, who can talk of her own background, how she was homeless at one point and now she's the mayor of Riverdale."

Events are as follows:

Feb. 1 ¬- "The Meeting," 6 p.m., the Chapel. This tense play is a dramatization of a conversation between civil rights icons Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr. Admission is free.

Feb. 8 - APERO Brown Bag Discussion: "How the Accusation of Acting White Influences Leisure Preferences," 12:15 p.m., 407 Memorial Hall. The discussion is co-sponsored by the Institute for African American Studies and the Institute for African Studies.

University of Georgia LogoFeb. 9 - "The Death of the African-American Family?" 12:30 p.m., 407 Memorial Hall. Tera Hurt of the Institute for Behavioral Research will explore the structure of African-American family dynamics past and present.

Feb. 16 - "Where are the Black Ballet Dancers in America?" 4 p.m., 407 Memorial Hall. Joselli Deans and Anjali Austin, artists and scholars formerly with the Dance Theatre of Harlem, will discuss how they fought their way into the exclusive world of dance.

Feb. 17 - Dinner, Movie and Discussion: "The Help," 6 p.m., Tate Student Center Theater and Reception Hall. This screening of the 2011 box office success, based on an influential novel, will be followed by dinner and a discussion. The event is sponsored by the Committee for Black Cultural Programs, a division of the University Union Student Programming Board.

Feb. 19 - "Black Roses," presented by the Black Theatrical Ensemble, 7 p.m., Tate Student Center Grand Hall. This play will feature poetry, songs and notable scenes from African-American romantic comedies. Tickets are $2 for fees-paid students with valid UGACards on the Athens campus and $3 for non-students. Tickets may be purchased at the Tate Student Center cashier window or by calling 706/542-8074.

Feb. 22 - APERO Brown Bag Discussion: "A Mediator's Work," 12:15 p.m., 407 Memorial Hall
The discussion is co-sponsored by the Institute for African American Studies and the Institute for African Studies.

Feb. 22 - Keynote Address: Mayor Evelyn Dixon of Riverdale, Ga., 4 p.m., the Chapel
Dixon will share her path to elected office and discuss the obstacles faced by women in politics.

Feb. 23 - "The Emerging Black Church," 6 p.m., 171 Miller Learning Center
Community members, pastors and students will discuss the role of the black church in the community. The event is co-sponsored by the Institute for African American Studies.

Feb. 28 - "We Have Issues: Representations of African-American Women in Contemporary Media," 7 p.m., 407 Memorial Hall. This panel discussion will explore contemporary images of African diaspora women in entertainment, including music videos, reality television and film. Topics will include skin color, image, materialism and stereotypes.

Feb. 29 - "Confessions of a Big Girl: Reflections on Fat, Faith and Femininity," 4 p.m., South Psychology-Journalism Auditorium. Author Naima Johnston Bush will discuss cultural definitions of beauty, faith, eating disorders, sexual assault and discovering the power of your own voice.

All events are student Blue Card events. For questions and ticket information, call 706/542-8468 or see http://aacc.uga.edu. The African American Cultural Center is a unit within the UGA Division of Student Affairs.

Writer: Matt Weeks || Don Reagin || Contact: LaRetha Spain-Shuler

News Service: University of Georgia Office of Public Affairs UGA Public Affairs Hodgson Oil Building, Suite 200N 286 Oconee Street Athens, GA 30602-1999 Phone 706 / 542-8083 · Fax 706 / 542-3939.

Saturday, January 21, 2012

The Fannie Lou Hamer Story, sick and tired of being sick and tired

Fannie Lou Hamer, an activist during the civil rights movement who fought for African-American voting rights, will come to life in the play "The Fannie Lou Hamer Story" on Thursday, Feb. 16 at 7 p.m. in the Branigin Room of the Napolitan Student Center as part of Franklin College's 2011-12 Convocation Lecture Series.

Hamer was known as the lady who was "sick and tired of being sick and tired." The play depicts a woman who defined the phrase "freedom fighter" during the civil rights movement. She was born into Mississippi sharecropping poverty, and in the 1960's, she became an inspiration to those fighting for the right to vote.

Singer and actress Mzuri plays the role of Fannie Lou Hamer.

The play is free and open to the public.

Contact the Office of Public Relations for more information at (317) 738-8185.

Founded in 1834, Franklin College is a residential four-year undergraduate liberal arts institution with a scenic, wooded campus located 20 minutes south of downtown Indianapolis. The college prepares men and women for significant careers through the liberal arts, offering its approximately 1,000 students 30 majors, 35 minors and nine pre-professional programs. In 1842, the college began admitting women, becoming the first coeducational institution in Indiana and the seventh in the nation. Franklin College maintains a voluntary association with the American Baptist Churches USA.

Franklin College LogoTEXT CREDIT: Franklin College ⋅ 101 Branigin Blvd. ⋅ Franklin, IN 46131 (800) 852-0232

Release date: January 19, 2012.

Thursday, January 19, 2012

Black worker unemployment much higher than national average

Berkeley — A new report by the University of California, Berkeley’s Center for Labor Research and Education finds that throughout 2011, Black worker unemployment remained in the 15 to 16 percent range, while unemployment for the rest of the workforce dropped below 9 percent.

“Annual Report: Black Employment and Unemployment in 2011”, is based on data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Current Population Survey.

“The jobs gap between black and white workers is a story that we’ve seen for more than 50 years, but this report shows that unemployment rates for Black workers have not fallen as much as they have for their white and Latino counterparts,” said Steven Pitts, a labor policy specialist at the center and author of the report.

Pitts also noted that “current unemployment rates for Black workers are still higher than in June 2009, when the recession officially ended, and well above December 2007, when the downturn began.”
(see charts, right)

The report’s main findings include:

There was virtually no change in the official Black unemployment rate from January to December 2011. When Black women and Black men are examined separately, however, Black female unemployment rates rose, while Black male unemployment rates fell. This differs from the situation of white workers, where the unemployment rates for both men and women fell.

Since the Great Recession ended in June 2009, Black female unemployment rates have risen and Black male unemployment rates have fallen only slightly. In contrast, unemployment rates for white men and white women fell over the same time period.

Source: Steven Pitts, Ph.D. 510-643-6815 Spitts1@berkeley.edu

CONTACT: Rebecca Graham, 510‐642-9187, rebecca.graham@berkeley.edu

The U.S. added 1.6 million jobs this year, but unemployment rates for Black workers remain higher than they were during the Great Recession. Source: Steven Pitts, UC Berkeley Labor Center

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Tuskegee Airmen Red Tails use Archive at the University of California, Riverside

RIVERSIDE, Calif. – “Red Tails,” a feature film scheduled for release on Jan. 20, depicts the heroism and skill of the African-American pilots and crew members who battled segregation on the ground as they challenged Germany’s aces in the air during World War II. Those aviators, known as the Tuskegee Airmen, went on to become judges, university presidents, teachers, architects, engineers, physicians, actors, scientists, and musicians. Documents and artifacts illuminating the careers of many of those pilots and crews are preserved in the Tuskegee Airmen Archive at the University of California, Riverside.

Before shooting on the Lucasfilm Ltd. production started in Europe, several actors auditioning for parts in the film visited the UCR archive to learn more about the original Tuskegee Airmen they hoped to portray, according to University Librarian Ruth Jackson. Photographs from the archive were used in preparing for the production’s release activities, and the archive responded to requests for contact information for the filming of the DVD documentary film about the Tuskegee Airmen that will be released simultaneously.

“The emphasis of our archive is to collect not only the military history but the history of their personal lives as well,” Jackson said of the archive that was established in 2005. The university also hosts an annual celebration to honor the airmen and women who were a part of the famed Tuskegee Experience. The graduates of the program, which trained the first African-American pilots between 1943 and 1945, established an enviable record during World War II.

Tuskegee Airmen Red Tails“Red Tails” was written by John Ridley (“U Turn,” “Three Kings,” “Undercover Brother”), produced by George Lucas (“Star Wars”), and stars Cuba Gooding Jr. (“Jerry Maguire,” “Radio”) , Terrence Howard (“Mr. Holland’s Opus,” “Ray”), and Bryan Cranston (“Breaking Bad,” “Malcolm in the Middle”). It tells the story of a crew of African-American pilots in the experimental Tuskegee training program who are given a chance in 1944 to demonstrate their skill, and their courage, as the war in Europe takes its toll on Allied forces.

Jackson said the archive receives inquiries from around the world for information about the Tuskegee Airmen. For example, a salvage team retrieving a plane that was shot down off the coast of Corsica in World War II contacted the UCR archive for a photo of the Tuskegee pilot. The university was able to provide a group photo that included the pilot.

To date more than 80 donors have contributed papers, artifacts and historical records documenting the military careers and personal lives of dozens of Tuskegee Airmen, including Buford Johnson, who lives in Inland Southern California. Johnson was the chief mechanic for the three Tuskegee Airmen pilots who won the first “Top Gun” competition in 1949 made famous by the hit movie “Top Guns” starring Tom Cruise in 1986 and recently honored by the UCR archive at its annual celebration of the Tuskegee Airmen.

The UCR archive chronicles personal papers, photographs, oral histories, newspaper clippings, books by and about the airmen, military records, and memorabilia. It is the largest archive in a U.S. public university chronicling the history of the Tuskegee Airmen and Women.

For more information about the Tuskegee Airmen Archive at UC Riverside contact University Librarian Ruth Jackson at (951) 827-3221, ruth.jackson@ucr.edu; or Assistant Archivist Eric Milenkiewicz at (951) 827-3233, Eric.Milenkiewicz@UCR.edu.

NEWS MEDIA CONTACT Name: Bettye Miller Tel: (951) 827-7847 E-mail: bettye.miller@ucr.edu

Saturday, January 14, 2012

The story of Zora Neale Hurston African American writer of the Harlem Renaissance

To kick off Black History Month events at the College of Lake County, the American Place Theatre’s Literature to Life® Stage Presentation of “Zora” by Lawrence Holder will be held at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 1 in the James Lumber Center for the Performing Arts.

Performed by Cheryl Howard and adapted and directed by Wynn Handman, this dramatic biography tells the story of Zora Neale Hurston, an African American writer of the 1930s who was a celebrated figure from the Harlem Renaissance. The audience will experience Hurston’s life through intimate portraits of her contemporaries and excerpts from her significant body of literary work.

This theatrical biography was adapted into a solo performance from the original play by Laurence Holder in 2000. The show features 50 minutes of performance by this seasoned actress who captures the extraordinary spirit of the Queen of the Harlem Renaissance, Zora Neale Hurston. Incorporating music from the era and some of Hurston’s southern folklore, the story focuses on her battle to preserve her people’s culture and to live an authentic life against all odds. The presentation features a pre- and post-show interactive discussion.

Hurston’s most famous book is “Their Eyes Were Watching God.” According to the National Endowment for the Arts’ The Big Read website, to call the book “an ‘African American feminist classic’ may be an accurate statement -- it is certainly a frequent statement -- but it is a misleadingly narrow and rather dull way to introduce a vibrant and achingly human novel. The syncopated beauty of Hurston’s prose, her remarkable gift for comedy, the sheer visceral terror of the book’s climax, all transcend any label that critics have tried to put on this remarkable work.

Cheryl Howard stars in Zora on Feb. 1 at CLC.

Cheryl Howard stars in “Zora” on Feb. 1 at CLC.
First published amid controversy in 1937, then rescued from obscurity four decades later, the novel narrates Janie Crawford’s ripening from a vibrant, but voiceless, teenage girl into a woman with her finger on the trigger of her own destiny.”

The role of Zora is played by Cheryl Howard, who has toured and performed extensively throughout the United States and Europe.

Regionally, she has starred as the witch in “Into the Woods,” Mazeppa in “Gypsy,” Pattie Mae in “Home, the Musical,” LaLa in “The Colored Museum,” Josephine Baker in “Lucky in the Rain,” Miss Monisha in “Tin Pan Alley Rag” and Muzzie in “Thoroughly Modern Millie.” She was seen on Broadway as Bebe in “Dance a little Closer.” She played Deena Jones in “Dreamgirls” in Germany and Josephine Baker in “Josephine: The Musical,” which toured throughout Europe. Howard holds a B.A. in theatre arts from Rutgers University and a master’s degree in drama from Washington University in St. Louis.

General admission tickets are $26, with discounts for seniors, staff and Alumni Association members; tickets for CLC students and teens 12-17 are $16; and children’s tickets are $13 (prices include a $1 JLC facility fee). Tickets are available at the Box Office in the James Lumber Center on the Grayslake Campus, 19351 W. Washington St. For more information, call the Box Office at (847) 543-2300. The Box Office is open Monday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and 90 minutes prior to each performance. Discounts are also available for groups of six or more. For group sales information, call (847) 543-2431 or email JLCgroupsales@clcillinois.edu.

College of Lake County, 19351 West Washington Street, Grayslake, IL 60030-1198 (847) 543-2000 +sookie tex

Friday, January 13, 2012

Jeannette Brown first African American to receive degree from University of Minnesota chemistry graduate program

Jeannette Brown was the first African American to receive a degree from the University’s chemistry graduate program.

MINNEAPOLIS / ST. PAUL (01/13/2012) —University of Minnesota chemistry alumna Jeannette Brown will present a brief lecture and sign her book “African American Women Chemists” at a special book signing event from 4 to 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 18, in the University Bookstore, Coffman Union, 300 Washington Ave. S.E., Minneapolis.

Two meet-and-greet events are also planned with Brown: 2:30-3:30 p.m., Tuesday, Jan. 17 in Kolthoff Hall, Room 568A, 225 Pleasant St. S.E., Minneapolis and 1:30-3 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 18, in the Black Student Union, on the second floor of Coffman Union.

In 1958, Brown was the first African American to receive a master’s degree from the University of Minnesota Department of Chemistry’s graduate program.

In her book, Brown profiles the lives and accomplishments of 25 chemists, from the earliest pioneers to the late 1960s—a time when an explosion of career opportunities opened up to African Americans due to the passage of the Civil Rights Acts. Each mini-biography is a thorough account of the chemist’s passion for the field, what inspired her, and what she accomplished in her career. Brown rounds out this study with a narrative of her own life and achievements and a look at what’s in store for the future of African American female chemists.

University of Minnesota LogoFor 25 years, Brown worked as a research chemist at Merck & Co. Inc. She is an advocate for science education, and is passionate about serving as a mentor to and role model for underrepresented students. She was honored by the University of Minnesota with an Outstanding Achievement Award in 2005.

Media Note: To schedule an interview with Jeannette Brown, contact Rhonda Zurn at rzurn@umn.edu or (612) 626-7959.

Contacts: Rhonda Zurn, College of Science and Engineering, , rzurn@umn.edu, (612) 626-7959 Kristin Anderson, University News Service, kma@umn.edu, (612) 624-1690

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Carnegie Mellon Celebrates Martin Luther King Jr. Day

PITTSBURGH—Bernard Franklin, a friend of Martin Luther King Jr.'s family and a distinguished educator, community leader and advocate, headlines Carnegie Mellon University's annual celebration of the civil rights leader on Monday, Jan. 16.

Franklin's friendship with King's family began when his brother was Martin Luther King III's roommate at Morehouse College in Atlanta.

He will deliver a keynote address titled "The Courage to Lead" and host a roundtable discussion on the influence of male role models on African-American children.

As an undergraduate, Franklin became the first black student elected president of Kansas State University's Student Government Association. He also made history as the youngest person ever appointed to the Kansas State Board of Regents at age 24 and the youngest chair of the board at age 28.

Franklin has held senior positions in higher education, nonprofit, telecommunications and banking organizations. He currently serves as president of Delta Upsilon International Fraternity; a consultant to his church, Redeemer Fellowship; assistant to the vice president at Kansas State University; chairman of the board for the Satchel Paige Foundation; and a member of Kansas City's Google Fiber Innovation Team.

Carnegie Mellon's Office of the President and Division of Student Affairs are sponsoring the celebration, which is free and open to the public. Classes scheduled after 12:30 p.m. will be canceled to encourage student, faculty and staff participation.

Bernard Franklin

Bernard Franklin
Highlights include:

12:30-1:30 p.m. — School of Drama Tribute and President Jared L. Cohon's State of Diversity Address
Rangos Hall, University Center, second floor

1:30-2:30 p.m. — Martin Luther King Jr. Writing Awards Presentation and Readings
Rangos Hall III, University Center, second floor
High school and CMU students will read personal narratives about their experiences with racial difference and discrimination. The English Department, Division of Student Affairs and Office of the President sponsor the annual awards.

2:30-3 p.m. "MLK" Hip-Hop Music Video and Live Performances
University Center, first floor

Teens from CMU's Arts Greenhouse program will screen "Dreams of Kings," a music video they created to explore the relevance of Martin Luther King Jr. to Pittsburgh youth. A monologue by Darrell Lumpkins and a short hip-hop performance will accompany the screening.

3-4 p.m. Role Modeling and the Influence on Children Roundtable Discussion
Dowd Room, University Center, second floor
Facilitator: Bernard Franklin, consultant, educator, community leader and advocate

5 p.m. "The Courage to Lead"
Rangos Hall, University Center, second floor
Keynote address: Bernard Franklin
Student speaker: Heather Rae Martin, Tepper School of Business MBA student

A full schedule is available at www.studentaffairs.cmu.edu/first-year/mlk/.

Contact: Abby Simmons / 412-268-4290 / abbysimmons@cmu.edu

Tuesday, January 10, 2012

Princeton University will commemorate the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr.

Princeton University will commemorate the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. with its annual King Day celebration Monday, Jan. 16, in Richardson Auditorium of Alexander Hall. Doors open at 1 p.m. The keynote address will be delivered by civil rights leader and educator Bob Moses, a visiting fellow in Princeton's Center for African American Studies.

The event, which is free and open to the public, will begin at 1:15 p.m. with musical selections from A New Perspective Jazz Band, a youth quintet from Ewing, N.J.

The ceremony will include the presentation of awards to student winners in grades 4 through 12 from area schools who entered an annual Martin Luther King Day-themed contest in literary arts, visual arts and video categories. Marking the 55th anniversary of the landmark desegregation of Central High School in Little Rock, Ark., by youngsters known as the Little Rock Nine, this year's King Day contests focus on the importance of education as a foundation for success. Students were asked to propose viable options for addressing disparity in educational access and encouraging academic excellence.

During the program, the University also will present the MLK Day Journey Award, which recognizes a member of the Princeton faculty, staff or student body who best represents King's continued journey.

Moses, the keynote speaker, is the 2011-12 distinguished visiting fellow in Princeton's Center for African American Studies. Moses was a leader in the 1960s civil rights movement, serving as a key figure in the Mississippi Summer Project of 1964 to register black voters and protest racial discrimination. He is the founder and president of the Algebra Project, a national nonprofit organization that has helped thousands of students in urban and rural school districts develop essential mathematical skills.

Bob Moses

Bob Moses. Photo by Michael Lisnet, Math for America
Moses, who was awarded an honorary doctoral degree by Princeton in 2004, will co-teach a course this spring focusing on education and labor policies through the lens of race. He is the co-author of "Radical Equations: Math Literacy and Civil Rights" (2001) and co-editor of "Quality Education as a Constitutional Right: Creating a Grassroots Movement to Transform Public Schools" (2010).

The King Day event will be webcast live. It is convened and coordinated by the institutional equity and diversity team in the offices of the provost and human resources.

For immediate release: January 9, 2012 Media contact: Martin Mbugua, mmbugua@princeton.edu, (609) 258-5733.

News from PRINCETON UNIVERSITY Office of Communications 22 Chambers St. Princeton, New Jersey 08542 Telephone (609) 258-3601; Fax (609) 258-1301.

Sunday, January 8, 2012

A link between air pollution and the risks of diabetes and hypertension is of particular importance to African American women

STUDY FINDS AIR POLLUTION LINKED TO INCREASED INCIDENCE OF DIABETES AND HYPERTENSION IN AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMEN

(Boston) - The incidence of type 2 diabetes and hypertension increases with cumulative levels of exposure to nitrogen oxides, according to a new study led by researchers from the Slone Epidemiology Center (SEC) at Boston University. The study, which appears online in the journal Circulation, was led by Patricia Coogan, D.Sc., associate professor of epidemiology at the Boston University School of Public Health and the SEC.

While it is well established that air pollution increases the risks of acute cardiovascular events such as stroke and myocardial infarction, it is not known whether exposure increases the risk of chronic diseases like diabetes and hypertension. However, emerging findings from laboratory and clinical studies suggest that air pollution may predispose to both conditions.

Researchers assessed the risks of incident hypertension and diabetes associated with exposure to nitrogen oxides (NOx) and particulate matter (PM2.5) in a cohort of approximately 4,000 African American women living in Los Angeles. NOx are indicators of traffic-related air pollution. From 1995-2005, 531 incident cases of hypertension and 183 incident cases of diabetes occurred among the participants in the Los Angeles area. The risk of diabetes increased by a significant 24 percent, and the risk of hypertension by 11 percent, for each 12 ppb increase in exposure to NOx. There also were suggestive increases in risks of both diseases associated with exposure to (PM2.5), but the evidence for this was weaker than for NOx.

Patricia Coogan, MPH, D Sc

Patricia Coogan, MPH, D ScT
According to the researchers, two previous follow-up studies have suggested that traffic-related pollution increased the incidence of diabetes, but no African Americans were included. “A link between air pollution and the risks of diabetes and hypertension is of particular importance to African American women, because the incidence of both conditions is almost twice as high in African American women as in white women and African Americans live in more highly polluted areas than white Americans,” said Patricia Coogan, D.Sc., the study’s lead author. “In addition, even a modest effect of air pollutants on the risks of hypertension and diabetes will have significant public health impact due to the high incidence of these conditions and the ubiquity of exposure to air pollution,” she added.tr>

Funding for this study was provided by the National Cancer Institute.

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Boston University For Release Upon Receipt - January 5, 2012 Contact: Gina M. Digravio, 617-638-8491, gina.digravio@bmc.org ||

Friday, January 6, 2012

Educating King: Civil Rights, the Liberal Arts and the education that changed the nation

Civil Rights and the Liberal Arts topic of MLK, Jr., Day lecture at Hastings College

Note to Media: For additional information, contact Alicia O’Donnell at 402-705-0120 or aodonnell@hastings.edu.

(Hastings, Neb.) – As part of its festivities for Martin Luther King, Jr., Day, Hastings College will host Dr. Charles W. McKinney, Jr., Associate Director of African American Studies at Rhodes College in Memphis, Tenn. He will speak on Monday, Jan. 16 at 10:45 a.m. in French Memorial Chapel (800 N. Turner Ave.) His lecture, entitled “Educating King: Civil Rights, the Liberal Arts and the education that changed the nation,” will be free and open to the public.

Among Dr. McKinney’s academic interests is how the civil rights movement unfolded in the Rural South. In his book Greater Freedom: The Evolution of the Civil Rights Struggle in Wilson, North Carolina, Dr. McKinney explores the roles of social engagement and protest outside of the South’s urban centers such as Atlanta, Ga., and Birmingham, Ala.

Bio for Dr. Charles W. McKinney, Jr.

Charles W. McKinney, Jr. is an Associate Professor of History and the Associate Director of African American Studies at Rhodes College in Memphis, Tennessee. He teaches courses in African American History and American social and political history.

Hastings College LogoDr. McKinney’s particular areas of interest include the Civil Rights Movement, the relationship between history and memory in the creation of historical narratives, and the confluence of Black Power and Civil Rights ideology.

He is the author of Greater Freedom: The Evolution of the Civil Rights Struggle in Wilson, North Carolina, a book that sheds light on the dynamic interplay between black agency and white repression, the viability of building a movement in the Rural South, and the evolving nature of social change in the middle of the twentieth century.

His article “Multiple Fronts: The Struggle for Black Educational and Political Equality in Wilson, North Carolina, 1941-1953” won the R.D.W. Connor Award for Outstanding Article in The North Carolina Historical Review for 2011. Another article, entitled “Finding Fannie Corbett: Black Women and the Transformation of Civil Rights Narratives in Wilson, North Carolina”, appears in the volume Local Studies, A National Movement: Toward a New Synthesis of the Black Freedom Struggle, edited by Emilye Crosby.

Dr. McKinney earned his B.A. degree in history from Morehouse College, and his doctorate in American History from Duke University. He is married to Natalie McKinney, and is the proud father of Charles, Mathias and Vanessa Marie, who is currently a senior at Hastings (Neb.) College.

Hastings College, founded in 1882, is a private, four-year liberal arts institution affiliated with the Presbyterian Church (USA). A total of 64 majors in 32 areas of study and 12 pre-professional programs are offered to more than 1,150 students. Hastings College was named among “America’s Best National Liberal Arts Colleges” by U.S. News & World Report, a “Best in the Midwest” by The Princeton Review, and a “Best Buy in College Education” by Barron’s. Visit www.hastings.edu for more information.

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TEXT and IMAGE CREDIT: Hastings College, 710 N. Turner, Hastings, NE 68901 • (800) 532-7642 January 5, 2012 For Immediate Release