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.

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.

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

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.”

There 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.

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

"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

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.

FOR 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

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

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.

For 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

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

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

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.”

- “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

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’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

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. 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

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 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

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

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)
The Washington Post provides award-winning news and understanding about the politics, policies, personalities and institutions that make Washington, D.C. the world's seat of power, and is a critical tool and information source for those who call Washington, D.C. home. In digital form, The Washington Post combines its world-class journalism with the latest technology and tools, and encourages participation and customization across all digital platforms so readers can engage with The Washington Post anytime, anywhere. The Washington Post is owned by The Washington Post Company, a diversified education and media company.

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.”

In 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

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

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