Purdue News
Purdue News
In honor of Black History Month in February, the Black Cultural Center and Purdue Memorial Union Galleries will present a free African-American art exhibition, "Kente: Cloth of the Asante Kings." Harriet Schiffer, an independent educational and marketing consultant from Jenkinstown, Pa., developed the exhibit, which will be in the Union Gallery from Feb. 9 through March 22. The gallery is open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Sundays from 12:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Schiffer will present a lecture and kente cloth wrapping demonstration at 3 p.m. Feb. 10 in the East Faculty Lounge, Purdue Memorial Union.
The Wilberforce University Choir will visit Purdue on Sunday, Feb. 2, to perform as part of an exchange program with Purdue's Black Voices of Inspiration choir, one of the cultural center's four performing ensembles. The Wilberforce Choir will present a concert of gospel music at 3 p.m. in Fowler Hall. Admission is free, and a reception will follow in Room 118, Stewart Center. The Purdue choir will travel to Wilberforce to perform Feb. 9.
Milton L. Creagh, a consultant and community educator, will discuss issues of AIDS awareness, cultural diversity and drug prevention at 8 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 5. He is the host of a PBS nationally syndicated show, "Parenting Works." The lecture will be in Fowler Hall, Stewart Center. Admission is free, and a reception will follow in Room 118, Stewart Center. Creagh also will present workshops at noon for Wiley Hall residents and counselors and at 3 p.m. at Hanna Community Center in Lafayette.
The Black History Month keynote speaker, Yosef Ben-Jochannan, will speak at 8 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 13. "Dr. Ben" is a researcher, lecturer, teacher and historian. He is a professor at Al Alzar University in Cairo, Egypt, and recently retired from Cornell University. His free lecture will be in Room 202, Stewart Center, with a reception in Room 118, Stewart Center.
"Womyn With Wings," written by J.H. Chapmyn, will be presented by Living the Dream Inc. on Wednesday, Feb. 19. The free performance will begin at 8 p.m. in Loeb Playhouse, Stewart Center. A reception will follow in Room 118, Stewart Center.
Black Coffee House No. 52 will highlight the Black Voices of Inspiration and the New Directional Players at 8 p.m. Friday, Feb. 28. Marshall White is the artist-in-residence for the Black Voices of Inspiration. The New Directional Players will present an original play by Purdue student Shannon Skipper-Green. The ensembles will perform in Matthews Hall Auditorium. Admission is free, and a reception will follow at the Black Cultural Center.
On Sunday, March 2, the Black Cultural Center, in conjunction with Purdue Convocations, will present "Having Our Say," a play about the struggles and triumphs of Bessie and Sadie Delaney, African-American sisters growing up in 20th century America. The performance will be at 4 p.m. in Loeb Playhouse. Admission is $20 for the public and $12 for students.
Steve Birdine, coordinator of diversity programs at Indiana University and president of Creative Diversity Communications, will give his workshop, "What Have We Done for Us Lately," on Thursday, March 6. The program discusses recruitment, retention and unity, and participants receive an "action plan" to be used in the academic environment. The free workshop will begin at 8 p.m. in Room 206, Stewart Center.
Poet Danny Bellinger, who has been published in the "Catalyst" student magazine and "Black Poetry of the '80s From the Deep South," will share his work on Thursday, March 27. Bellinger's work has been compared to that of Zora Neale Hurston because many of his poems take on a folk-like nature. The free presentation will be at 8 p.m. in Room 202, Stewart Center.
Black Coffee House No. 53 will present the Haraka Writers Poetry Fest '97 at 8 p.m. Friday, March 28. The group is made up of student and community writers committed to the literary expression of the black experience. They are named Haraka after the Swahili word meaning "expression." The group will perform in Matthews Hall Auditorium. Admission is free; a reception will follow at the Black Cultural Center.
Three of the four Black Cultural Center performing arts ensembles will have their spring productions in April.
The first is the Black Voices of Inspiration concert, at 3 p.m. Sunday, April 6, in Loeb Playhouse. Admission is $3 for students and $5 for the public.
The New Directional Players will have its spring drama production at 3 p.m. Sunday, April 13, in Fowler Hall. The group will present "Long Time Since Yesterday," a drama in two acts by J.P. Gibson. Admission is free.
The Jahari Dance Troupe Spring Revue concludes the Cultural Arts Series for the 1996-97 year. The performance will be at 3 p.m. Sunday, April 20, in Fowler Hall. Admission is free. Zonda Brooks is the choreographer for the Jahari Dancers.
CONTACT: Renee Thomas, director, Black Cultural Center, (765) 494-3091; e-mail, rathomas@hfs.purdue.edu
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