Purdue News

January 29, 1999 Purdue schedules Black History Month activities WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. -- Purdue University will sponsor about a dozen Black History Month activities during February. This year's national theme is "A Legacy of African American Leadership." Labor and anti-racism activist Charlene Mitchell will speak on the national theme at 7 p.m. Monday, Feb. 8, in Room 322 Stewart Center. The lecture is free and open to the public. Mitchell, an executive assistant for the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees in New York City, has been on the front lines for more than 40 years fighting against racism and injustice and for democracy and peace. She is a founding member and national officer of the Committees of Correspondence and served as founding executive director of the National Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression. She was executive secretary of the national committee to free Angela Davis, and she has traveled the world working for human rights. Her current interests include efforts against racism and anti-Semitic violence. She just completed a sabbatical as recipient of the prestigious Bannerman Fellowship given to people of color who are leaders and teachers in movements for social justice. On Thursday, Feb. 4, Terri Boone, director of the Hanna Community Center in Lafayette, will give a Brown Bag lecture about "Living the Legacy: African American Leadership as a Community Partnership." The talk begins at noon in Stone Hall Cellar. Both events are sponsored by Purdue's African American Studies and Research Center. Mitchell's talk is co-sponsored by the university's Women's Studies Program. Purdue's Black Cultural Center is also sponsoring a host of activities in February. Runoko Rashidi will deliver a Black History Month lecture at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 3. Rashidi, an African history researcher and writer from San Antonio, Texas, will discuss "Looking at Australia Through African Eyes." He and Ivan Van Sertima co-authored "Introduction to the Study of African Classical Civilizations." Rashidi also is the editor of "The African Presence in Early Asia," and he has published more than 200 articles. His free lecture will be in Room 218, Stewart Center. The Haraka Writers, the BCC's creative writing ensemble, will perform "Love Poems" at 7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 12, in the Bean Cellar and Sweet Shop, Purdue Memorial Union. The event is free. "Blues Women Don't Wear No Shoes," a one-woman play performed by Reane McNeil from Imani Revelation production company in Erie, Ill., will be presented at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 16, in Fowler Hall, Stewart Center. The play is about six black women who address pressing social issues including racism, sexism, homelessness, AIDS and domestic violence. Admission is free. "The IU Soul Revue," a student performing arts group from Indiana University, will perform at 2 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 21, at Fowler Hall, Stewart Center. The group, sponsored by the Afro-American Arts Institute on the IU-Bloomington campus, is devoted to preserving and promoting the traditions of urban black popular music. It has developed a repertoire of rhythm and blues, soul, funk, top 40 and contemporary jazz-fusion works. The event is free and open to the public. A program designed to increase public appreciation for the diversity of body sizes and shapes and skin colors will be held Monday, Feb. 22. The BCC's Jahari Dance Troupe will give a free performance titled "Celebrate Every Body" starting at 7 p.m. in Elliott Hall of Music. The event is sponsored by the Purdue Health Promotions Program. Fiction writer Edward Jones from the Washington, D.C., area will read from his original work "Lost in the City" at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 23, in the Bookstall of the Purdue Undergraduate Library. "Lost in the City" is a book of 14 stories of African-American life in Washington. Jones' stories have been published in Callaloo, Queen's Quarterly, The Paris Revue, Essence magazine and the Washington Post Magazine. Admission is free. The BCC Coffee House on Friday, Feb. 26, will feature three of the center's performing arts ensembles: the Haraka Writers, Jahari Dance Troupe and the New Directional Players. "A Jazzy '70s Time" will be presented at 7 p.m. at Fowler Hall, Stewart Center. Tickets are $5 for students, $7 for the public, and may be purchased the evening of the show at the Loeb Box Office. The Black Voices of Inspiration, the BCC's other performing arts ensemble, will perform contemporary Christian music during "Worship Together" at 10:30 a.m. Sunday, Feb. 28, at University Church, 320 North St., West Lafayette. The worship service is free and open to students and the community. Purdue Convocations is bringing the acclaimed Boys Choir of Harlem to Elliott Hall of Music at 8 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 20. Tickets are $26, $20 and $13 for the public, $14 or $12 for Purdue students. Charge by phone at (765) 494-3933 or 1-800-914-SHOW. The concert is sponsored by Lafayette Life Insurance Co. Sources: Rita Hillman, African American Studies office, (765) 494-5681; e-mail, rhillman@sla.purdue.edu Renee Thomas, Black Cultural Center director, (765) 494-3091; e-mail, rathomas@hfs.purdue.edu Sue Stevens, Convocations publicist, (765) 494-5045; e-mail, snstevens@convos.purdue.edu Writer: Beth Forbes, (765) 494-9723; e-mail, beth_forbes@purdue.edu Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; e-mail, purduenews@purdue.edu To the Purdue News and Photos Page