September 15, 2016

Celebration of National Museum of African American History and Culture among activities at BCC's Friends and Family Day

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Purdue University's Black Cultural Center on Sept. 24 will host Friends and Family Day immediately after the Nevada-Purdue football game, which starts at noon. The family-oriented event will celebrate BCC's fall theme, "Away to the West: Black Cowboys and Black Prosperity in the American West."

The BCC also will celebrate the opening of the National Museum of African American History and Culture at the event. The BCC and the Smithsonian museum are partnering to celebrate the Sept. 24 dedication with a livestream webcast of the ceremony and a traveling exhibition that will be on display. The exhibition, "A Place for All People: Introducing the National Museum of African American History and Culture," features several informative posters that survey the African-American community's contributions to the American story.

The afternoon also will feature Vanessa Adams-Harris, who will perform part of her one-act vignette, "Big Mama Speaks." The play is based on Hannibal B. Johnson's book, "Black Wall Street: From Riot to Renaissance in Tulsa's Historic Greenwood District."

Also during the afternoon, Marcia Fountain-Blacklidge will lead participants through a hands-on workshop to create personal art pages. Fountain-Blacklidge's workshop is based on a Chippewa saying: "You have to know where you have come from in order to know who you are and where you are going." Participants can use favorite family stories or memories as part of this activity. The art pages will reflect connections between the participants, their culture, nature and spirituality.

Friends and Family Day is free and open to the public. Activities are appropriate for all ages. 

Contact: Greg McClure, 765-496-9711, gmcclure@purdue.edu 

Source: Renee Thomas, 765-494-3091, rathomas@purdue.edu

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