Lafayette will celebrate Black History Month throughout the month of February with lectures, an art exhibit, films, discussions, workshops, and performances.
The celebration’s keynote address by award-winning author, filmmaker, and professor Molefi K. Asante, Jr. ’04 has been rescheduled for 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 25, in room 104 of Kirby Hall of Civil Rights. A book and DVD signing and reception will follow in the lobby. The author of three celebrated books, Asante is the recipient of the 2009 Langston Hughes Award. His latest book, It’s Bigger Than Hip Hop, was hailed by the Los Angeles Times as “an empowering book that moves you to action and to question status quo America.” His other books are the award-winning poetry collections, Beautiful. And Ugly Too and Like Water Running Off My Back.
The month’s events are coordinated by the Office of Intercultural Development and are sponsored by the Africana studies program; Africans Creating Awareness, Consciousness, and Interest Abroad; the Association of Black Collegians; the departments of civil & environmental engineering, economics, English, geology, government & law, history, physics, and religious studies; Lafayette Intercultural Networking Council; Landis Community Outreach Center; Omega Psi Phi Fraternity; Skillman Library; and the Williams Center for the Arts.
For more information about the College’s Black History Month celebration, contact Amina DeBurst, assistant director of intercultural development at debursta@lafayette.edu.
Schedule of Events:
- All Month, Lass Gallery in Skillman Library — Islam in Africa: A Pilgrimage to Touba, Senegal. Color and black-and-white photographs by New York-based photographer David Katzenstein capture the many faces of the annual Islamic pilgrimage to Touba, Senegal.
- Feb. 1, 11 a.m.-2 p.m., Landis Atrium of Farinon College Center — Black History Month Kick-Off with free food, music, and artwork.
- Feb. 2, 4:15 p.m., Williams Center — HipHop dance workshop with Rennie Harris. All are welcome.
- Feb. 3, 7 p.m., Williams Center — Rennie Harris Puremovement Dance Company lecture and performance.
- Feb. 5, noon, Kirby Hall of Civil Rights room 104 — Open forum on current crisis and recovery in Haiti. Hosted by Steve Lammers Helen H.P. Manson Professor Emeritus of the English Bible; Bonnie Winfield, director of the Landis Community Outreach Center; Stephen Kurtz, associate professor of civil and environmental engineering; and David Stifel, assistant professor of economics.
- Feb. 7, 5 p.m., Portlock Black Cultural Center — Association of Black Collegians presents Black Student Academic Achievement brownbag discussion.
- Feb. 11, 4:15 p.m., Gendebien Room in Skillman Library — Photographer David Katzenstein will discuss his exhibit Islam in Africa, running all month in the Lass Gallery.
- Feb. 11, 7:30 p.m., Limburg Theater in Farinon College Center — Screening and discussion of Youssou N’Dour: I Bring What I Love (2009). The film follows Senegalese mega pop star Youssou N’Dour after the release of his first album of Islamic religious music. Discussion led by Emily Musil, assistant professor of history; Senegalese scholar Cheikh Fara Gaye; and photographer David Katzenstein.
- Feb. 15, 7 p.m., Kirby Hall of Civil Rights room 104 — Diane Shaw, special collections librarian and College archivist, will present a talk on Lafayette’s history as it relates to civil rights.
- February 17, 4:15 p.m., Gendebien Room in Skillman Library — Fireside Conversation with Yaba Blay, visiting assistant professor of Africana studies, and Bryan Washington, associate professor of English. They will discuss the issue of multiple identities within the Black community.
- Feb. 24, 4:15 p.m., back room of Gilbert’s Cafe — Fireside Conversation with Fluney Hutchinson, associate professor of economics, and John McCartney, professor of government and law. They will discuss various topics related to the first year of Obama’s Presidency.
- Feb. 25, 7:30 p.m., Kirby Hall of Civil Rights room 104 — Black History Month keynote speaker Molefi K. Asante, Jr. ’04.
- Feb. 27, 6:30 p.m., Kirby Hall of Civil Rights room 104 — Live Senegalese Hip Hop performance and screening of the film Democracy in Dakar (2009) followed by a panel with Ben Herson, the film’s producer; Moussa Sall, a Senegalese rapper featured in the film; and Waterflow, a Senegalese rapper and activist.
- Feb. 28, 6 p.m. West Wing of Marquis Hall — Que-munnity Heroes Dinner. Join Omega Psi Phi and the Association of Black Collegians in honoring outstanding individuals in the Easton community. This is a black tie event, which is free and open to the Lafayette community.