The university’s February calendar is stocked with events celebrating and expressing the African-American experience for 2010 Black History Month.
The national theme this year is “The History of Black Economic Empowerment,” but university events will touch on both the theme and on wider influences, said Michael Jackson, assistant director of the Multicultural Services and Programs at UGA.
Festivities kick off with a lecture from noted musician, scholar and activist Derrick Ashong, who will give a lecture entitled “The Voice of New Generation” at 4 p.m. Feb. 1 in the Chapel.
Ashong, a Ghana-born and Harvard-educated performer and lecturer, gained attention during the 2008 presidential election, when a YouTube video of him speaking about Barack Obama was viewed more than 1 million times. A true global citizen, the 34-year-old Ashong has lived in New Jersey, Ghana and Saudi Arabia and has lectured throughout five continents. In 2007, he won Billboard Magazine’s world song writing competition under his stage name, DNA.
The month continues with the discussion group My Sister’s Keeper meeting on Feb. 1, 8 and 15 at 6 p.m. in Room 414 of Memorial Hall, and the documentary A Tale of Two Cities, 1961: Atlanta–Dallas Prepare for School Desegregation at noon Feb. 5 in the Russell Library Auditorium.
In addition, the Black Theatrical Ensemble presents Love Jones at 7 p.m. Feb. 11 in the Grand Hall of the Tate Student Center. The Reed Hall Council will host a mock up of the Underground Railroad at 6:30 p.m. Feb. 17 in Reed Hall.
Two special APERO lectures are scheduled in February, with a talk devoted to Black History Month slated for 12:15 p.m. Feb. 10 and another on “Remembering Emmett Till” at 12:15 p.m. Feb. 24. Both lectures take place in Room 407 of Memorial Hall.
The Black History Month Dinner and Performance begins at 6 p.m. Feb. 24 in the Visual Arts Building. Tickets cost $40 per person. The dinner will be followed with a free concert by the Ebenezer Baptist Church West Choir at the UGA Chapel set for 7:30 p.m.
The Coffee Hour and Black Business Expo will be held Feb. 26 from 11:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m. in the Memorial Hall Ballroom, and the 2010 Holmes-Hunter Lecture will take place at 2 p.m. in Hodgson Hall.
Presentation of the 2010 Image Awards, sponsored by the UGA chapter of the NAACP, takes place at 7 p.m. Feb. 27 at the Classic Center. Tickets are $10 for students and $30 for all others.
