Athens, Ga. – The University of Georgia’s February calendar is stocked with events celebrating and expressing the African-American experience for Black History Month 2010.
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 Multicultural Services and Programs at UGA.
The discussion group My Sister’s Keeper will meet Feb.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 will begin at noon Feb. 5 in the Russell Library Auditorium.
The Black Theatrical Ensemble will present 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 Memorial Hall.
“A Soulful Celebration,” a dinner and concert organized by the Georgia Museum of Art will be held at 6 p.m. on Feb. 24 in the Visual Arts Building. Tickets for the event, which honor Louis and Mae Castenell,are $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.
UGA’s first African-American dean, Louis Castenell served as dean of the College of Education for eight years. During his time at the university, he as worked hard to increase diversity awareness on campus. His wife, Mae, is a founding and active member of the Athens chapter of the Links, Inc., one of the nation’s oldest and largest volunteer service organizations committed to maintaining and ensuring the cultural and economic survival of African Americans and other persons of African ancestry.
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, featuring Ron Clark,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 others.
