UAF Commemorates Black History Month

Submitted by Kasey Gillam
Phone: (907) 474-7581
02/06/03

The University of Alaska Fairbanks Office of Multicultural Affairs will commemorate Black History Month with several activities throughout the month of February.

Bobby Lewis and Eustace Robinson of New York City get the month’s activities started with Gospel Singsperation Wednesday, Feb. 12 with the History of Gospel and the Crossing. The Fairbanks Summer Arts Festival invited Lewis and Johnson back to Fairbanks for the Winter Edition. The performance will take place in the Wood Center Multilevel lounge from noon - 2 p.m.

Motivational speaker Walter D. Smith will give an inspirational talk, "Against All Odds" in Signers’ Hall Lobby from 4 - 5:30 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 14. Smith is a body builder who tells his personal story about how he turned his life around after being convicted and sentenced to serve six to 25 years for an admitted felony. Smith was subsequently sentenced to serve 78 to 190 years for unrelated rape charges, for which he served 11 years until he was exonerated after DNA testing showed that he was innocent.

Other activities include the following:

´ Forum on Institutional Climate, sponsored by OMA and UAF Staff Council, Thursday, Feb. 20 from 1 - 3 p.m. in the Wood Center Ballroom.

´ Pre-poetry slam and rap session, featuring Marc Bamuthi Joseph, Thursday, Feb. 20 in the Office of Multicultural Affairs at 4 p.m.

´ Poetry Slam, Tap and Rap, Oral Dance Traditions, featuring hip-hop poet, Marc Bamuthi Joseph, Thursday, Feb. 20 in the Wood Center Ballroom at 7 p.m.

´ Seven Shades of Black, audience participation play, Friday, Feb. 28 in the Wood Center Ballroom from 12:30 - 2 p.m.

All activities are open to the public. Parking is available across from the Patty Center and a shuttle is available. Visit hotlinks http://www.uaf.edu/parking/bus.html for shuttle schedules.

CONTACT: LaJuana Williams, Office of Multicultural Affairs at (907) 474-7300 or Carla Browning, UAF University Relations at (907) 474-7778 for more information.