A month-long celebration of the African-American culture will showcase music and dance, film, in-depth discussion and ethnic food in recognition of Black Awareness Month, observed in February each year at the University of Colorado at Boulder.
A highlight of the month will be a performance by internationally renowned soprano Kathleen Battle at 8 p.m. Feb. 5 in Macky Auditorium. Battle has appeared in the world's leading opera houses and toured extensively throughout the United States, Canada, South America, Europe and the Far East. Her lyric soprano voice and unique artistry have captivated audiences around the world through performance, recordings and television appearances.
Battle1s performance is being presented by the Boulder Philharmonic and sponsored by Mac Media LLC. Tickets are available through the Boulder Philharmonic at 449-1343.
Previewing Black Awareness Month will be the Alvin Ailey Repertory Ensemble at 7 p.m. Jan. 21 in Macky Auditorium presented by the Artist Series at CU's College of Music. The ensemble is considered one of the most extraordinary young dance companies in America. Created in 1974 by Alvin Ailey to showcase the talents of the most exceptional students from his American Dance Center, the group won critical praise for its tours and school residencies throughout the country.
For ticket information call 492-8008.
This year's keynote address will be presented by Sallye McKee, assistant to the provost and vice president for academic affairs at Bowling Green State University in Bowling Green, Ohio. McKee formerly was director of the Minority Arts & Sciences Program at CU-Boulder. Her talk, "Black Essence, African-American Spirit," is set for Feb. 4 at 7:30 p.m. in the Glenn Miller Ballroom.
McKee has taught and been an administrator in educational settings from kindergarten through graduate school for more than 20 years. Her research focuses on educating American students about poverty and the role of academic and social mentoring as a means to improving education. McKee teaches graduate and undergraduate courses in educational psychology and family studies.
The Black Alumni Scholarship Fundraiser Dinner will kick off Black Awareness Month festivities at 6 p.m. Feb. 1 in the Glenn Miller Ballroom of the UMC. The keynote speaker will be Joe Louis Barrow Jr., president and chief operating officer of IZZO Systems Inc. in Denver and son of legendary boxer Joe Louis.
Barrow served as director of special projects and senior adviser to the late Ron Brown, chairman of the Democratic National Committee. He published a biography on his father, "Joe Louis: 50 Years an American Hero," in 1988 and is currently developing "Joe Louis: The Motion Picture." Tickets to the fundraiser dinner are $35. Tables may also be purchased at various rates. Contact Graylon Cole at 321-8542 for tickets and information on table prices.
Other events will be featured during CU-Boulder1s Black Awareness Month:
Dance Professor Letitia Williams will lead the Harambee Dancers in a variety of African rhythms and movement at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 21 in the CU Recreation Center, second floor aerobics room. Audience participation is encouraged and highly recommended to appreciate this African dance experience. Admission is free.
Guest conducter Horace Boyer will lead a Gospel Music Workshop and performance in one of the most popular annual events of Black Awareness Month. The workshop will be from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Feb. 1 followed by the Gospel Music Festival performance at 4 p.m. Feb. 2. Both will be at Mount Calvary Lutheran Church, 3485 Stanford Court, Boulder. Admission is free and the public is encouraged to participate.
Boyer is a professor of music theory and African-American music at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst.
Umoja Voices, CU-Boulder's student gospel choir, will present the Ninth Annual Gospel Extravaganza from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Feb. 16 in the Glenn Miller Ballroom in the UMC. Accompanied by several Denver-Boulder gospel choirs, the ensemble performs modern gospel music. Admission is free.
In a return engagement, local comedian Darryl Collier will appear at 7 p.m. Feb.7 in Old Main Chapel. A comedy performance also will conclude Black Awareness Month at 8 p.m. Feb. 28 in Old Main Chapel featuring Lady Mae, Kwame D, and AD (sic). Both performances are free.
Sister to Sister, three discussions of health, relationships and life, will be at 7 p.m. in the Dennis Small Third World Center, UMC 305, on Feb. 6, Feb. 18 and Feb. 25. Also, a panel discussion on Black Women in the Black Liberation Movement will be presented in Hellems 201 at 6 p.m. on Feb. 27.
Lawrence Levine, professor of cultural history at the University of California at Berkeley, and author of "The Opening of the American Mind," will speak on "The Search for American Identity" at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 20 in Old Main Chapel. "The Opening of the American Mind" is Levine's response to educator Allan Bloom's 1987 bestseller, "The Closing of the American Mind."
Jualynne Dodson, professor of Ethnic Studies, will lead off Black Love Week Feb. 10 to Feb. 15 with a discussion of the black family at 7 p.m. Feb. 10 in Hellems, room 81. From 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. Feb. 11 a panel discussion on "Relationships in the Nineties" will meet in UMC 235. A Valentine's Day Social will be in Koenig Alumni Center at 8 pm. Feb 13 and Harlem Cabaret will be at 8:30 p.m. Feb. 14 in the East Dining Room of the UMC.
Heritage Film Series and the International Film Series will present "Just Black" at 6 p.m. Feb. 3 in the Forum Room of the UMC and "God is Angry: The Black Power Movement," at 6 p.m. Feb. 17 in Chemistry 140.
Willie Bradley of the CU-Boulder Housing office will don his chef's hat to create the annual soul food dinner to be served from 4:15 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Feb. 28 at Cheyenne Arapaho Dining Hall. Open to students, faculty, staff and the public, a nominal fee will be charged for non-CU students.
For more information on events or to receive a brochure call the CU-Boulder Office of Public Relations at 492-6431.