Black Heritage Month festivities
The date today is Feb. 28. It’s may be last official day of February, and therefore the last official day of Black Heritage Month, but the fun cultural activities go on another 10 days. Things to look forward to are soul food, Spike Lee’s important film “Bamboozled” (see story), music education, black comedy, the “Zero” awards, black comedy and more. Read on for the lowdown:
Hungry? Head to Smith 226 at noon today for some barbecued meat and soul food from Portland institution Yam Yam’s. Darrel Grant will be playing jazz piano and the luncheon costs seven dollars. Get there early, and grab extra napkins – over 100 people showed up last year.
Have you ever wondered how hip-hop was born? Tomorrow evening, March 1 at 6:30 p.m., is your chance to get educated at a lecture entitled Musical Roots, Exploring the Family Tree of Black Music. The event will look at the history of black music from slavery to present times.
This Saturday, you can check out Spike Lee’s film, “Bamboozled.” It will screen at 7 p.m. in the West Hall building. call 503-725-4355 for details or head over there and look for signs. Check out the review in this issue.
A presentation entitled “Legacy of Black Women,” will take place Tuesday March 5 from 6 to 8 p.m. This event will explore the contribution of African American women to culture and how the legacy can be continued.
Ever wonder how diverse Portland State’s departments really are? The infamous Zero Awards will take place from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the parkway Commons North on Thursday, March 7. Departments with zero minority faculty and staff will be recognized.
Later that day check out Washington Post Features writer Dr. Kristal Breent Zook’s presentation “Welfare Mamas and Golddiggas.” Dr. Zook has published in too many places to list and has done extensive research into media representations and more. She will share her research from 4 to 6 p.m. in Smith 228.
If you need a laugh and like standup check out The Black Comedy Tour, rolling in Friday, March 8 for a performance in Hoffman Hall. Headlining the tour will be Cocoa Brown. She’s known to please a crowd with her versatility. She can be squeaky clean and then turn around and drop material that would make Richard Pryor blush. She’ll do a female-centered act then work the guys as well. She has won comedy awards and toured with multiple national tours. The show will begin at 7 p.m. in Hoffman Hall and admission is ten dollars. Call the Black Cultural Affairs Board at 503-725-5660 for details.
The final event of the Black Heritage celebration will be the Black Heritage Dance, taking place March 9 in the Radisson Hotel near the Rose Garden at 1441 N.E. Second Ave. Music plays from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. Admission is seven dollars before 11 p.m. and $10 after. It’s being sponsored by Alpha Kappa Alpha, Pi Sigma Chapter.
All the events that took place during this celebration were sponsored and organized by the Black Culture Affairs Board, the PSU chapter of the NAACP and Alpha Kappa Alpha. “The turnout has been excellent this year,” said BCAB co-cordinator Jataune Hall. In addition to setting up this festival the BCAB mentors middle and high school kids, feeds us students with two annual bar-b-ques, and organizes various fun events. Interested students can visit BCAB in the Smith center basement, Room 26 or call them at 503-725-5660.
