Black History Month’s theme looks to future

By ALEXANDRA RODRIGUEZ
Collegian Staff Writer

February will be a month filled with art, music and literature as the Penn State community celebrates Black History Month.

"I think it is important to celebrate every culture's history. You should appreciate your culture throughout the year, but it is good to put it in the forefront," Stephanie Reavis (senior-nursing) said.

The month's theme is "Visions of a New Era," focusing on both the history of African Americans and the roles they will play in the future.

"It is important that we all have a clear vision of the interrelations of all humanity, and what we are doing with this theme is to focus on how people should view African-American culture as part of their own culture," said Lawrence Young, director of the Paul Robeson Cultural Center.

The celebration is being sponsored by the center in collaboration with the departments of African and African-American studies, English, history and women's studies, the Black Caucus, the Black Graduate Student Association and the National Pan-Hellenic Council.

An African-American community read-in will take place on Feb. 7 and 8, Young said. Elaine Richardson, assistant professor of English, is bringing the program -- which is designed to promote literacy and the appreciation of African-American literature -- to Penn State for the first time.

"We hope to familiarize a larger segment of the society with the contribution to literature that African Americans have made," Young said.

Richee Byrd (senior-political science) said Black History Month is more than a display of African-American talent. It is a time to ponder a person's heritage, she said.

"It makes you think about your past, and often we get caught up in our everyday lives and we forget where we came from, so (during this month) we can stop and think about our heritage," she said.

Black History Month events begin tomorrow with Tom McKinney's art display in the Paul Robeson Cultural Center. An open reception for the artist will be held at 6 p.m. tomorrow.

For more information, contact the center at 865-1779 or the African and African-American studies department at 863-4243.