Today marks the beginning of African American History Month, which will showcase a variety of events sponsored by Penn State groups and affiliates, with the theme of "Out of the Shadows: Celebrating Women of the African Diaspora."
Michael Hannon, assistant director of the Paul Robeson Cultural Center, said the theme was chosen to celebrate all women of African descent and to shed light on their lives by taking them "out of the shadows."
"We wanted to do something to celebrate African and African American women," Hannon said.
He said the center played a major role in developing a succinct list of events so people will know what is happening throughout the month. Many of the events on that list are either sponsored or co-sponsored by the center.
One example is a speech by celebrated journalist Thulani Davis, a senior editor at The Village Voice, at 6 p.m. today in Carnegie Cinema, 113 Carnegie Building.
An African American read-in will take place at 4 p.m. Sunday in the HUB Heritage Hall. This annual event is organized to bring together community members to read.
"The motive is for students of all ages to take two days and read African American literature," Hannon said.
Chris Chambers is the president of Omega Psi Phi fraternity, which is sponsoring the Ms. Black Penn State Pageant Feb. 9 at 6 p.m. in the Schwab Auditorium.
"It's an opportunity for the black women on campus to display their talent," Chambers said, adding that they also display their community service work and their ability to work together.
Chambers said the theme of the pageant is the Ghanian word sankofa, which means to reclaim your past so you can move forward in your future, Chambers said. He said the group aims to "tell what our community has gone through and places where we need to go."
Nikeeya James, service co-chair of Delta Sigma Theta sorority, said her group will be sponsoring various events from Feb. 11 through Feb. 15, including a mock dating game in the Pollock Commons on the day before Valentine's Day.
James said the group is a historically Black public service sorority that focuses mainly on women and minority issues. "We like to focus on the issues that are prevalent in the community," she said.
Other events for the upcoming week include:
-Now-Mar. 17: Contemporary & Historical Black Dolls Exhibit, HUB Robeson Gallery
-Feb. 2: Touch of Africa, 6 p.m., Penn Stater President's Hall
-Feb. 4: Lecture by Dr. Signithia Fordham, "African American Students and Academic Identities," at noon in 115 EE West; HUB-Robeson Cultural Center InnerVisions Film Series: "Lumumba," 7 p.m., Heritage Hall, HUB-Robeson Center
-Feb. 6: Palmer Museum of Art Lecture Series: "Whose Unconscious? Black Artists and Abstract Expressionism," 3 p.m. at the Palmer Museum of Art
-Feb. 9: Achievement Conference, Nittany Lion Inn (TBA)
-Feb. 11: Paul Robeson Cultural Center InnerVisions Film Series: "Legacy" 7 p.m., HUB Heritage Hall
A full listing of events is available at the Paul Robeson Cultural Center and updates will appear in The Daily Collegian.
