Black History Month Celebrated at the University of Cincinnati

Angelou wrote a poem about boxing legend Joe Louis, called “Champion of the World”: Champion of the world. A Black Boy. Some Black mother's son. He was the Strongest man in the world… until he was beaten by a man named Ezzard Charles. Charles was the heavyweight national champion from 1949 to 1952. He is not well known outside of Cincinnati, however. What he was best known for, unfortunately, is defeating Joe Louis. How fitting that UC’s Celebration of Black History Month starts with an exhibit on Cincinnati boxing legend Charles and includes an appearance by poet Angelou herself.

Feb. 1 – March 1, with a lecture on Feb. 22 (see below): 
Exhibit: “Ezzard Charles: His Time and Place”
Hours: 8 a.m.–5 p.m. Monday through Friday
Location: Archives & Rare Books Library, 8th floor of Blegen Library
The photographic exhibit of Cincinnati’s world heavyweight boxing champion features photos from the collection of sports researcher Kevin Grace, head of the Archives & Rare Books Library and University Archivist. The exhibit is free and open to the public.

Jan. 30 – Feb. 5:
Join the African-American Cultural & Research Center as we celebrate our Kuamka Week Extravaganza, Jan. 30 – Feb. 5, 2006. “Kuamka” is a Swahili term that means "In the beginning." Part of the celebration means choosing “Mr. and Ms. Kuamka” to be role models for current and prospective students at the University of Cincinnati. During their reign, they will represent our students at different programs and events in the campus with some travel opportunities as well.

A faculty and staff reception is being held at the African American Cultural and Research Center on Thursday, Feb. 2, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. The zenith of the week’s activities is the Red, Black, Green & Gold Ball on Saturday, Feb. 4, and the Superbowl Party on Sunday, Feb. 5. For more information on the candidates and events, which are co-sponsored by MainStreet  and the African American Alumni Association, please visit www.uc.edu/aacrc or call (513) 556-1177.

For more information on Kuamka Week: Ewaniki Moore, Program Coordinator, African American Cultural & Research Center, (513) 556-1193.

Monday, Feb. 6, 10 a.m.:
Author’s reading, featuring CityBeat Columnist Kathy Y. Wilson
Location: Multi-purpose room, second floor of French Hall
Author Kathy Y. Wilson will be featured in an author’s reading as part of the Center for Access and Transition’s Reading is Fundamental program. The event is co-sponsored by Student Activities and Leadership Development.

Tuesday, Feb. 6, 11 a.m. – 1 p.m.:
UC Clermont College also celebrates Black History Month with activities open to the community. The College will hold “Black History Monday Film Series” each Monday in February in the Snyder Building Room 143. “The Rosa Parks Story” stars Angela Basset in the story of the civil rights heroine whose refusal to obey racial bus segregation was just one of her acts in her fight for justice. All events are free and open to the public. Click here for directions. For more information contact Mae Hanna, Director of College Relations, UC Clermont College (513) 732-5332.

Tuesday, Feb. 7, 7 p.m.:
“Praise through Prose:  A Celebration of Black History Masquerade”
Location: Catskeller
Slammin’ on Main, MainStreet’s weekly poetry/spoken word series will be themed Praise through Prose: A Celebration of Black History Masquerade on Feb. 7. Participants are invited to come dressed as a favorite African-American revolutionary and recite a poem or speech excerpt, or to sing a song or play a piece. The featured poet is Brian Digby, Jr., a.k.a. Holmskillit, a prolific poet/lyricist/emcee from Cincinnati. Grand prize for best costume and performance is $350 on a Bearcat Campus Card. The event is open to the public.
MainStreet information: (513) 556-0502

Wednesday, Feb. 8, 7 p.m. (Doors open at 6:15 p.m.):
“An Evening with Maya Angelou”
Location: Fifth Third Arena at the Myrl H. Shoemaker Multipurpose Center (note new location)
Angelou’s appearance is sponsored by UC’s Student Activities and Leadership Development, MainStreet and Ethnic Programs and Services. For more information, call Student Activities and Leadership Development at (513) 556-6115.

Monday, Feb. 13, 11 a.m. – 1 p.m.:
“Remember the Titans” shown at UC’s Clermont College, Snyder Building Room 143. Suburban Virginia schools have been segregated for generations, in sight of the Washington Monument over the river in the nation's capital. One black and one white high school are closed and the students are sent to T.C. Williams High School under federal mandate to integrate. The year is seen through the eyes of the football team where the man hired to coach the black school is made head coach over the highly successful white coach. Based on the actual events of 1971, the team becomes the unifying symbol for the community as the boys and the adults learn to depend on and trust each other. All events are free and open to the public. Click here for directions. For more information contact Mae Hanna, director of College Relations, UC Clermont College (513) 732-5332.

Wednesday, Feb. 15, 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m., 427 TUC, West Campus:
In recognition/celebration of Black History Month, Human Resources and the Office of Equal Opportunity invite faculty, students and staff to bring their lunch (snacks and drinks will be served) and view “Partners of the Heart.” It will be shown three different times. “Partners of the Heart” tells the story of Vivien Thomas and Alfred Blalock, whose discoveries saved the lives of thousands of “blue babies” — children born with a deadly heart defect. The men’s stunning success ushered in a new era of cardiac medicine and launched modern heart surgery. Starting at age 19, with only a high school degree and at a time when his color barred him from being treated in many hospitals, Thomas embarked on a 34-year partnership with Blalock, a White surgeon. His journey is a bittersweet, overlooked American story of personal triumph. Narrated by Morgan Freeman, the film uses rare archival images and stylistic recreations to explore Vivian Thomas’ journey from carpenter’s apprentice in the Jim Crow south to professor of surgery at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore. Blalock and Thomas trained two generations of America’s most prominent heart surgeons, an extraordinary life-saving legacy.

Thursday, Feb. 16, 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m:
“Partners of the Heart” movie shown at University Hall Room 454, East Campus.

Monday, Feb. 20, 11 a.m. – 1 p.m.:
“American History X” shown at UC’s Clermont College, Snyder Building Room 143. Derek Vinyard (Edward Norton) returns from prison to find his younger brother, Danny (Edward Furlong), caught in the same web of racism and hatred that landed him in prison. After Derek's father is killed in the line of duty by a minority, Derek's view of mankind is altered, but while in prison, he discovers that there is good and bad in every race. The task before him now is to convince Danny of his newfound enlightenment. All events are free and open to the public. Click here for directions. For more information contact Mae Hanna, director of College Relations, UC Clermont College (513) 732-5332.

Monday and Tuesday, Feb. 20 – 21:
A multi-cultural dance theatre company, Illstyle & Peace fuses hip hop and other dance styles to create awe-inspiring performance and workshops. As the company name suggests, the troupe (led by artistic director and choreographer Brandon Albright aka “Peace”) is committed to spreading unity, peace, love, respect and fun through dance. The company will be on campus for two days doing workshops including hip-hop workshops at the new Campus Recreation Center on Feb. 20 and will give a public performance in TUC’s Great Hall on Tuesday, Feb. 21 at 7 p.m. UC’s very own poetry slam team the SlamCats will open for Illstyle & Peace. The event is FREE for UC students with a valid student ID and $5 for the general public.

Thursday, Feb. 21, 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m:
“Partners of the Heart” movie shown in MSB 7051, East Campus.

Wednesday, Feb. 22, 3 p.m.:

Lecture: “Ezzard Charles: His Time and Place”

Location: Archives & Rare Books Reading Room. 8th floor of Blegen Library

UC Sports Kevin Grace, head of the Archives & Rare Books Library and University Archivist, presents a pictorial history of the heavyweight champion, featuring photos from Grace’s personal collection. The lecture is free and open to the public.

Monday, Feb. 27, 11 a.m. –1 p.m.:
“Crash” shown at UC’s Clermont College, Snyder Building Room 143. Several stories interweave during two days in Los Angeles involving a collection of inter-related characters, a black police detective with a drugged out mother and a thieving younger brother, two car thieves who are constantly theorizing on society and race, the distracted district attorney and his irritated and pampered wife, a racist veteran cop (caring for a sick father at home) who disgusts his more idealistic younger partner, a successful black Hollywood director and his wife who must deal with racist cop, a Persian-immigrant father who buys a gun to protect his shop, a Hispanic locksmith and his young daughter who is afraid of bullets, and more. All events are free and open to the public. Click here for directions. For more information contact Mae Hanna, director of College Relations, UC Clermont College (513) 732-5332.

Even as UC celebrates Black History Month, we also mourn the recent loss of one of the most important figures in recent African-American history: Mrs. Coretta Scott King, widow of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

"Mrs. Coretta Scott King's life represented the beginning of the true civil rights movement in America," says Eric Abercrumbie, director of Ethnic Programs & Services and the African American Cultural and Research Center. "Her death represents the fact that all true civil rights activists and humanitarians need to continue to fight systematic injustices. Because the world has lost a major warrior in the struggle to provide the dispossessed in America with true freedom and equality."