Lecture, Banquet and Festival Take Place as Part of Black History Month at Baylor University
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Contact: Lori Fogleman, (254) 710-6275
WACO, Texas (Feb. 7, 2013) - As Black History Month is celebrated across the nation, several special events will take place on the Baylor University campus to celebrate diversity, achievement and unity. The following events are open to the public.
Feb. 7, 2013: Black History Month Lecture with Linda Reed
Linda Reed, Ph.D, is an associate professor of history and director of graduate studies at the University of Houston. She specializes in African American History, with an emphasis on women and the South. Her work has been furthered by the fellowships she has received from Princeton University, the Ford Foundation and several other institutions. Reed was director of the university's African American Studies Program for nine years and was the national director for the Association of Black Women Historians from 2001 to 2003.
She will present her lecture "Women Movers and Shakers in the Civil Rights Movement" at 3:30 p.m. in Bennett Auditorium in Draper Academic Building, 1420 S. Seventh St. Admission is free.
Feb. 9, 2013: Gospel Fest
Gospel Fest is a collaboration of college and community choirs singing traditional and contemporary gospel music with elements of dance, poetry and rap. The festival began in 1991 and is hosted by Baylor's Heavenly Voices Choir. Nine groups from across the state will participate in this year's festival. This year's theme is "Still Standing," based on 2 Chronicles 20:17.
Doors will open at 6 p.m., and the event will start at 6:30 p.m. in Waco Hall, 624 Speight Ave. Tickets are $10 if purchase in advance or $15 at the door. For more information, click here.
Feb. 12, 2013: Black Heritage Banquet
Baylor's department of multicultural affairs and the Association of Black Students will host the 26th Annual Black Heritage Banquet. Actress Jasmine Guy will be the keynote speaker, talking about her life and career. Her acting roles include the character of "Whitley Gilbert" on "The Cosby Show" spinoff "A Different World" (for which she won six consecutive NAACP Awards), the mini-series "Queen" with Halle Berry, "The Vampire Diaries," "Anne Rice's Feast of All Saints," "The Boy Who Painted Christ Black" with Wesley Snipes, "NYPD Blue," "Melrose Place" and "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air."
The banquet will take place at 7 p.m. on the fifth floor of Cashion Academic Center, 1401 S. Fourth St. Tickets are $10 for students and $20 for general admission. Baylor groups can purchase tables for $90, and tables for community groups are $180. The deadline for ticket purchases is 5 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 7.
Feb. 19, 2013: Saakumu - Dance and Drums from Ghana
The award-winning Saakumu Dance Troupe is one of the leading dance and music groups in Ghana, West Africa. Its repertoire of spiritual, ceremonial and recreational genres of music combined with contemporary African dance creates a joyful and highly participatory experience for the audience.
The troupe will perform at 7:30 p.m. in Roxy Grove Hall in Waco Hall, 624 Speight Ave. Admission is free.
For more information about these events and others taking place during Black History Month, click here.
by Brent Salter, student newswriter, (254) 710-6805
ABOUT BAYLOR UNIVERSITY
Baylor University is a private Christian university and a nationally ranked research institution, characterized as having "high research activity" by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. The university provides a vibrant campus community for approximately 15,000 students by blending interdisciplinary research with an international reputation for educational excellence and a faculty commitment to teaching and scholarship. Chartered in 1845 by the Republic of Texas through the efforts of Baptist pioneers, Baylor is the oldest continually operating university in Texas. Located in Waco, Baylor welcomes students from all 50 states and more than 80 countries to study a broad range of degrees among its 11 nationally recognized academic divisions. Baylor sponsors 19 varsity athletic teams and is a founding member of the Big 12 Conference.