Ohio Wesleyan University | News & Media

OWU Announces Black History Month Schedule

January 27, 2006

DELAWARE, Ohio -- Ohio Wesleyan University will begin its celebration of Black History Month on Feb. 1 with a viewing of the award-winning film "February One" at 7 p.m. in R.W. Corns Building room 312.

Writer and poet Sonia Sanchez will present on Feb. 2 at 7 p.m. in OWU's Beeghley Library's Bayley Room. Sanchez has received the NAACP Image Award and the National Book Critics Circle Award. Sanchez has written more than a dozen books of poetry, including Shake Loose My Skin: New and Selected Poems (Beacon Press, 1999), Like the Singing Coming Off the Drums: Love Poems (1998), Homegirls & Handgrenades (1984), and I've Been a Women: New and Selected Poems (1978). HomeGirls & Handgrenades won the American Book Award from the Before Columbus Foundation. In addition she formed a writers' workshop in Greenwich Village, N.Y., which has been attended by such poets as Amiri Baraka (LeRoi Jones), Haki R. Madhubuti (Don L. Lee) and Larry Neal.

The festivities will conclude with the Ohio Wesleyan Office of Minority Student Affairs hosting the Black and Latino Student Leadership Conference on March 3-4. The conference will include lectures by Arthur Wyle, Donna Brazile, and Jeffrey Johnson. Ohio Wesleyan's Student Union on Black Awareness will host its seventh annual Greek Classic Step Show and a spoken word competition during the conference. The conference will conclude with a performance on Saturday by the R&B group "112."

In addition to the Conference, 10 events are planned over the course of the month with sponsorship being provided by Ohio Wesleyan's Office of Minority Student Affairs, Student Union on Black Awareness (SUBA), Black Men of the Future (BMF), Sister's United, Gospel Lyres, The House of Black Culture and the Black Greek lettered organizations.

2006 OWU BLACK HISTORY MONTH SCHEDULE

February 1, 7 p.m. -- Minority Student Affairs presents the award winning film "February One." Corns 312

February 2, 7 p.m. -- Sister's United presents, "An Evening with Sonja Sanchez." Bayley Room of Beeghly Library

February 8, Noon -- "Celebrate Ghana Luncheon," sponsored by the Ghana Mission Team. Hamilton-Williams Benes Rooms

February 8, 7 p.m. -- Minority Student Affairs presents Academy Award nominated "Freedom on my mind." Corns 312

February 10, TBA -- Sister's United presents the "Ebony and Ivory Ball." Hamilton-Williams Benes Room

February 14, TBA -- Black Men of the Future present "A Celebration of Black Women." Stuyvesant Hall Smoker

February 15, 7 p.m. -- Ghana Mission Trip Team Fund Raiser, "Ghanian MiniFest." Hamilton- Williams Campus Center Benes Rooms

February 21, 7 p.m. -- The Student Union on Black Awareness presents the "Cultural Extravaganza." Hamilton-Williams Campus Center Benes Room

February 24, TBA -- Rafiki Wa Afrika presents "African Minifest." Hamilton-Williams Campus center Benes Room

February 27, 6:30 p.m. -- The Student Union on Black Awareness presents "The Black Museum." Butler A. Jones House of Black Culture

March 3-4 -- OMSA Black and Latino Student Leadership Conference

Friday

8 p.m., Opening keynote, Arthur Wylie -- Wylie became a Millionaire at the age of 26 and has been featured in many publications including Black Enterprise Magazine.

Saturday

Noon, Luncheon Keynote Speaker, Donna Brazile -- Donna Brazile is the first African American woman to manage a US Presidential Campaign. Brazile is an at large member of the Democratic National Committee.

2:30 p.m., keynote, Jeffrey Johnson -- Come meet the voice of a new generation of leadership. Also known as "Cousin Jeff," he is the executive director of the Stay Strong Foundation. A social activist, AME minister, public speaker and trainer.

7 p.m., Seventh Annual Greek Classic Step Show, featuring the R&B Group "112." Step Show after party is being planned but currently TBA -- Chappelear Drama Center