Black History Awareness activities scheduled

Several groups on the Pittsburg State University campus including the Black Student Association, the Department of Art, Axe Library, and the PSU Tilford Group have joined together to promote several Black History Awareness activities from mid-February to mid-March.

In addition to the activities below, Axe Library will feature “African Influence to the Western World,” displays for the next several weeks. The following events are free and open to the public:

Monday, Feb. 18 – Poetry reading organized by members of the Black Student Association. The reading will be held at 7:30 p.m. in the U Club. At 7:50 p.m. in the U Club, singer-songwriter Dr. Joey Pogue (Communication) will deliver a musical performance entitled “Influence of the Blues and Black Music to the Musical and Narrative Structure of Country, Rock and Folk Music.” Pogue will perform some of his own original work and demonstrate how the Blues and Black culture have influenced different types of music.

Tuesday, Feb. 26 – Dr. Steve Harmon (History) will present the lecture “African Influence in the Americas,” at 2 p.m. in the Governor’s Room. Harmon is a Fulbright scholar and expert on African History and Diaspora, Islamic influence in Western Africa, Middle East and Islam.

Monday, March 3 – Randy Roberts, university archivist and curator of special collections at Axe Library, will present “Black History of Pittsburg,” at 2 p.m. in the Governor’s Room at the Overman Student Center. Roberts has made multiple presentations throughout the campus and community on local history.

Thursday, March 13 – Lydia S. Thompson, a ceramic artist, will be visiting the Department of Art. Thompson creates work that appreciates African American identity and that centers on human existence and its imprint on the Earth.

For more details, contact Ananda Jayawardhana at 620-235-4414 or at ananda@pittstate.edu.

---Pitt State---