The Observer, February 24, 2006
Volume XXXVIII, Issue 18
Case celebrates Black history
Case continues its tradition of annual Black History Month events this year by offering a wide selection of events for students to learn about some of the accomplishments of black scientists, entertainers, and civil rights leaders.
Besides the annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration, Case is offering a variety of learning programs such as films, cultural shows, soul food, and hip-hop.
The first event of the month, a luncheon given by the Center for Women which featured a performance by Vernice Jackson of Women in History as Mary Elizabeth Bowser, a Union spy in the Confederate White House, has already passed.
Bowser was an important aid in the war against the Confederacy, providing information to the Union via ciphered messages on Union soldiers' shoes. Her status as a slave helped the cause because most whites assumed slaves to be dim-witted and slow. She used the racism to her advantage, acting slow and earning herself the nickname "Crazy Bet" to cover up her spying efforts.
The Nursing School presented a film to attendees on Feb. 22 entitled, Nashville: We Were Warriors. The film follows students from Fisk University in peaceful movement for change with real footage. Fisk University, a historically black college, has a long-standing relationship with Case.
The African-American Society boasts an evening of entertainment with its production of "A Novel Through Hip-Hop" at the African-American Cultural Dinner on Saturday. Doors will open at 6:30 p.m., dinner at 7 p.m., and the show will begin at 8 p.m. Tickets are $8 for undergraduates and $10 for non-undergrads.
"Everyone is welcome; we encourage diversity in our audience. The purpose of Cultural Dinner is to inform while entertaining. It defeats the purpose if only those that come and show their support share the culture that is being presented because they already know what is trying to be portrayed," representative Joanna Lopez said.
The event will feature a play that is an original script by the African American Society and will take viewers through the political movement accompanying hip-hop in the '80s and '90s. There will be a brief party afterwards in Thwing Ballroom.
One of the highlights is the 2006 Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration on Monday in Amasa Stone Chapel at noon.
Fred Gray, Sr., a 1954 alumnus of Case's School of Law, is slated to be the keynote speaker at the annual celebration. His talk will likely cover his role as King's first civil rights lawyer and his experience as Rosa Parks' lawyer in the Montgomery bus situation. After his address, there will be a reception and book signing in the Adelbert Hall Atrium.
Another annual tradition during Black History Month is The Office of Multicultural Affairs' "Through the Eyes of African American Students." This event is being held today from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. at Thwing. The event will feature a creative showcase and free samplings of soul food.
"I think the events are good ideas, but there hasn't been a lot of publicity around campus. I'm not really aware of all of them that are taking place," student Erica Hoffman said.
Other students had similar messages of encouragement. "I really think that activities encouraging diversity are a good thing to have on campus and I'll definitely try to attend some of them," student Jordan Silver said.
