FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

DCC SETS AFRICAN-AMERICAN

HISTORY MONTH EVENTS

Danville Community College has planned a variety of events during February to celebrate African-American History Month.

            The celebration kicks off on February 6th and continues throughout the month with lots of events. Activities scheduled include a motivational speaker, panel discussion poetry café, gospel fest, African dance presentation, dramatic production, and history challenge competition. The celebration also includes the annual sickle cell anemia testing and fund raising drive.

“This year’s celebration includes something for everybody,” says Andrea Burney, Administrative Assistant to the President for Public Relations and Minority Concerns. “Our planning committee included students, faculty, staff, and administrators, and we focused on bringing a variety of events.”

The schedule is as follows:  

• February 6, 2003 - Dr. Johnnetta B. Cole, President of Bennett College, Greensboro, NC, will kick off DCC’s celebration. Dr. Cole has had a distinguished career in education, including serving as president of Spellman College (Atlanta, Ga.), and as a professor at Emory University. Dr. Cole became Bennett’s 14^th president last year. The program will be held at 7:00 p.m., in Oliver Hall (Temple Building). This event is co-sponsored by the Danville Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.

• February 11, 2003 - Panel Discussion: “Justice or Injustice?” moderated by Mark Gibson, Director of DCC’s Upward Bound program. Should Race Matter in the Selection of Danville’s Next Police Chief? How Can We Improve Race Relations? War Possibilities -- What Does It Really Mean? What About Economic Empowerment for People of Color? Come ready to discuss these and other timely issues. The program will be held 11:00 a.m., in Oliver Hall.

• February 13, 2003 - Poetry Café will be held 7:00 p.m. in the Eastwood Room (Taylor Building). Join us for an evening of coffee, dessert, and entertainment featuring DCC students and community persons reading selected works.

• February 14, 2003 - Sickle cell anemia trait testing, and other health screenings will be held 10:00 a.m. - 12:00. Location Temple Building, Room #106D. Local Sickle Cell Anemia Association representatives and public health nurses will supervise the testing.

• February 14, 2003 - The Annual fund drive to benefit the Danville/Pittsylvania County Sickle Cell Anemia Association also will be conducted the throughout the day by members of DCC's African-American Culture Club.

• February 18, 2003 - Dancescape, featuring Donna Graham and friends. An informative and entertaining performance of African dances for all ages. Two performances scheduled -- one during the day, at 11:00 a.m., and one in the evening, at 7:00 p.m. Location: Oliver Hall. Graham is director of Dancescape and has served as Artistic Director of Chihamba Jr. and Sr. Companies, providing African workshops, residencies and performances for over 20 years. She has over 30 years of dance experience, a degree in Education from Virginia State University and 15 years of teaching in public school systems on the secondary and elementary levels. In addition to being listed for four years in the Bluemont Concert Series, she has toured nine years with Young Audiences of Virginia, six years with the Virginia Commission of the Arts Tour Directory and served 13 years in Artist-In-Education programs.

•  February 20, 2003 - Business Roundtable featuring successful African-American businesspersons. Come and learn the secrets of the their success. The panel discussion will be held 11:00 a.m., in Oliver Hall.

• February 21, 2003 - “Gospel Choir Festival will be presented at 7:00 p.m. Location to be announced later. Danville Community College's Gospel Choir, along with other area church youth choirs, will be featured.

• February 25, 2003 - "African American History Challenge,” will be held 11:00 a.m. in Oliver Hall.  Teams, representing DCC clubs, will compete to see who knows the most about African American history and culture, with prizes awarded to first, second, and third place winners. Co-sponsored by DCC’s Alliance For Excellence.

• February 27, 2003 - "Drama Production", a one-act play presented by the members of African-American Culture Club members, will be presented 7:00 p.m., in Oliver Hall.  The play will focus on historical perspectives about slavery.

In addition to the events listed, Burney says a poster/art display is on exhibit in Oliver Hall (in the Temple Building). The display features well-known African Americans who have excelled in a variety of fields. She added that DCC students have an opportunity to test their knowledge of African American history, and possibly win one of several prizes donated by area merchants. Questions are posed each week in Le Courier, DCC’s student newspaper.

The public is invited to participate in Danville Community College's celebration of African-American History Month. All events are offered free to the public. However, seating for events is available on a first-come, first-served basis. To arrange for group seating (25 or more persons), please contact Paula Coleman, Public Relations Assistant, at (434) 797-8516 or Russell Scruggs, Assistant Professor of History, at 434.797.8513. You can also call toll free in Virginia at 800.560.4291, ext. 8516 or ext. 8513.