Altoona

Penn State Altoona announces Black History Month events

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ALTOONA, Pa. — Penn State Altoona will commemorate Black History Month 2020 with a series of events.

Film: “Fences”
Sunday, Feb. 9 at 6:30 p.m. in the Slep Student Center.
A working-class African American father tries to raise his family in the 1950s while coming to terms with the events of his life.

Film: “Toni Morrison: The Pieces I Am”
Monday, Feb. 10 at 6:30 p.m. in the Slep Student Center.
This artful and intimate meditation on the legendary storyteller examines her life, her works, and the powerful themes she has confronted throughout her literary career. 

The True Black History Traveling Museum
Tuesday, Feb. 11 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. with an interactive lecture at 12:15 p.m. in the Slep Student Center.
An exhibit featuring original documents from historical figures including Martin Luther King Jr., Booker T. Washington, Rosa Parks, George Washington Carver, Angela Davis, and President Barack Obama. 

African American Read-In Monday Marathon
Monday, Feb. 17 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the Titelman Study of the Misciagna Family Center for Performing Arts.
Students, faculty, staff, and community members are invited to read and/or listen to the literary works of African American writers. This year’s theme is “Black Theatre through a Black Lens,” celebrating the African American dramatic literary tradition — its themes, forms, and playwrights — from slavery times through the first two decades of the 21st century.

African American Read-In keynote speaker Charles Dumas
Monday, Feb. 17 at noon in the Titelman Study of the Misciagna Family Center for Performing Arts.
Charles Dumas, professor emeritus in the School of Theatre at Penn State, will present “How August Wilson’s Decade Series Changed the American Narrative.”

African American Read-In featured author Denise J. Hart
Monday, Feb. 17 at 5:30 p.m. in the Titelman Study of the Misciagna Family Center for Performing Arts.

An associate professor at Howard University, Denise Hart is the recipient of several national playwriting honors and awards. She is also a screenwriter, a dramaturg, and a director. Hart's plays are grounded in the African American experience and explore the intersection of race, class, and identity and its impact on memory, personal integrity, and family.

Black History Month trivia contest
Monday, Feb. 23 at 6 p.m. in the Slep Student Center.

Last Updated February 4, 2020

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