Published: Jan. 28, 2002

Editors: Go to for a complete schedule of events.

The University of Colorado at Boulder will offer a variety of events in February in honor of Black Awareness Month. Event coordinators hope to provide opportunities for people in the university and local communities to expand their understanding of African American life and history.

According to student coordinator Amauri DaRocha, this year's lineup is an eclectic mixture of events covering a wide range of topics presented in several different formats.

"I'm really pleased by the way people from across the entire campus contributed to the planning of Black Awareness Month this year," said DaRocha. "The result has been that we have a little bit of everything planned for February, making for a very compelling and engaging calendar."

Highlights include:

ß A reggae festival sponsored by Program Council featuring four reggae bands that kick-off the month on Feb. 1 at 7 p.m. in the University Memorial Center Glenn Miller Ballroom. For information on tickets call Program Council at (303) 492-7704.

ß The Umoja Voices gospel choir will be hosting the Gospel Extravaganza on Feb. 10, at 7 p.m. in the UMC Glenn Miller Ballroom.

ß On Feb. 11, at 6:30 p.m. in Eaton Humanities Building, room 1B50, documentaries of Muhammad Ali and Malcolm X will be shown, with keynote speakers addressing the role of Islam in the black community.

ß "A Legacy of Missing Pieces: Voices of Black Women of Boulder," will feature Professor Polly McLean who will chronicle the contributions and life histories of black women in Boulder County from the end of the 19th century to the present. The program starts at 5 p.m. on Feb. 22, in Norlin Library's British Studies center.

ß On display Feb. 6 through July 5 in Norlin Library will be "Other Lives Revealed: Honoring the Achievement of Black Women." This Special Collections display takes a look at the lives of 19th and 20th century blacks and women who paved the way toward greater opportunity. This display includes an authentic manumission paper, documenting the freeing of Michael Badeau in 1838. Photography books document the outstanding artistic endeavors of Gordon Parks, Dorothea Lange, Annie Leibovitz, Carrie Mae Weems and others. The materials displayed underscore the transformation of these lives over the course of the modern era.

Black Awareness Month calendars will be available at the University Memorial Center information desk, the Black Student Alliance office in UMC 181 and the Cultural Unity Center in Willard 118. The calendar, along with updates, is posted on the Internet at .

Black Awareness Month activities have been coordinated through a joint effort of the Cultural Unity Center, department of Housing, Black Student Alliance and the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs. For more information contact coordinators Jamal Ward at (303) 492-2168 or Amauri DaRocha at (303) 492-3154.