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Northeastern Voice: Black History Month events look inward and outward
By Staff Writer, Northeastern Voice
Richard O’Bryant has a busy, and ambitious, schedule lined up.
The new director of the John D. O’Bryant African-American Institute (named for his father, the late vice president for student affairs) has laid out a series of events starting next week to honor Black History Month and blacks at Northeastern - even as he continues planning for the institute’s upcoming 40th anniversary celebration.
The February events to honor “generations of black history� are built around sectors of the black community, with a special focus on employees of the university. For example, at the Feb. 6 kickoff event, “Honoring our Elders,� the Institute will invite senior citizens from Boston to a lunch served by students, who will then join them for after-dinner conversation. And the Institute will honor Esther Williams, who worked at Northeastern for more than 25 years.
On Feb. 13, “Honoring our Women� will feature “African-American women and their historical role of leadership� in the community. Deborah Jackson, CEO of American Red Cross of Massachusetts Bay, will give the luncheon address, and the Institute will honor Northeastern employees Mildred “Mimi� Hughes, Charlotte Nelson and Carrie Boykin, who together have worked at the university for more than 90 years.
On Feb. 19, “Honoring our Youth� will be a four-hour night of films starring African-American actors and story lines focused on youth people: “Pride,� “Rize,� “Gridiron Gang� and “Akeelah and the Bee.�
And on Feb. 27, “Honoring our Men� will feature a black-history presentation by the Institute’s Ujima Scholars. Honorees will be Robert Grief, Bill Huff and Stanley Lawrence, who have nearly 100 years of combined service to Northeastern.
Students will also compete in the 22nd annual Roland Latham Oratory Competition on Feb. 12, and in the Black History Quiz Bowl on Feb. 26.
The Institute’s 40th anniversary festivities begin March 31, with guest speakers, a cultural exhibit, an alumni reunion and a unity brunch and awards banquet, highlighted by a Saturday night gala.
For more information about anniversary plans, see www.northeastern.edu/aai/celebration.html.
Source: This article was originally published in the February 1, 2007 edition of the Northeastern Voice.
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