Time To Recognize
Of Black Americans
The month fast ap
proaching is annually set
aside as a time to recog
nize the contributions and
achievements /of Black
Americans who helped to
make this country the na
tion sheis. /
Throughout February
and using this column as a
vehicle, I’d like to empha
size some of those contri
butions, whether it’s
through some special pro
grams being held or whe
ther it’s through the men
tioning of some black Ame
rican who had a hand in
paving the way and open
ing doors for posterity.
Before there was Bessie
Smith, B.B. King, or Billie
Holliday, black people sang
the blues. According to
Tom Hanchett at public
radio station WFAE, most
of the ol’ time blues that he
enjoyed most he pleasant
ly discovered came from
the Piedmont region, y
During February in. tri
bute to Black History
Month, Hanchett will re-,
broadcast “The Piedmont
Blues” the station’s series
of programs on the rich
blues heritage of this re
gion. The updated and ex
panded program will air
each Saturday, beginning
February 1, ll p.m.
If listeners think that
what they will hear will be
blues from Mississippi or
Chicago, think again.
Hanchett says, “Blues is
WITH LORETTA MANAGOMH
r
I__
Loretta
the folk music of black
America. Wherever black
people have lived in this
country, they have created
their own, unique, regional
brands of the blues.”
“The Piedmont Blues”
will highlight the contribu
tions of musicians from the
Carolinas, Georgia, and
Virginia including noted
singers like Elizabeth
Cot ten. Josh White, and
Sonny Terry, and the less
familiar, the amateurs who
keep the tradition- alive
today.
THEATRE FESTIVAL
From the, blues let’s
move to theatre. During
February, 11-15 the Ame
rican College Theatre
Festival’s Southeast Re
gional Competition will be
hejd at Catawba College in
Salisbury. So what’s that
got to do with Black
History Month? Just this
three of the plays that will
be put on are about black
life. The first of the three
plays is a new play by
Carolyn Coles titled,
‘‘Mournin’”. This three
act tragi-comedy focuses
on the death of the family
matriarch. Grandma Cora
' The play depicts the strug
gles of two sisters who
overcome embittered
childhood memories on
their journey to reunifica
tion.
“Home,” the second play
written by North Caro
linian playwright Sam-Art
Williams, traces the ad-.
ventures of Cephus Miller,
an orphan from the farm to
college, through Vietnam
War, conflicts of con
science, big city life, un
employment, despair, and
return to the land.
Written by South African
playwright Athol Fuguard,
“Master HaroH and the
Boys,” set in the 5As in Port
Elizabeth, focuses on the
fragility of the love and
friendship that exist be
tween the characters. Ad
Jm y . "fr
JOHNSON C. SMITH
UNIVERSITY
-Growing Strong Together with Charlotte
into the 21st Century
The 1*W» mark the dawning of a new age of information and a
growing service industry Johnson C. Smith University will prepare
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‘ Contact the Office of Admissions for more Information at (1*4)
374-1414 or by writing to: Office of Admissions, 1M Beatties Ford
Road. Johnson C. Smith University, Charlotte, N.C. 2*214.
As Affirmative Action Eqnal OppartanRy jactitation) |
A JCSU degree open* the door to hkmi
mission for each produc
tion is $5 for adults and $3
for students and senior citi
zens. For dates and times,
call 704-637-4393.
WSOC CHANGES FACES
Friday nights on Channel
9 have taken on a dif
ferent color between the
hours of 8 and 10 p.m. With
a change in format, Fri
day night's lineup has four
black sitcoms. Of course,
we’ve all become accus
tomed to “Webster” and
“Diff’rent Strokes.” But
what is new is the re
surrected “What’s Hap
pening Now” series and
“He’s The Mayor” fea
turing Kelvin Hooks.
I can’t remember when
there has been black
comedy back-to-back for
two solid hours. How long
will it last? As long as the
ratings are good. Will it
break the stronghold that
“The Twilight Zone” and
“Dallas” have? TTiat, my
friends, remains to be seen.
OPPORTUNITY KNOCKS
The Inspirational Mass
Choir of Cheraw, S.C., will
be in concert as the fea
tured guests of "Opportuni
ty Knocks,” Sunday, Fe
bruary 2. The religious
brand show airs on Chan
nel 42 at 5:30 p.m.
GROWING UP POOR
Poverty, in any form, is
ugly and reprehensible. Go
with “Frontline” Thurs
day, February 4, at 9 p.m.,
as they visit Chester, PA.
Focusing on the children
there, “Frontline” dis
covers an awful reality
half of them are plagued by
poor health, malnutrition,
drugs, and family pro
blems
Keep Up With
The News Of
Your Community
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With Spatial Gua$t
ISLEY JASPER ISLEY
and I
'■■ “STARPOINT”
Saturday, February 1M a 9 PM a CHARLOTTE COLISEUM
Reserved Seatsi *14 aad *16
On Sale Now at the Coliseum Box Office, Shazada Records,
'Camelot Records, Queen City Sundries, Barringer Or.
Barber Shop, Holloway’s Men’s Store, & Ja Jo’s in
Gastonia. Ticket Reservations at all area Sears Stores,
T.A.S.S. (Albemarle), Statesville Travel, Belk’s (Monroe)
and Cone Center (U.N.C.C.) Mail orders accepted by SASE
addressed to 2700 Independence Blvd. Charlotte, N.C.
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