February is Black History Month, and the Africana Center has scheduled events accordingly, including a jazz lounge to be held from 4:30 - 6:00 pm tonight at the Remis Sculpture Court in Aidekman Arts Center. Pete Shungu, a Tufts alum, plays with Giraffe, the band he started and coordinated, to bring you an evening of music and refreshments.
America has celebrated Black History Month annually from 1963, thanks to the efforts of Carter G. Woodson, Harvard scholar and founder of the widely respected Journal of Negro History. He decided to write black history into the American calendar as Negro History Week in 1926 in an attempt to increase recognition and understanding within society.
Tufts celebrates Black History Month in their own way, with a series of events on campus. In addition to the jazz, another event to mark on your calendars is 'African Encounters', an annual event that focuses on students' travel experiences in Africa. Tufts students who spent time abroad in Africa will provide stories and viewpoints for attendees. Also presented will be 'A Long Walk Home,' a multi-media event featuring film, music, dance, and poetry that deals with black women and their relationships.
For those interested in lighter fare, a "Family Feud"-like competition will be held in Hotung (date to be announced), giving students an opportunity to test their trivia knowledge in a mental war against other Tufts students.
Also of interest is the Spike Lee Retrospective - a series of films to be shown at Barnum on Wednesday evenings that will run over the course of this month. Lee, the son of a jazz musician and a jazz fan himself, ranks as one of Hollywood's most original and innovative filmmakers. He has directed 21 films, produced or co-produced 19, has writing credits on 11 and is the author of numerous books on film and black culture.
Likewise, a number of his films address issues of black history and culture. For anyone either interested in black history, or unfamiliar with his films, these screenings are a must. Never one to shy away from tough issues, Lee addresses facets of black culture in a way that often courts controversy, walking a fine line between insulting and inspiring - all the more reason to form your own opinions about the voice of Spike Lee. His films are crucial towards an understanding of the modern conception of black history.
Highlighting the screenings is "Malcolm X" (1992), Lee's classic biography of the politician and activist, and a milestone in black history on film. Other films to be shown include "Jungle Fever" (1991), Lee's highly controversial exploration of interracial relationships and drug addiction, "4 Little Girls" (1997), the story of the infamous 1963 church bombing in Birmingham, Ala. and "Girl 6" (1996) about a phone-sex operator trying to break into the New York movie industry.
So check out the jazz and the movies and keep yourself posted to Tuftslife.com for event details.
