Under the baobab: Multitude of events in Happy Valley celebrate Black History Month
When we first moved to Happy Valley in the ‘90s Black History Month wasn’t publicly observed by anybody. MLK Day was not yet a holiday at the university. As a community we have progressed.
On Feb. 1, “My Name is Pauli Murray,” a film about “one of the greatest civil rights activist you have never heard of” was presented by the Sustainability Institute as a virtual event. Murray’s theories were used by Thurgood Marshall in the Brown v. Board case in 1954.
PSU’s School of Music presented the African American Music Festival, organized and directed by professor emeritus Dr. Anthony Leach at various venues. On Feb. 1 there was a music, dance and spoken word presentation at the Recital Hall, which included Leach, Carmin Wong, Velvet Brown, Melody Quah, James Lyon, Murk Lusk, Joey Smith, Prof. Aquila Franklin, the United Soul Ensemble and Essence of Joy.
There was lunch concert at Eisenhower Auditorium on Feb. 2 that showcased vocal arrangements from the African American canon. It featured Kaley Yeager, Joanne Yang, Nic Stark, John Barnhart, Ava DiMartino, Rachel Flicker, Jessica Heisey, An Lai, Jonah Glunt, Hannah Paquette, Kathy Gattuso, Sadie Weintzel, Ann Deighton and Carter Houston. Later that evening at the Recital Hall “The Music of African American Women Composers” was presented by Sadie Weintzel, Lindsay DuBois, Maria Thompson Conley, Katrina Cole, Blair Salter, Ruth Elizabeth Stokes, Lara Downes, Anthony Costa, Naomi Seldman, Joshua Benitez and the Graduate Brass Quintet consisting of Daniel Spearman, John Hayden, Ashley Goodwin, Andrew Zall and Jaden Adkins.
On Friday Prof. Terrence Blanchard conducted a Zoom lecture hosted by Professors Ted Christopher and Blair Salter. Blanchard’s opera “Fire Shut Up In My Bones,” had its New York Met debut this past season. Later in the day world renowned baritone Kenneth Overton gave a voice forum highlighting African American composers. Friday evening the compositions of Dr. T.J. Anderson were presented. Anderson was an alumni of the PSU class of 1951.
The festival concluded with a rousing extravaganza on Saturday that featured the Chamber Orchestra, the Concert Choir, the Spearman 5tet, the Symphonic Band, the Oriana Singers, the Trombone Choir, Vocal Dimensions, and Essence of Joy. A week later Essence 2 presented its annual Black History Month Concert at Trinity Lutheran Church under the direction of the hardest working man in the valley, Dr. Anthony Leach.
On Tuesday the PSU Student Black Caucus presented Kwame Alexander, who lectured on Pioneering Black History Through Writing at Heritage Hall. Later that day the Center for Sexual and Gender Diversity along with the Gender Equity Center and Paul Robeson Cultural Center presented Ebony Stewart, one of the top touring poets in the country. Her work “speaks to the Black experience, with emphasis on gender, sexuality, womanhood, queer-positivity, and race, with the hopes to be relatable, remove shame, heal minds, encourage dialogue, and inspire folks in marginalized communities.”
Theatre of War and PSU’s Center for the Performing Arts presented Emmy Award-winning actor Keith David, who delivered online a dramatic reading of a speech by Frederick Douglass. It was followed by a lively discussion. On Tuesday, Feb. 14 the annual Douglass Day will be celebrated in the Mann Room of Pattee Library.
Penn State alum Darryl Daisey discussed the Penn State African American Chronicles, an interactive multimedia website and timeline that tells the stories of the African American students, faculty, staff, and alumni who have inspired and empowered the Penn State community. On Feb. 24 from 7-9 p.m. the State College Borough will sponsor live music and local talent in honor of Black History Month at 3 Dots Downtown, 137 Beaver Ave., State College. Yours truly will be interviewed on An Evening with Dr. Gladys DeVane on Thursday, Feb. 23, at 7 p.m. Here’s the link: us02web.zoom.us/j/85664659379?pwd=UGtpN2srTTBHYklFRDBqK2kxZHRVQT09.