Celebrate African American History Month

African American history month enlarge

This photo shows the display of African American artifacts held by the then BNL African American Culture Club members led by Barbara Simpson (right), with (from left) Omar Gould, Carmen Narvaez, Abass Wesson, and Rosa Palmore, in 2006.

Tuesday, 2/14, Noon–1 p.m. Berkner Hall

Part I of a video presentation of a NOVA program, The Forgotten Genius, on Percy Julian.

Through re-enactments, archival film, and personal interviews, NOVA created a program that describes the life of Percy Julian, acclaimed for discoveries in organic chemistry and as the first black director of an industrial chemistry research lab. Julian earned his masters from Harvard University even while black students were banned from the dorms in Harvard Yard, and his Ph.D. from the University of Vienna, where he studied under one of Vienna’s leading chemists, Ernst Spath. Julian’s later achievements included his work on converting soybeans into steroids on an industrial scale, and helping to make the drug cortizone affordable.

Thursday, 2/16, Noon–1 p.m. Berkner Hall

Part II of The Forgotten Genius.

Thursday & Friday, 2/16 & 17, 11 a.m.–2 p.m. Berkner Hall lobby

Art Display

The 2012 display by the club, now called the African American Affinity Club, will include art from Ghana, Tanzania, and Egypt, the art of the late Michael Newton, Long Islander, and silk screen work of Atlanta artist Daw’u.

Thursday, 2/23, Noon – 1 p.m. Berkner Hall

Sekazi K. Mtingwa of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology will talk on “Celebrating the Lives of Two Bold Afro-Russians.”

Mtingwa will talk about two geniuses, Alexander Sergeyevich Pushkin (1799-1837) and his great-grandfather, Abram Petrovich Gannibal (1696?-1781), who contributed immensely to literature and civil engineering, respectively. He will explore their impact on the history and soul of Russia and assess the impact that Pushkin had directly on African-American literary figures during the Harlem Renaissance.

Tuesday, February 28, Noon –1 p.m. Berkner Hall

Video Presentation, titled No Short Climb. Documentary by Robert Johnson, Jr., focuses on race, workers, and America’s defense technology.”

2012-2864  |  INT/EXT  |  Newsroom