Black History Month events: This week’s best bets
Monday, February 02, 2009
During February, we’ll tell you about the fun, educational and/or entertaining events tied to Black History Month, with a best bet pick every day.
Monday, Feb. 1
• The AJC's listings of metro-area events: Free events | Family events | Music events | All events
It can be tough getting kids to read, but combine books with the Braves and it might be a lot easier. Thanks to the Black History Month Education Initiative, children ages 13 and younger who read a book about the Negro Leagues, Hank Aaron, Jackie Robinson or any African-American contributors to the sport get free admission to the Braves Museum and a tour of Turner Field. Students can bring in the book they read or a note with the name and author of the book from their teacher or librarian on school letterhead. 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Mondays-Saturdays. Through Feb. 28. Adult general admission is $12. Turner Field, 755 Hank Aaron Drive S.W., Atlanta. 404-522-7630, www.atlantabraves.com.
Tuesday, Feb. 3
Today’s event at Agnes Scott College featuring author Gwen Ifill has been canceled. www.agnesscott.edu.
Wednesday, Feb. 4
Clayton State University is sponsoring a Black History Month Movie Series in the school’s Student Activities Center Ballroom. First up, the Oprah Winfrey-produced, Denzel Washington-directed “The Great Debaters,” based on the true story of a stellar debate team formed at the all-black Wiley College in Marshall, Texas, in the 1930s. 7:30 p.m. Feb. 4. Coming Feb. 19, Spike Lee’s “School Daze,” inspired by Lee’s years at Atlanta’s Morehouse College. Free. 2000 Clayton State Blvd., Morrow. 678-466-4000, adminservices.clayton.edu/campuslife/bhm.htm.
Thursday, Feb. 5
Roswell Cultural Arts Center celebrates the opening of “Threads That Cover/Threads That Connect,” a show of tapestries by Patricia Landry and fanciful dolls by Tonia Kim Mitchell. Both artists will discuss the influences of the African tradition on their art during the opening at 6-8 p.m. Feb. 5. Free. 950 Forrest St., Roswell. 770-594-6232, www.roswellgov.com.
Friday, Feb. 6
To celebrate the short but transformative life of a reggae superstar, check out the fourth annual Bob Marley Atlanta Festival. He died in 1981 at age 36, but if Bob Marley was still alive, he would have been 64 today. Among the highlights are musical performances at the Five Spot (9 p.m. Feb. 6. $15; $10 advance. Five Spot, 1123 Euclid Ave. N.E., Atlanta. 404-223-1100, www.bobmarleyatlantafest.com) and the Sugar Hill Lounge (9 p.m. Feb. 7. $15; $12 advance. Sugar Hill Lounge, 50 Upper Alabama St., Atlanta. 404-658-0068, www.bobmarleyatlantafest.com).
Saturday, Feb. 7
Voices of Atlanta is fulfilling part of its mission statement — to “promote and encourage the performance of music written by minority composers” — with a concert of choral works by African-American composers including R. Nathaniel Dett, Roland Carter and Hezekiah Walker, as well as selections by Vivaldi, Bruckner and Randall Thompson. 6 p.m. Feb. 7. $15-$25; $10 students. Rock Spring Presbyterian Church, 1824 Piedmont Ave NE, Atlanta. 404-875-7483, www.rspc.org.
Sunday, Feb. 8
This installment of the Booth Western Art Museum’s Western Movie Days coincides with the museum’s exhibit “The Black West: Buffalo Soldiers, Black Cowboys and Untold Stories.” At 1:10 p.m., they’ll show the 1938 film “Two-Gun Man from Harlem,” a low-budget film that revisits the singing cowboy films of Gene Autry with an African-American cast. That followed at 3 p.m. by “The Scalphunters,” a film of more later vintage that also addresses race relations. The 1968 film was directed by Sydney Pollack and stars Burt Lancaster and Ossie Davis. Feb. 8. $8; ages 12 and younger free. 501 Museum Drive, Cartersville. 770-387-1300, www.boothmuseum.org.
