February 1, 2004

NSU Celebrates Black History Month

FORT LAUDERDALE, FL— Nova Southeastern University (NSU) will honor Black History Month with a variety of special events and activities that include the opening reception of “African Presence 2005: The Caribbean Connection,” the Second Annual Art Exhibition by Artists from the African Diaspora, on Thursday, February 3; the Second Annual Carrie P. Meek Outstanding Education Leadership Achievement Award Ceremony on Thursday, February 10; and the Outstanding Floridian Award being presented to Samuel Morrison, retired director of Broward Counties Libraries, on Tuesday, February 15. The events are free and open to the public.

“African Presence 2005: The Caribbean Connection” will be on display in the Pavilion Courtyard of the Carl DeSantis building on NSU’s main campus, February 1-28, and The event will feature the work of artists from the Caribbean islands, including renowned Jamaican artist Barrington Watson, as well as artists from local galleries, including Caribbean & Americas Fine Art presented by Chelsea Galleria, and Haitian art presented by Galerie D’Art Nadar in Miami. The opening reception will feature a meet-and-greet with the artists, as well as cultural music and Afro-Caribbean dance.

The Black Heritage Council of NSU’s Fischler School of Education and Human Services will host the Second Annual Carrie P. Meek Outstanding Education Leadership Achievement Award Ceremony from 6:30 - 8:00 p.m. on Thursday, February 10, in the Rose and Alfred Miniaci Performing Arts Center. The evening begins at 6:00 p.m. with a reception in the Carl DeSantis Building. This year’s honorees are Patricia Dixon, Ed.D., of Dillard Elementary School in Fort Lauderdale, and Cynthia Flanagan, Ed.S., of Olinda Elementary School in Miami. Both steered their schools from failing to double “A” under the state’s A+ school accountability program.

NSU’s Pan African Student Association (P.A.S.A.) will present the Outstanding South Floridian Award to Morrison for his many achievements at 5:30 p.m., on February 15 in the Alvin Sherman Library, Research, and Information Technology Center, room 2053.

P.A.S.A. will also sponsor several activities for students and the community including an Afro-Caribbean Feast on Monday, February 14 in front of the Parker building on NSU’s main campus, from 12:00-2:00 p.m., Game and Movie Night on Wednesday, February 16, 7:30-9:30 p.m. in the Flight Deck of Rosenthal Student Center, Coffee House and Poetry Night, 6:00 p.m., on Thursday, February 17 in the courtyard pavilion of the Carl DeSantis Building, and a Black History Show, 7:00 p.m., on Friday, February 18 in the Mailman Auditorium, 2nd floor.

Other events and activities taking place at NSU during the month include:

• Black History Month Mural, Saturday, February 5, 2-3:00 p.m. in the Alvin Sherman Library, Research, and Information Technology Center. Help create a collage mural that celebrates the everyday heroes in African American communities. For children ages 8 and older. (Children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult.)
• Finding Black History Websites, Saturday, February 12, 1-3:00 p.m. in the Alvin Sherman Library. Surf the net and discover the wealth of information and activities for research projects, school reports, as well as fun games, puzzles and more. For children ages 8 and older. (Children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult.)
• An Evening of Jazz WITH YOU, Saturday, February 12, 8:00 p.m., in the Rose & Alfred Miniaci Performing Arts Center. This is an Interdisciplinary Arts Capstone (IAC) performance by IAP candidate Paulette Dozier, who will perform songs from her new CD, WITH YOU.
• Peace Stories with Sista Idya, Wednesday, February 23, 4:00–4:45 p.m. in the Alvin Sherman Library. Sista Idya is a jali kunda, a griot, a storyteller, and dramatic poet who will illustrate the culture of Africa through stories, movements, songs, and games.
• A Passion for Poetry, Saturday, February 26, 6:30-9:00 p.m., in the courtyard pavilion of the Carl DeSantis Building. Poetry lovers will enjoy being energized by local poets as they inspire with an evening of spoken word poetry.

Nova Southeastern University, with its main campus in Fort Lauderdale, is the number one producer of Black doctorates among both traditionally white institutions and historically Black colleges and universities, and the number one producer of African-American doctorates in the discipline of education, based on survey results published in the July 3, 2003 edition of Black Issues in Higher Education.

For more information about Black History Month activities at NSU, call (954) 262-5350.