Black History Month 2011

NEWS RELEASE

Immediate: January 10, 2011

Media Contact: Alicia Steger516.572.9634E-mail: alicia.steger@ncc.eduncc.edu/releases

Nassau Community College Presents:  Black History Month 2011January 21 – February 11

Garden City, New York – During February, the Nassau Community College Black History Month Committee will present a month of programs and events in tribute to African American achievements in America. All programs, except for the play The Wreckin’ Ball, will take place in the College Center Building, and are free, open to the public and accessible to the disabled. For more information, please call Dean Charmian Smith at 516.572.7376.

Jan. 21-23 and 26-30 — The Wreckin’ Ball — The Wreckin’ Ball is an eight character play that explores the changes one family in particular, and a community in general, endure when their inner city neighborhood is slated for urban renewal. Performances are at 8:00 p.m. daily, except Sundays, when they are at 3:00 p.m. To order tickets, call the Theatre Box Office at 516.572.7676. This play is a joint production of the NCC Theatre and Dance Department and the Africana Studies Department.

Tues., Feb. 1 – 11:30 a.m. – Smoldering Fires – Prof. Kermit Frazier, Educator, Author and Playwright — Kermit Frazier has had nearly 20 plays produced in New York and around the country, including Class Reunion, An American Journey and Smoldering Fires. As a television writer, he has collaborated on the children’s mystery series Ghostwriter, The Cosby Mysteries and All My Children. Prof. Frazier’s articles have appeared in The Chicago Review, Essence and The New York Times Book Review, among other publications. Prof. Frazier will discuss the historical and contemporary contributions of African Americans to literature. 10:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m. – 22nd Annual African American Read-In.

Thursday, Feb. 10 at 9:00 a.m. — First Annual Diversity & Leadership ConferenceFriday, Feb. 11, 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. — “Black to the Future, Part II”ALANA (African, Latino, Asian, Native American), the NCC faculty and staff alliance, hosts a two-day conference on leadership and diversity, culminating with the continuation of last year’s successful forum, “Black to the Future,” a multi-ethnic mini-conference.

Tuesday, Feb. 15 at 11:30 a.m. — Grammy Award-winning Artist, Author and Activist Common: “Common Sense, Common Knowledge” — Lonnie Rashid Lynn, Jr., better known by his stage name Common, gained mainstream success in the 1990s. In addition to his artistic pursuits, Common launched the Common Ground Foundation, an organization dedicated to the empowerment and development of urban youth in the U.S. Common will speak about his idea of greatness. Please note: Seating for this event is limited; priority seating will be given to NCC students with current ID.

Jan. 31-Feb. 25, College Center Building Lobby — Art exhibit featuring paintings and sculptures by African American artists.

About Nassau Community CollegeNassau Community College, a division of the State University of New York, is an institution where nearly 24,000 full- and part-time students and almost 15,000 continuing and professional students start and continue their successful journey through higher education. More than 70 fields of study are offered on a 225-acre campus located in the center of Long Island. As the largest single-campus two-year college in New York State, Nassau Community College maintains a national reputation for excellence.

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