By Stephen Stirling
The series, which will run throughout the month of February, includes a screening of the highly acclaimed HBO documentary “Unchained Memories: Readings from Slave Narratives,” as well as lectures and art exhibits documenting several aspects of black culture in the city from the 17th century forward.”We hope the events and activities we've designed will attract and have an enduring effect on every segment of the campus community,” said Maureen Pierce-Anyan, Queens College director of minority student affairs. “Local and international in scope, these programs will provide multiple opportunities to understand and learn from the past and present in order to prepare for and improve the future.”The month's programs kick off Feb. 1 with the debut of “Breaking Barriers: Louis Armstrong and Civil Rights,” which will be held at Queens College's Louis Armstrong House Museum in Corona. The event will run at the museum through Oct. 8 and will feature film clips and artifacts from the 1950s, including Armstrong's FBI file.Randall Clarke, president of the Black Student Union at Queens College, said the expansive scope of this year's events is particularly exciting.”These events are unique because this year we're focusing not on the famous accomplishments of one particular person such as Martin Luther King or Rosa Parks, but on black history as a whole,” Clarke said.Pierce-Anyan said another highly anticipated exhibit will be located in the Student Union lobby, which will chronicle the accomplishments and hardships of blacks in the New York City area from the 17th through the 20th centuries. The exhibit will be on display toward the end of the month, Feb. 20-28.For a full list of planned activities and events as well as directions, visit the school's Web site at www.qc.cuny.edu. Reach reporter Stephen Stirling by e-mail at news@timesledger.com or by phone at 718-229-0300, Ext. 162.
