African American Studies

Free Angela trailer: http://youtu.be/MWo9CMe91wE

Features South Carolina native and legendary Harlem funeral director Isaiah Owens

Columbia — The South Carolina African American Heritage Commission will host a screening of the new PBS film “Homegoings,” which explores the rich and significant custom of burials and funerals in the African American community, at 5 p.m. Thursday, June 13, in the auditorium of the South Carolina Department of Archives and History on Parklane Road. The story is told through the eyes of Isaiah Owens, a legendary undertaker of the historic Harlem neighborhood in New York City, who is a native of Branchville, South Carolina. Owens felt that undertaking was his “calling,” having had an interest in dignifying and respecting the departed since early childhood in Branchville. See the trailer for the film, which will have its broadcast premiere on the POV series later in the month, here.

http://www.pbs.org/pov/pressroom/2013/homegoings-kicks-off-pov-26-season-on-pbs.php

Owens will attend the screening on June 13 and will receive a Concurrent Resolution from members of the state legislature. He will also address the audience about his “calling” and the funeral traditions of African Americans. Also during the evening, a panel of notable funeral directors from across the state will discuss, among many topics, how funerals have evolved from grieving events to somber celebrations. Serving on the panel will be:

• Chris Leevy Johnson of Leevy’s Funeral Home in Columbia
• James Flemming of Flemming Funeral Homes in Chesterfield
• Rep. Anne Parks of Parks Funeral Home in Greenwood
• Herbert Fielding of Fielding Home for Funerals in Charleston
• Samuetta Marshall (coroner of Orangeburg County) of Shuler-Marshall Funeral Home in Holly Hill

Anyone interested in attending the June 13 screening is encouraged to RSVP to 843-917-3350. “Homegoings” was produced and directed by Christine Turner, and will be broadcast nationally on PBS stations on the award-winning POV (Point of View) series on Monday, June 24, 2013 at 10 p.m. (Check local listings.) Visit www.pbs.org/pov/homegoings for more information.

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Media contacts for the June 13 screening:
Dawn Dawson-House
SC Department of Parks, Recreation & Tourism
ddawson@scprt.com
803-734-1779

Jannie Harriott
South Carolina African American Heritage Commission
professionaljmh@aol.com
843-332-3589

This event is a collaboration with POV, PBS’ award-winning nonfiction film series.
www.pbs.org/pov

This program is sponsored by The Humanities CouncilSC, a state program of the National Endowment for the Humanities; inspiring, engaging and enriching South Carolinians with programs on literature, history, culture and heritage.

The Baccalaureate Service for this year’s graduating class is tonight at 6:30p in Recital Hall, Simons Center for the Arts.

This evening’s speaker is Judge Arthur C. McFarland. Judge McFarland served as the Municipal Court Judge for the city of Charleston for 33 years and served as the city’s chief judge for 28 years. A native of Charleston, he began his career as an Earl Warren Fellow with the NAACP Legal Defense Fund in New York.

Judge McFarland was among nine black students who desegregated Bishop England High School in 1964. As an undergraduate at Notre Dame University he founded the Afro-American Society of students organized to promote the interests of black students.  He received his JD from the University of Virginia Law School and was admitted to practice law in South Carolina and the Federal and US Supreme Courts. He continues in private practice today, having retired from service to the city of Charleston.

We are honored to have Judge McFarland on campus this evening.  His message will center on the intersection of faith and service in daily living.

I hope you will join us at 6:30 in Recital Hall.  Academic faculty and staff are invited to wear Regalia to this evening’s service.

Reminder …

Racism in the 21st Century  What is changing about racial discrimination? What do phrases such as white privilege, post-racial, or new racism mean to you? Through interactive exercises this workshop will allow us to candidly address how we experience or witness racism differently based on our own social identities. We will consider what new critical race scholarship has to say about the future of the concept of race and the eradication of racism.

Friday, April 12, 3:30-4:30pm, Robert Scott Small Building, Room 248

Co-facilitators Dr. Ade Ofunniyin & Kristi Brian

Who should attend? All interested faculty, staff and students

Kristi Brian, Ph.D.
Director of Diversity Education & Training
College of Charleston
Office of Institutional Diversity
Robert Scott Small Building 238
Charleston, SC 29424
843.953.6452
fax: 843.953.7713
website: diversity.cofc.edu

Fisk Jubilee Singers Concert to Benefit Avery Research Center.

Ella Baker Day, April 11 2013