Chattanooga, TN --- Chattanooga State Community College’s Office of Multicultural Services, Student Life and the Black Student Leadership Alliance announce a schedule of entertaining and educational activities for Black History Month. The theme of this year’s annual celebration is “At the Crossroads of Freedom and Equality: The Emancipation Proclamation and the March on Washington.” Chattanooga State students can attend featured events both on and off the main campus.

Free tickets to a traveling art exhibit on display at the Bessie Smith Cultural Center, located at 200 East M.L. King Boulevard, are available to the first 50 students to request them from event coordinators, Justin Booker, director of student activities, or Mary Knaff, director, Multicultural Services. The exhibit entitled, “We Shall Not Be Moved,” was developed by the Tennessee State Museum. Visitors will gain an intimate look at the role Tennessee students played in shaping the modern Civil Rights Movement on this its 50^th anniversary. The exhibit is on display from now until February 28. Students can also contact Mr. Booker or Mrs. Knaff to request free tickets to the February 17 performance of the musical drama, “God’s Trombones” at the Bessie Smith Cultural Center. The performance is inspired by and based upon the book, “God’s Trombones: Seven Negro Sermons in Verse,” by renowned African American author and poet James Weldon Johnson. Various notable community members will perform individual poetry readings starting at 6 p.m.

Beginning February 4 through the end of the month, Chattanooga State’s Kolwyck Library will host an exhibit of inventions by African-Americans as well as one that chronicles the service of black soldiers in the military. The exhibit, which is provided by the Mary Walker Foundation, is free and open to the public. Visit http://library.chattanoogastate.edu/ for the library’s hours of operation.

Entries are due for the John Stigall Poetry Contest by February 6. The contest is named in honor of the beloved associate professor of English and poet-in-residence at Chattanooga State who passed away in 2009. Stigall’s published works are comprised of four books of poetry. Prizes include $150 for first place, $100 for second place, and $75 for third place. Students interested in competing in the contest are to contact English instructor Rachel Falu, at (423) 697-2412 or Rachel.falu@chattanoogastate.edu. Winners will perform their works on February 19 in the Kolwyck Library at 4 p.m.

HIV/AIDS activist, LaWanda Jones will speak to students on the topic of “Staying in the Fight” during the campus activity period at 10 a.m. on February 6 in the Humanities Auditorium. Jones is an advocate who champions awareness of sexually transmitted diseases, and stopping the spread of HIV. Jones, who uses comedy to temper her message, is active with many community organizations, and provides care for her niece who contracted the HIV virus. She will speak again at noon on the topic of “Life Choices” at the Empowering the College Woman luncheon in the faculty/staff dining room (OMNI 124/126).

There will be a screening of the movie, “Lincoln,” directed and produced by Steven Spielberg, on February 18 at 6 p.m. in the Humanities Auditorium. The film is a historical drama that follows the 16^th President as he struggles to abolish slavery and reunite the nation. Actor Daniel-Day Lewis stars as Abraham Lincoln. Actress Sally Field portrays the first lady, Mary Todd Lincoln. The movie is free to the campus community.

Darrell S. Freeman, Sr., a member of the Tennessee Board of Regents, is the featured speaker for the Empowering the College Man luncheon scheduled for 12:30 p.m. on February 26 in the faculty/staff dining room (OMNI 124/126). Freeman is the executive chairman of Zycron, Inc., an information technology services and solutions firm he founded in 1991 in Nashville. Zycron employs more than 330 professionals across the country.  The topic of Mr. Freeman’s speech is “Paving the Way: A Foundation for Success.”

Other activities planed on campus include the following:

January 31

10:00 a.m. -     Black History Month Kickoff

THINKFAST: Trivia Game Show in the cafeteria

February 5     12:30 p.m.       Just Talkin’ Series “You Don’t Know Me” - Faculty Staff Dining Omni 124/126

February 22    11:30 a.m. -     Annual Soul Food Luncheon - Faculty/Staff Dining Room OMNI 124/126

For more information about Black History Month activities at Chattanooga, contact Justin Booker at (423) 697-2482, justin.booker@chattanoogastate.edu / or Mary Knaff at (423) 697-3371, mary.knaff@chattanoogastate.edu.