Black History Month Events Kick off Feb. 3rd

The UC San Diego Library will join the campus in a month-long celebration of Black History Month on February 3, with an exhibit on “A Century of Black Life, History, and Culture” and “100 Rainbow Years,” in Geisel Library, co-sponsored with the African American & African Studies Research Center (AAASRC). The exhibit illustrates the intersections of families and communities evolving toward global social justice, cooperation, and universalism. According to AAASRC Director Benetta Jules Rosette, a professor of Sociology, Josephine Baker’s “Rainbow Tribe” was an inspiration, for the exhibit, which features historic images of the families of AAASRC Board members, who moved from slavery to freedom and from slave holders to promoters of social justice. The exhibit, will be on view through the end of month in Geisel West, 1st floor, demonstrates the patchwork of American and global societies over the last 100 years, and reflects AAASRC’s 20-year commitment to global human rights, justice, and cooperation.

On February 12, the Library and AAASRC will present “The Kansas City Style: A Marriage of Blues & Jazz with Jeannie Cheatham” at 3:30 p.m. in the Geisel Library Seuss Room. International jazz legend Jeannie Cheatham will give a presentation on Kansas City blues, featuring live music, engaging storytelling, and recently rediscovered video. Jeannie, who has been credited along with her late husband Jimmy Cheatham, will perform on piano with a jazz trio, underscoring the readings of special guests. Jeannie’s autobiography, Meet Me With Your Black Drawers On, documents her numerous collaborations with some of the great musicians of the past sixty years—including the big bands of Cab Calloway and Count Basie. Jeannie Cheatham, who played piano for these and other jazz icons, was trained in both the classical and famous Kansas City jazz traditions. Jeannie and Jimmy Cheatham, who headed up the UC San Diego Music Department’s jazz program for many years, toured the world with their Sweet Baby Blues Band. An exhibit on the Kansas City style, which will feature Jimmy Cheatham’s trombone, will also be on view in Geisel Library during the month of February.
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