Special to the Times
Miles College welcomes Autherine Lucy Foster, a Miles College graduate and the first black student to integrate the University of Alabama at Tuscaloosa in 1956, on Monday, Feb. 12, in Brown Hall Auditorium at 11 a.m. She will speak at the college as a part of the Black History Month events scheduled to take place on campus.
Autherine Lucy Foster is a retired educator who became the first African-American student to desegregate the University of Alabama. Born on October 5, 1929, in Shiloh, Alabama, Autherine Lucy studied English and worked as a teacher before enrolling at the all-white University of Alabama, which had banned her and a friend’s attendance upon previous efforts. She went on to earn a teaching certificate from Selma University before attending Miles College, graduating with a bachelor’s in English.
Other Black History Month activities include:
- February 10, “Black Panther” cartoon in the Kirkwood Balton Theater 3 p.m. This film discusses the rise of the revolutionary militant group known as the Black Panthers and how they were often misunderstood, but yet historically, they were freedom fighters.
- February 14, “Elementary Genocide” Brown Hall Chapel 11 a.m. to 12 Noon, film by Mr. Raheem Shabazz concerning the miseducation on a nationwide basis of many black youth and how black youth are slowly dying in the educational system.
- February 17, “Out of Darkness” Balton Theater, 3 p.m., This film highlights the untold story of the history of African people.
- February 19, The Souls of Black Folk and The Mis-education of the Negro, 11 a.m., Brown Hall Chapel, the discussion is centered around the 115th and 85th anniversary of both works respectively and how far have African-Americans come in reference to education.
- February 21, Rahiem Shabazz, filmmaker of “Elementary Genocide” Brown Hall Auditorium 11a.m., He will discuss the nuances of genocide within the American educational setting
- February 26, African Cultural Festival, Nathifa Dance Company and food tasting afterwards 11a.m., Pearson Hall. This event will focus on various West African dances as well as traditional West African and Caribbean style foods
- February 28, Miles College Choir, Brown Hall Chapel 11 a.m. We will close out black history month celebration with the fantastic choir of Miles College.
National African American History Month in February celebrates the contributions that African Americans have made to American history in their struggles for freedom and equality and deepens our understanding of our Nation’s history.
For more information contact Shaun Stokes at 252-676-3323
