West Virginia State Presents “Voices In Black History” Sunday, Feb. 16

2/14/2014

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Contact: Kimberly Osborne
(304) 766-3363
kosborne@wvstateu.edu
 
 
 
 
    INSTITUTE, W.Va. – As part of the ongoing celebration of Black History Month, West Virginia State University (WVSU) will present “Voices In Black History: Black History Education through Poetic Rhymes, Song and Verse” on Sunday, Feb. 16, in the Davis Fine Arts Building Auditorium beginning at 4 p.m. This event is free and open to the public.

The event will feature two nationally known members of the spoken word poetic group, “The Foreign Tongues,” Osyrus Bolly and A.P.O.L.L.O, two college educated poets who have performed across the United States.

Marquese “A.P.O.L.L.O” McFerguson began writing poetry at the age of 21 following the death of his mother. His stage name stands for “A Person Only Lives Life Once,” which serves as a reminder of how unpredictable life is. He has been named Arkansas’s 2009 Spoken Word Live Champion, and finished third in the second largest poetry event in the nation, “Southern Fried Poetry Slam.” He has also completed two poetry albums.

This event will include local poet Lyrikally Speaking and WVSU professor, Dr. Jenelle Robinson, who will present an empowering piece entitled “Remembering the Black Woman.” In addition, there will be performances from local choirs including the Horace Mann Middle School Show Choir, Charleston Job Corps and the MLK Choir.

This event is partially grant funded through the “Empowerment Initiative” received through the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission. Other partners include the Brothers of Xi Alpha and Theta Psi Chapters of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Inc., the Beta Beta Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc., WVSU Cultural Activities Committee and the Minority Health Institute WVAA Healthy Eating Project.

Sunday’s performance is one of many events taking place at WVSU in celebration of Black History Month.

Next, on Feb. 24-28, students can participate in the 2014 National African-American Read-In each day from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in room 128 of the Wilson University Union.

For more information contact Dr. Jenelle Robinson at (304) 766-3233 or jrobinson12@wvstateu.edu 

Follow West Virginia State University on Facebook and Twitter @WVStateU.

West Virginia State University is a public, land grant, historically black university, which has evolved into a fully accessible, racially integrated, and multi-generational institution, located in Institute, W.Va. As a “living laboratory of human relations,” the university is a community of students, staff, and faculty committed to academic growth, service, and preservation of the racial and cultural diversity of the institution. Its mission is to meet the higher education and economic development needs of the state and region through innovative teaching and applied research.