Black History Events in Portland

African American Read-In

Come hear friends, neighbors and community leaders read from their favorite African-American works at the 13th Annual African American Read-In, Feb. 8, 2:30 - 3:45 p.m., at the North Portland Library, 512 N. Killingsworth St.
Fiction and non-fiction for children and adults will be featured in an afternoon of good words from great works. Guest readers will include:
• Damali Ayo, Author, "How to rent a Negro";
• John Branam, Grantmakers for Education;
• Sunshine Dixon, Urban League of Portland;
• Joyce Harris, Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory;
• Kurt Jun, Portland Public Schools;
• Judge Darleen Ortega, Oregon Court of Appeals;
• Quinones Thompson, 2nd grade, Trinity Lutheran School;
• Lindsay Marshall, senior, Grant High School;
• Dr. Mark Wahlers, Provost, Concordia University;
One never knows what the readers will choose. There have been lullabies, works by historical economics figures, excerpts from plays and great speeches, as well as poems and stories written by library readers. Who knows? It's up to you to join and find out. It's a great way to broaden your reading horizons.
This event is cosponsored by North Portland Library and the International Reading Association.

Cool Nutz Musical Celebration

POH-Hop and The NW Breakout Show Presents: The Black History Month Music Festival, Thursday Feb. 19, 8 p.m. at Berbati's Pan, 231 SW Ankeny. The show features One Be Lo, Tony Ozier, Soul P, Syndel of Sirens Echo, Arjay and more, hosted by DJ Fatboy.
Friday Feb. 20, at 8 p.m. at The Ash Street, 225 SW Ash, the show features Cool Nutz, Mikey Vegaz & T. Soprano, Diezel P, Luck One, Todd G, hosted by DJ Fatboy. Ages 21 and over only. For more information go to www.JusFamilyRecords.com.

Black History Seminar

Feb. 21, 5 – 6:45 p.m. 420 NE Mason St. off MLK Blvd.a
Israelite Church of God In Jesus Christ presents "From Kings to Slaves, Black History Month Seminar" at Irvington Village Community Center. For more information call 503-282-1599 or visit www.thecomforter.info.

Oregon Action to Hold Racial Profiling Meetings

Oregon Action will hold the first in a series of public meetings about the issue of racial profiling by the Portland Police.
The Black History Month meeting, featuring City Commissioner Amanda Fritz, will be held Feb. 21 from 1 to 2:30 p.m. at Redeemer Lutheran Church, 5431 NE 20^th Ave.

Facets of Africa

Portland's most vibrant performing artists share legends and personal tales representing the many facets of Africa based culture in Facets of Africa, through Feb. 26, Tuesdays and Thursdays 10 a.m. and Saturday Feb. 21, 2 p.m. at the Interstate Firehouse Cultural Center, 534- N. Interstate Ave.
The IFCC presents artists and storytellers from a variety of African countries and African-based cultures to celebrate the diversity within African culture. Join the performers for a discussion after the show.
Also, don't miss the Facets of Africa Gallery Exhibit featuring the work of IFCC's 2008–2009 Artist in Residence from Kenya, Jacob Wachira Ezgibo.
Facets of Africa features some of Portland's most vibrant performing artists:
Habiba is a native of Ghana, West Africa. She has performed in the United States and internationally for fifteen years. In the Northwest, she has been featured with Milagro Bailadores, Northwest Afrikan American Ballet, Tiempo Caribe, Tygres Heart Theatre and Keith Goodman and Dance Gatherers.
Caton Lyles who has been active on the local music scene for over 30 years. He has been featured on national and international television, in commercials, documentaries, and episodic programming.
Graciela Teofield storyteller of Caribbean, Central American and American culture.
Samantha Vandermere is a Native of South Africa and a professional story teller, actress and local producer. Her company Shaking the Tree facilitates all kinds of story tellers.
Jennifer Lanier is a resident artist at IFCC and hosts the Facets of Africa series, weaving in her own story of the Diaspora and a traditional African American folk tale.
Get tickets by calling 503–205-0715.

Perfection, by Helen Hill

In 2008 Helen was selected as one of IFCC's first New Faces' playwrights. Through IFCC's New Faces Series her play, Perfection, went through a rigorous workshop process under the leadership of Lorraine Bahr, well known for her expertise with new work in Portland.  After another successful reading it became clear this story needed to be told.
The play runs at the IFCC theater through Feb. 28, Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m.
Perfection is directed by Drammy Award winner and acclaimed veteran stage actor Brenda Phillips, and will be presented throughout February, 2009 in honor of Black History Month. There will be a moderated, open discussion of this controversial issue following each play.
In 2000, Governor Kitzhaber issued a public apology to the thousands of forced sterilization victims in Oregon. This was the first time many Oregonians had ever heard of Oregon's eight decades of participation in the Eugenics movement.
The American Eugenics movement sprang up in the early 1900's, and it is still with us today. Scientists, religious leaders and social workers throughout America proclaimed that civilization must protect itself against 'defective germ plasm' or the human race would not survive. A powerful wave of fanatical public opinion swept the country, resulting in state laws that required the forced sterilization of hundreds of thousands of men, women and children.
Victims were lumped together, targeted because they were Black, poor, Native American, criminal, morally 'degenerate', disabled, insane or arbitrarily deemed 'a probable ward of the state'. It was the American Eugenics laws that provided the 'scientific' basis for the rise of Nazi Germany.
Though state sterilization laws have been removed from the books, institutionalized oppression against those who are not wealthy, healthy and white went underground and still influences social and political policy today. 'Perfection' seeks to put a face and a heart to the continuing legacy of the Eugenics movement.
For tickets call 503–205-0715