The North Iowa Area Community College (NIACC) Diversity Committee will host two programs on Thursday, February 27, in the NIACC Activity Center. This event, facilitated by Sean Donaldson of the African American Museum of Iowa, is free and open to the public.

The first presentation titled “Juneteenth and Emancipation” will be held from 10:30 am-12:00 pm. On June 19, 1865, Union Soldiers arrived in Texas and spread the word that they were officially free. This information moved so slowly through the south that slaves in Texas did not receive this information until over two years after President Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation. In order to really understand the impact of this moment, we will look at the impact of slavery on the United States. Many communities celebrate through parades, festivals, and large community celebrations that highlight this momentous event while also sharing African American culture and heritage.

The second presentation titled “Behind the Beat” will be held from 1:30 pm-3:00 pm. This presentation uses music to explore African American history, from the African beats to the jazz of the Harlem Renaissance to the popular music of the Civil Rights movement. The influences of traditional African music can be seen in the spirituals sung by African Americans while they worked as slaves, elements of spirituals can be found in blues, blues led way to jazz, jazz spurred on R&B, rock and roll, hip hop, and other forms of modern music. Each musical style has ties to history, such as jazz and the Harlem Renaissance or Motown and the Civil Rights Movement. To understand history, you just have to look Behind the Beat!

This free event is in honor of Black History month and the public is welcome to attend.

# # #

Ref # 6569