News
AAS Week : Nov 2-6
Oct 27, 2009
The African American Studies Department Club (AASDC) is sponsoring a week of scholarly and cultural activities to engage the campus community on African American history and culture, while educating others about the African American experience in the United States.
A bake sale will be held in Morgan Hall throughout the week to support ongoing AASDC activities. Club members will participate in a poster social and will decorate a GoWest Transit bus to honor Rosa Parks. Tuesday, November 3rd at 7pm in Morgan Hall 109, the movie “Traces of the Trade: a Story from the Deep North” will be shown to promote historical knowledge and an understanding of slavery. Assistant Professor African American Studies, Dr. Darwin Fishman, AASDC Advisor, will lead a discussion after the showing. Two educational activities will be held on Wednesday, November 4th. To celebrate the contributions of Rosa Parks to the Civil Rights movement and to explain the purpose of Thursday’s march, a discussion will begin at 4:30pm in the University Union Sandburg Lounge with the student panel: “When I Think of Marching, I think of...” lead by AASDC past president Jeffrey Arnold. To promote political awareness, at 7:00pm in the University Union Lamoine Room “The Great Debate: Obama 1 Year Later” will take place with Dr. Macherie Placide, Assistant Professor of Political Science serving as debate judge.
AAS Week culminates on Thursday, November 5th with the annual Rosa Parks March, celebrating the role in the Civil Rights Movement of the African American Freedom Fighter, Rosa Parks. Beginning at 6:30pm in the North Quad and proceeding on the streets near the center of campus, speakers including Antwan Taylor, AASDC President, Romesa Mickens, Black Student Association President, Darren Heard, Student Government Association President, and Dr. Audrey Watkins, Associate Professor of African American Studies will close the ceremonies. A social event at Skateland brings the evening to a conclusion with a Skating Party from 9–11pm ($5.00 to skate). A bus will be provided to/from Skateland, leaving from the North Quad.
AASDC members are also encouraged to showcase their artistic talents at the Friday, November 6th Cultural Expressions sponsored by the Gwendolyn Brooks Cultural Center at 9pm in the University Union Murray Street Cafe.
The purpose of the AASDC is to promote Africa American Studies as a major at Western Illinois University. The academic departmental club, open to all interested students, meets every Wednesday at 4:30pm in the University Union Sandburg Lounge.
Sponsors for AAS week are the Department of African American Studies, GoWest Transit, Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Alpha Phi Omega Fraternity, Beta Phi Pi Fraternity, and Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity. Questions, or requests for accommodation to fully participate in any of the events, may be directed to the AASDC President, Antwan Taylor via email AS-Taylor@wiu.edu or Dr. Darwin Fishman, Faculty Advisor via email D-Fishman@wiu.edu or phone 309-298-1289.
