Black in Latin America Comes to PBS

Harvard scholar Henry Louis Gates, Jr. returns to PBS with Black in Latin America, a new four-part, four-hour series premiering nationally Tuesdays, April 19, 26 and May 3, 10, 2011 at 8p - 9p. ET on PBS (check local listings).

Focusing on Brazil, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, Mexico, and Peru, the series explores the influence of Africans on Latin America. On his journey, Professor Gates discovers a shared legacy of colonialism, slavery and people marked by African roots. What is the legacy of African culture in Latin America? How does it differ from nation to nation? How differently do these countries understand race? How do they do racism or color-blindness?

Haiti and the Dominican Republic: An Island Divided
Professor Gates explores how race has been socially constructed in the Dominican Republic. In Haiti, he tells the story of the birth of the first-ever Black republic.
Airdate: 4/19/2011

Cuba: The Next Revolution
In Cuba, Professor Gates finds out how the culture, religion, politics and music of this island are inextricably linked to the huge amount of slave labor imported in the 19th century.
Airdate: 4/26/2011

Brazil: A Racial Paradise?
In Brazil, Professor Gates delves behind the façade of Carnival to discover how this ‘rainbow nation’ is waking up to its legacy as the world’s largest slave economy.

Airdate: 5/3/2011

Mexico and Peru: The Black Grandma in the Closet
In Mexico and Peru, Professor Gates explores the almost unknown history of the significant numbers of Black people brought to these countries as early as the 16th and 17th centuries.

Airdate: 5/10/2011

“Pride in race is the antidote to prejudice.”

- Auturo Alfonso Schomburg, Afro-Puerto Rican historian whose collection form the basis for the Arthur Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture in Harlem.

Photo:  Afro-Peruvian Dance Company

STEP AFRIKA! - Sat Sep 23

Created in 1994 as a cross-cultural exchange program with the Soweto Dance Theatre of Johannesburg, South Africa, STEP AFRIKA! fuses traditional African gumboot dance, practiced by South African mine workers, with the African-American tradition of stepping. Step Afrika! regularly performs to sellout audiences in DC, South Africa and the UK. Come celebrate a full day of stepping, and visit America I AM at the Museum. The exhibit will be open until 7p.

Saturday, April 23.

10a Workshop (Free)
Learn the basics at the workshop.

Noon Demonstration ($10)
Bring the family for a participatory demonstration.

7:30p Performance ($25)
Enjoy a dazzling evening performance in which the company will show its best moves!

Performance Ticket Plus Exhibit: $35*
*Call or visit ticket office for a combination ticket. Offer not available online.

Museum Exhibit Ticket Only: $6 - $12

Friday Night at the Movies in

Old Jeswang

Port Of Harlem magazine presents its 1st Friday Night at the Movies in Old Jeswang, Friday, April 15, 7p. The event at Glory Baptist Church is free and open to everyone. The showing will feature POV films Bronx Princes and Promised Land. POV films showcase independent nonfiction films and the American Public Broadcasting System premiers 14 to 16 of their best, boldest and most innovative programs every year. Since 1988, POV has presented more than 275 films to public television audiences across the United States. Americans know POV films for their intimacy, unforgettable storytelling and timeliness, putting a human face on contemporary social issues.

Bronx Princess follows headstrong 17-year-old Rocky's journey as she leaves behind her mother in New York City to reunite with her father, a chief in Ghana. Filmed during the tumultuous summer between high-school and college, Bronx Princess tells Rocky's coming-of-age story. By confronting her immigrant parents' ideas of adulthood, Rocky reconciles her African heritage with her dream of independence. “This film is as much about parents learning to let go and trust their training as it is about children learning to appreciate their parents’ efforts and sacrifices and bicultural children learning to appreciate their unique identity,” writes Port Of Harlem entertainment editor L.M. Gipson.

Though apartheid ended in South Africa in 1994, economic injustices between Blacks and Whites remain unresolved. As revealed in Promised Land, the most potentially explosive issue is land. The film follows two Black communities as they struggle to reclaim land from White owners, some of whom who have lived there for generations. Amid rising tensions and wavering government policies, the land issue remains South Africa’s ticking time bomb, with far-reaching consequences for all sides. Promised Land captures multiple perspectives of citizens struggling to create just solutions.

The survival rate for colorectal cancer is 90 percent but only when the disease is detected early. With a grant from the District of Columbia Department of Health and the DC Cancer Consortium, Howard University Hospital is offering free colon cancer screening to District of Columbia residents between the ages of 50 and 64. The free exams are for those who are uninsured or whose insurance does not cover the procedure. For more information call 202-865-7741.

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Consumer Tip

Selecting a Caterer

By Chef Greg McClain

of The Secret Ingredient

When hiring a caterer for your wedding or any other affair, there are a few things you should know before making an informed decision. First, caterers not only provide you and your guests with beautiful displays of delicious delectables but many can assist you in planning your event. For instance, before choosing a caterer, you should ask if the caterer can find the perfect location for your affair and assist you in determining if you may have any “special” needs.

The cost of catering services varies according to the time and materials the company will need to give your event a defined and distinguished appearance. Having a good idea of your budget is crucial when selecting a caterer. Also, keep in mind what your guests may be expecting and the image you desire to portray. After this, your caterer can assist you with deciding where to spend more money and where you can spend less.

Be certain to check the caterer’s references, and do not forget to come to an agreement on all fees, gratuities, extra charges, payment schedules and the cancellation policy before signing a contract. Also, be mindful that the industry standard is a 50% down payment with the balance due a week before the event. Finally, make certain that your caterer is professional in appearance, attitude and in the preparation of the final product: Your food!

On April 16, 1862, President Abraham Lincoln signed the Compensated Emancipation Act for the release of enslaved Africans held in service in Washington, D.C., freeing nearly 3,100 enslaved persons nine months before he issued his Emancipation Proclamation.  While the enslaved received no back pay, Lincoln compensated their former owners.

At the New Islamic Center in D.C.

The America’s Islamic Heritage Museum and Cultural Center will celebrate DC Emancipation Day Saturday, April 16 and have a grand opening for its new museum Saturday, April 30 at 2315 Martin Luther King Avenue, SE in Washington, D.C.

The Emancipation Day celebration includes the showing of the award winning PBS movie Prince among Slaves (11a to 1p) and the play about the Life & Times of Omar ibn Sayyid (3p – 4:30p).

The museum’s opening exhibition will include “Forgotten Roots: Muslims in Early America,” and the “Untold Story: Muslims of the Early 20th Century.” The museum will be open Tuesday thru Saturday 10a to 5p and Sundays from noon to 5p. Admission in $7 for adults, $5 for students and seniors and $3 for children ages 6 to 11. For more information call 202-678-6906.

At National Geographic

The National Geographic Museum will celebrate Emancipation Day with a free family festival that will include performances, lectures, workshops, ticket giveaways and more. The festival’s events will take place throughout all of National Geographic’s public spaces Saturday, April 16 from 10a – 4p. Participation in activities is free; tickets are required for the"America I Am" exhibition entry.