Panamanian Dr. Carlos Russell, founder of the Black Solidarity Day annual will be lauded on Nov. 5 at Medgar Evers College, 1650 Bedford Ave. in Brooklyn.
The distinguished, educator, poet, playwright and former Panamanian ambassador to the United Nations who mobilized a 24-hour, moratorium from shopping and other commercial activity in order to draw attention to the financial capital generated by Blacks in America will be regaled by a grateful community of activists dedicated to the unification of Africans.
First celebrated November 1969, BSD was embraced by college students and Pan-African advocates in protest of racial inequality and disparity between the wealthiest and poorest living in the richest nation on earth.
Annually commemorated on the first Monday in November, celebrants instead of patronizing stores or attending schools executed alternative positive activities to supplement the day’s activity.
Rallies, spiritual gathering and other cultural assemblies were encouraged resulting in a noticeable decrease in profits throughout department stores and diminished attendance on many college campuses.
The pre-election day event in Brooklyn is slated to begin at 6:00 p.m. with a panel discussion and open-mic session.
Billed as a fundraiser, the evening’s program will be held at Founder’s Hall and is expected to garner contributions to enhance the annual feeding of seniors and needy who attend an annual charity feast hosted by People of the Sun Middle Passage Collective and the Medgar Evers Student Government Association.
In order to participate, patrons are asked to either donate a back-pack or donate cash to the charitable cause.
For more information, call 718-659-4999.
DOWNTOWN BROOKLYN MARKS BLACK SOLIDARITY DAY
For 43 years, the first Monday in November has been regarded and mostly acknowledged on college campuses as Black Solidarity Day.
This year at New York City College of Technology (City Tech) in tribute to the 43-year practice of unity and solidarity, students will have an opportunity to hear a message from community advocate and businessman Anthony Herbert.
Herbert’s topic — “Obtaining the Power to Move Forward” will be presented as part of the college’s celebration of Black Solidarity Day and is in keeping with their 2012 theme of “The Move Forward: Exercising Power in the 21st Century.”
Slated for the Atrium Amphitheater at 300 Jay Street, downtown Brooklyn, the Nov. 5 event will begin at 11:30 a.m.
For additional information, contact the Department of African American Studies, at 718.260.5205
OSCAR-WINNING CARIBBEAN NATIONAL TO GET LANDMARK STATUS
Not many Academy Award winning actors can boast their name’s inscription on international landmarks.
Oscar winner Sidney Poitier will.
His name and career achievement will be the toast of Bahamas’40th anniversary of independence next year.
According to Prime Minister Perry Christie, Paradise Island Bridge, the largest in the Bahamas will be rechristened in honor of the 88-year-old movie star when four decades of self-rule is celebrated on July 10.
The 600-feet bridge connects Nassau, the capital to Paradise Island where the Atlantis Resort, one of the region’s top tourist destinations is located. In making the announcement, Christie said the 88-year-old film star is being honored because of his life story and diplomacy.
Although Poitier was not born in the Bahamas, he spent his childhood years on Cat Island, one of the habitable of the 700 chain of islands.
The actor is regarded as a trailblazer for Bahamians living on the 14 habitable islands which include: Eleuthera, Andros, Abacos, Bimini, Grand Bahama, Freeport, Exuma, Cat and Paradise Island.
Poitier is their most accomplished son. The accomplished actor was born in Coconut Grove, Miami where his parents traveled to sell tomatoes. He has represented the Bahamas serving as ambassador to Japan and UNESCO.
Catch You On The Inside!
