Jazz legend Quincy Jones is part of the Library of Congress’
black oral history project. (Photo by AP/Scott Applewhite)
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Friday, February 22, 2008
In the midst of celebrations of Black History Month, the father of it sometimes gets lost in the shuffle.
Carter G. Woodson, who founded Negro History week in 1926 and also the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History in 1915, is the theme of this year’s national celebrations of Black History Month. The Library of Congress, which maintains the collection of his papers, is hosting an event celebrating Black History Month on Friday, Feb. 22.
Arthur Mitchell, the artistic director of Dance Theater of Harlem and dancer/choreographer Carmen De Lavallade will sit on a panel discussion highlighting the library’s collection of African-American oral histories. The collection includes interviews with famous blacks from Coretta Scott King to Quincy Jones and Ray Charles. Students of the Dance Theater of Harlem will perform. Free and open to the public.
Montpelier Room, 6th floor of the James Madison Building, 1010 Independence Ave., SE. Friday, Feb. 22 at 11 a.m.
Wicked JezAbel won a WAMMIE for ‘Best Hard Rock’ category. (Photo by Diesel Dome) |
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Local lesbians have long known that Wicked Jezabel can rock, but now the Washington region officially agrees. The band won the Washington Area Music Association’s “Best Hard Rock” category award for 2007 and was runner-up for the “Fan Favorite” award.
The awards were held on Feb. 17 at the State Theatre in Falls Church, Va. To celebrate their win, the women of Wicked Jezabel are hosting a party to thank their fans on Feb. 22 at JV’s Restaurant, 6666 Arlington Blvd., Falls Church, Va., $5. www.jvsrestaurant.com
‘Flamingo Lily,’ (detail), a quilt by Jane Oden is on display at the U.S. Botanic Garden. (Photo courtesy of the U.S. Botanic Garden) or 703-241-9504. |
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Textiles at the U.S. Botanic Garden may sound a little odd; after all, D.C. does have an entire museum devoted to textiles. But “A Stitch in Vine,” which will be on display through April 27, features botanically themed quilts stitched by the Chesapeake & Potomac Appliqué Guild.
Designs on the quilts include fruit, tropical and native plants and range from 19th-century styles to more contemporary patterns.
Should you decide to visit, don’t miss the garden’s annual orchid display, which is on view through April 13. Arranged alphabetically by trait this year, the hundreds of orchids are always a huge draw for the government’s garden.
U.S. Botanic Garden Conservatory, 100 Maryland Ave., SW. 22-225-8333 or www.usbg.gov.
‘Ice T,’ by Kehinde Wiley. Oil on canvas, 2005. |
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One of the unexpected pleasantries of visiting the National Portrait Gallery is the realization that not all the portraits displayed are of a stiffly seated wealthy white male in front of a fireplace or next to a hunting dog.
Erykah Badu, Common and LL Cool J represent a few of the hip-hop artists depicted in painting and photography in the gallery’s latest exhibition: “Recognize! Hip Hop and Contemporary Portraiture.” The exhibit runs through Oct. 26.
“It’s Not a Just Situation,” a poem courtesy of lesbian poet Nikki Giovanni, will also be on display. Brooklyn artist Shinique Smith has created a work of installation art inspired by the poem. Graffiti art and a video-style self-portrait by Jefferson Pinder round out the exhibition.
National Portrait Gallery, 8th and F Sts., NW. Open 11:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily. www.npg.si.edu or 202-663-1000.
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