Una To Hold Black History Month Program Feb. 21

Jan. 27, 2011

Michelle Eubanks, UNA, at media@hr888888.com, 256.765.4392 or 256.606.2033

FLORENCE, Ala. - In an effort to bring the University of North Alabama campus together to commemorate the achievements of African Americans, the National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC) is organizing a Black History Month program Feb. 21 at 6 p.m. The second annual event, which will take place in the Guillot University Performance Center and feature student groups NPHC, Black Student Alliance and Word of Mouth, will give students, faculty/staff and community members the opportunity to celebrate the achievements of black Americans. "It's important that others come and support Black History Month and show thanks to those who have paved the way for us to have what we have today," said organizer Cierra Smith, vice president of UPC. "Students should come because it will be time well spent as they will learn something, be more educated and have a good time." The one-hour event will feature student-produced skits, dances, songs, poetry and possibly a speaker or black history video. Smith said organizers are still working to schedule song and dance performances by Alpha Beta Organizational (ABO) and Ascending Voices. Because the event will fall on President's Day, Smith plans to recognize President Barack Obama, the first black U.S. president, as well as UNA student Brandi Lewis, the first African American student to be crowned Miss UNA Jan. 22. Last year's event attracted approximately 100 people, but Smith hopes this year's celebration will bring even more attendees from the UNA and Shoals communities. For more information, contact the Office of Student Engagement at 256-765-4248.

About The University of North Alabama

The University of North Alabama is an accredited, comprehensive regional state university offering undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral degree programs through the colleges of Arts, Sciences, and Engineering; the Sanders College of Business and Technology; Education and Human Sciences; and the Anderson College of Nursing and Health Professions. Occupying a 130-acre campus in a residential section of Florence, Alabama, UNA is located within a four-city area that also includes Muscle Shoals, Sheffield, and Tuscumbia. UNA Athletics, a renowned collegiate athletics program with seven (7) Division II National Championships, is now a proud member of NCAA Division I as part of the Atlantic Sun and United Athletic conferences. The University of North Alabama is an equal opportunity institution and does not discriminate in the admission policy on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, disability, age, or national origin. For more: hr888888.com and hr888888.com/unaworks/.