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War hero, jazz music, soul food all part of Black History Month events planned at Gainesville State
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OAKWOOD — Gainesville State College is planning several Black History Month events under the theme "Changing the Black American Image Through History."

A panel discussion is set for noon Wednesday on "The Color Line Revisited: Does Racism Still Exist?" The event will take place in the Continuing Education/Performing Arts Center Auditorium.

Faculty, staff and students will hear from the students who participated in a peace march in Jena, La., after six black high school students were accused of attacking a white student.

Many protested what they considered excessive charges and bond for the youths, dubbed the "Jena 6."

The students will provide a timeline of the case and share their personal experiences. Flowery Branch Municipal Court Judge G. Hammond Law III will be a special guest on the panel.

A Mardi Gras "Masquerade Extravaganza," set for 6 p.m.-midnight Feb. 1 in the Continuing Education/Performing Arts Center, will serve as the official kick-off of Black History Month.

Other events include:

The African Performing Arts Association presenting a program by the West African group Sama To at noon Feb. 4 at the student center stage.

The 2nd Annual Minority Student Faculty and Staff Recognition Reception, an invitation-only event set for 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Feb. 8.

A performance by the Gainesville State Jazz Band at noon Feb. 13 at the student center stage.

A jazz performance by flutist Galen Razzaq of Washington, D.C., set for 6:30-8:30 p.m. Feb. 15 in the Continuing Education/Performing Arts Center.

The event also will feature the audience participating in a poetry session and the showing of the film "Paris, I Love You."

"A Taste of Soul Food" from noon-1 p.m. Feb. 18 in the Student Center. Students will sample homemade, Southern black cooking.

The African-American Male Initiative Conference, set for 8 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Feb. 22 in the Continuing Education/Performing Arts Center.

The L.A. Waters African-American Male Recognition Banquet, set for 6:30 p.m. Feb. 23 in the Hugh M. Mills Physical Education Complex.

Tickets for the event are $30 per person and benefit the L.A. Waters Scholarship Fund through the Gainesville State College Foundation. For tickets, call 678-717-3654.

"The Great African-American History Debate," set for noon Feb. 25 in the Continuing Education/Performing Arts Center.

The student debate focus on the topic "Have perceptions of African-Americans changed with the validation of their contribution to our history?"

A presentation by Army Spc. Channing Moss on "Surviving the Pain and Wounds."

A former Gainesville State student and Black Student Association member, Moss will share his experience of surviving a rocket-propelled grenade attack in Afghanistan.

No date has been given for the Moss event.

The college’s Office of Minority Affairs and the Special Recognition Committee is sponsoring the series of events.

The Black Student Association, Institute for Global Initiatives, International Student Association, Latino Student Association, Debate Club and Music Department are co-sponsors.