PRESS RELEASE
Contact: Carmen Ramos Chandler,
(818) 677-2130

January 31, 1997

Black History Month Celebration Continues at CSUN

	Cal State Northridge will continue its Black History Month celebration with a series of events throughout February, including speeches by Maulana Karenga, creator of the Kwanza holiday, and Molefi Asante, author of The Afrocentric Idea, and a debate over desegregation versus separation.
	The university started off its month-long celebration with an appearance on Jan. 30 by U.S. Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Los Angeles, who talked about the link between the CIA and the Los Angeles crack cocaine epidemic.
	On Tuesday, Feb. 4, Cal State Long Beach professor Maulana Karenga will talk about why she created the African American holiday Kwanza. Her speech is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. in the Shoshone Room of the Satellite Student Union at the corner of Zelzah Avenue and Lassen Street.
	John Mack, director of the Los Angeles Urban League, and CSUN Pan African Studies professor James Dennis will debate whether desegregation or separation is better for the African American community on Friday, Feb. 6. The debate is scheduled for 12:30 p.m. in the Grand Salon of the University Student Union in the center of the campus at 18111 Nordhoff St.
	Molefi Kete Asante, a professor at Temple University and an advocate of Afrocentrism, will be on campus on Monday, Feb. 10, for a book signing and speech about his ideas. His appearance is scheduled for noon in the Performing Arts Center of the University Student Union.
	But the above listing is only a fraction of what will be happening on the campus throughout the month. For a complete listing, see the attached calendar. For more information about any of the events, call the Pan African Studies Department at (818) 677-3311.

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