Indeed
one of the most anticipated events on Chicago’s social/cultural calendar, Black
Creativity Gala presented by the Museum of Science & Industry, continually
attracts some 1,000 formally attired guests from our town’s prestigious roster
of “who’s who.” Saturday’s event is under the guidance of the Black Creativity
Council, headed by Shari Runner, executive chair; Gregory T. Hinton, fundraising chair; Anita
Green, program
chair; and Darlene Pierre-Louis, gala chair. The evening of a cocktail reception, MSI
exhibits including the Black Creativity Commemorative Gallery and the Black
Creativity Juried Art Exhibition; musical entertainment (Lynn Jordan and The
Shivers, DJ Li’l John
and a performance by Howard Hewitt), strolling buffet, viewing of several other MSI
exhibits, a special $100 raffle (air-travel to Europe and U.S. destinations),
and dessert and dancing in the Kick Back Lounge. Gala co-chairs: Frank
Clark, Toni Wilson, Kim McCullough, Cheri Chapelle, Cedric Thurman, Jim Norman,
Craig Gilmore and
LaRue Martin.
Proceeds benefit MSI’s Black Creativity exhibits and programs. Emcees: NBC’s Christian
Farr and
LeeAnn Trotter.
Call Octavia Hooks,
(773) 947-3729.
Retro Tribute – Macy’s Department Stores is partnering with Johnson Publishing Co.
to present a beauty, fashion and lifestyle tribute to the life of a legendary
style maven. The Ebony, Fashion Fair Cosmetics & Macy’s Celebrate Eunice
Johnson Retrospective debuts Thursday at Macy’s Herald Square store
in New York City and continues through Feb.1. It then tours 10 Macy locations
across the country during February – including Chicago, Feb. 2-7.
The tribute will showcase some haute
couture
designs from Eunice Johnson’s private collections that were featured in
the famed Ebony Fashion Fair shows. The month-long exhibit will feature designs
by some of the world’s most renowned and critically acclaimed designers,
including Yves Saint Laurent, Lanvin, Vivienne Westwood, Carolina Herrera,
Stephen Burrows and B. Michael. Each of the locations will feature some
10-30 signature looks, complete with information about the designer, the season
in which the design first appeared and the model who wore the look.
“It is a sign of my mother’s determination,
confidence and creativity,” says Linda Johnson Rice, JPC’s chair, “that
more than 50 years after launching the renowned Ebony Fashion Fair show, her
timeless sense of style endures as a guidepost for today’s fashion loving
women. We are honored that Macy’s, a 30-year retail partner of Fashion Fair
Cosmetics, selected Eunice Johnson as the anchor for these exciting exhibits.”
“It is a honor for Macy’s to stage a celebration of Eunice
Johnson’s
contributions to fashion, beauty and American history,” says Martine Reardon, executive vice
president, marketing, Macy’s Inc. “This is a wonderful opportunity for us to
partner with one of America’s most iconic and revered Lifestyle authorities.
Through the Ebony Fashion Fair show, Mrs. Johnson filled a void in
fashion by producing runway presentations that brought a new sense of style,
drama and diversity to the industry, and we’re excited to present a glimpse of
these historical shows to our customers.”
In addition to Chicago and New York City, the retrospective will
be on exhibit at Macy’s locations in Houston, Philadelphia, Aventura, Fla.,
Metarie, La.; Washington, D.C.; Los Angeles, Atlanta and San Francisco.
On Stage! – The View’s Whoopi Goldberg performs in The Venue
of Horseshoe Casino in nearby Hammond, Ind. on Feb. 11 during a special Black
History Month Celebration. Tickets are on sale now at The Venue box office,
www.ticketmaster.com or (800) 745-3000. Text “tickets” to 427724 to enter in a
monthly drawings for tickets. For more, visit www.thevenue-chicago.com ...
The Nichols Sisters, an acapella gospel and inspirational quartet who are cousins of
vocalist Jennifer Hudson and performed on her televised Christmas and
birthday specials, “make a joyful noise” on Monday, 7 p.m., at Room 43, 1043 E.
43rd St.; admission $20. Call Rev. Krista Nichols Alston, (312) 532-9614 or
visit www.thenicholssisters.com.
Sign On – National Public Radio journalist Natalie Y. Moore and Northeastern Ill.
Univ. prof and youth advocate Lance Williams launch their new
book, The Almighty Black P Stone Nation (Lawrence Hill Books, an imprint of
Chicago Review Press, February 2011), with an autograph party on Feb. 3, 7
p.m., at The Experiment Station, 6100 S. Blackstone, and we’re all invited to
this free event. In gangster lore, the Almighty Black P Stone
Nation stands out among the most notorious street gangs. The authors show how
teens from a poverty stricken Chicago neighborhood built a powerful
organization that united 21 individual gangs into a virtual nation. The timely
expose on urban violence is the first written on the Stones and it provides a
gripping exploration of how and why gangs thrive and insight into the way
minority crime is targeted in the community, reported in the media and
prosecuted in the courts. Log on www.blackstonebook.com or call (773) 241-6044.
Green Tea Time – Majora Carter, a pioneer in “green
economics” and “green collar jobs” creation, keynotes North Lawndale Employment
Network's Sixth Annual Sweet Beginnings Tea on Feb. 9, 2:30 p.m., at the
Peninsula Hotel. Carter is the recipient of numerous awards, including the coveted
MacArthur Foundation “genius" Fellowship. This event benefits the
organization’s employment and training programs in North Lawndale and
surrounding communities. Brenda Palms Barber is executive director
of NLEN and CEO of Sweet Beginnings, LLC; Mayor Richard Daley is the tea’s honorary
chair; Ch. 7’s Hosea Sanders emcees.
Carter founded Sustainable South Bronx in 2001 to achieve
environmental equality through economically sustainable projects. Her work has
earned numerous honors: a MacArthur “genius” Fellowship, Fast Company’s 100
Most Creative People in Business, Essence
magazine’s 25 Most Influential African Americans and the NY Post Liberty Medal for Lifetime Achievement. She also hosts the
special NPR public radio series, “The Promised Land.” As CEO of Majora Carter
Group, LLC, her work includes advising cities, foundations, universities,
businesses and communities on unlocking their local economic potential.
Non-profit NLEN is the parent company of Sweet Beginnings, a
for-profit that provides transitional jobs training and work experience for
former incarcerated persons and low income residents. Employees participate in
a 90-day jobs program that harvests raw, natural honey and receive training in
beekeeping, food handling, retail sales, inventory and shipping/distribution.
In addition to the manufacture and sale of premium grade honey, SB produces and
markets honey-infused bath and body products under the beeline label and sells them
at Whole Foods, Peapod online grocer, over 30 specialty boutiques, including
Mark Shale, local farmers markets and online at www.beelinestore.com. For more
info or to buy tickets, call (773) 638-7060 or visit
www.sweetbeginningstea.evenbrite.com.
Celebrating Diversity – A film screening of Within Our Gates, Oscar Micheaux’s 1920 silent film,
is one of the highlights from Chicago Public Library’s 2011 African American
History Month observance, “Celebrating Diversity.” The Michaeux film which follows an
educated woman with a shocking past during the Jim Crow era and the Great
Migration will be screened Feb. 19, 11 a.m., at the Bessie Coleman branch, 731
E. 63rd St., followed by a panel discussion. The month-long observance actually
kicks-off on Feb. 2, 6 p.m., at Woodson Regional Library, 9525 S. Halsted,
featuring the internationally flavored repertoire of Cerqua Rivera Dance
Theater for special performances of two educational and moving dance pieces: Four
Negro Spirituals and Excerpts from Drum Major Instinct: Observances on Dr.
Martin Luther King Jr.’s Life and Thoughts. For more, visit
chicagopubliclibrary.org.
Happy
B’Day – to Cheryle Jackson, Josephine
Wright, Cathy Carroll, D’Anne Burley, Jacquelynne Marshall, Judge Lewis Nixon,
Vivian Durham, Madeline Murphy Rabb, Sharon Morgan, Laurel Stradford, Steve
Braxton, Pearlie Taylor, Don Linder, Antoinette Wright, David Smallwood and
Anton Seals Jr.
Copyright 2011 Chicago Defender
