2006 Press Releases
American Blues Singer Odetta to Participate in Black History Month Events in Riga
Riga, February 6, 2006. -- The American embassy in Latvia, in cooperation with non-governmental organization AfroLat, is organizing various events throughout the month of February to introduce the culture of black Americans to the Latvian public. The highlight of the month will be the concert of the famous African-American blues singer Odetta, who will perform at the Small Guild in Riga on February 24.
In recognition of the difficult history of African-Americans in U.S. history, and their many contributions to our cultural heritage, schools and governments celebrate Black History Month each February. This year the U.S. Embassy is expanding its efforts by including AfroLat for a new perspective on the life of Africans outside Africa and by organizing events outside Riga.
The month will start by a presentation of the Black History Month program and opening of a poster show about the "1963 March on Washington" and "Black American Writers." Ambassador Catherine Todd Bailey and Latvian Minister of Foreign Affairs Dr. Artis Pabriks will open the show at the National Library of Latvia on Tuesday, February 7. The posters will be displayed in the windows of the main library building facing Elizabetes street until March 3. The exhibit can be viewed from the outside and the embassy welcomes everyone to devote a minute or two for taking a look at it as they are passing by the library building.
During the Black History Month Ambassador Bailey will also present books on African-American Experience to the Children's Literature Center of the National Library of Latvia.
In mid February Dr. Michael Frazier of Howard University will be visiting Latvia and presenting several lectures on racism and discrimination in the United States. This will be Dr. Frazier�s second visit to Latvia; he attended Latvia on an embassy program in 2002.
The embassy in cooperation with AfroLat is also organizing several Black History Month events outside of Riga. AfroLat member George Steele will talk at the American Centers in Liepaja and Daugavpils, addressing the issue of affirmative action in the United States. Both centers will also feature poster shows on 1963 March on Washington during the month of February.
The culmination of the Black History Month celebration will be a concert by Odetta in Riga. Odetta early on in her musical career participated as a lead singer at 1963 March on Washington together with Martin Luther King Jr. Odetta has had a significant influence on modern music, providing inspiration for such performers as Janis Joplin, Joan Armatrading, Bob Dylan, and Joan Baez and has performed with such partners as musicians Count Basie and Bob Dylan and writer Langston Hughes and in various genres, including blues and gospel.
NOTE TO THE EDITOR:
American Ambassador Catherine Todd Bailey and Latvian Foreign Minister Artis Pabriks will participate in the opening of the poster show and presentation of Black History Month program on Tuesday, February 7 at 15:00 at the main reading room of the Latvian National Library (Kr. Barona street 14). Journalists and photographers interested in covering this event should contact U.S. embassy media specialist Kaspars Ruklis (7509022 or mailto:ruklisk@state.gov) for credentials.