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Black Cultural Center to break ground on April 26


The Sonja Haynes Stone Black Cultural Center (BCC) breaks ground for its permanent facility April 26 amidst a week of celebration and reflection on the pilgrimage to reach this campus milestone.

It's been five years since the first blueprints were drawn up in 1996; construction is expected to be completed in spring 2003.

The groundbreaking ceremony will be held at 10 a.m. in the Bell Tower parking lot. BCC Interim Director Harry Amana, Chancellor James Moeser and University Board of Trustees Chair Anne Cates will be among the Carolina officials on hand, and a reception and entertainment provided by campus cultural groups will follow.

Funded by private donations, the $9 million facility will be located off South Road between the Bell Tower and Coker Hall, and south of a stream that runs through Coker Woods.

The building will house seminar rooms; classrooms; a 10,000-volume, specialized library; a 400-seat auditorium; art gallery; dance studio; multipurpose room for performances, lectures and meetings; and office suites for the Upward Bound program, the Institute of African-American Research and the BCC.

"It will quickly cease to be a novelty and become a normal, rational part of a modern diversified campus. I truly believe that this kind of effortless influence/acceptance is how we gradually get to become a more unified society," said Amana, associate professor of journalism and mass communication.

Free parking for the groundbreaking will be available in the Ramshead lot and in reserved spaces on South Road. Overflow parking will be available in the Bowles lot located off of Manning Drive. Shuttle service will be provided from the Bowles lot.

In case of rain, the ceremony will be held in the Great Hall of the Student Union.

Events surrounding the groundbreaking ceremony include an April 23 documentary that outlines the process behind the effort to build the center and an April 25 discussion about the BCC as a multicultural center.


BCC groundbreaking-week events


The following is a listing of BCC events scheduled during its groundbreaking week, April 23 -- 29:

April 23 "Don't Believe the Hype." A documentary outlines the struggle to build the freestanding center. BCC. Noon.

April 24 BCC Ambassadors Cultural Extravaganza. Performances by campus groups to benefit BCC programs. Tickets $2 advance, $3 at the door. Great Hall, Student Union. 7 p.m.

April 25 "Sonja Haynes Stone MULTICULTURAL Center?" Around the Circle discussion focuses "on the myths of the BCC being separatist and not named as a multicultural center. Will the free-standing center encourage segregation?" BCC. Noon.

April 26 Groundbreaking Ceremony; reception and entertainment follow. Bell Tower parking lot. Rain location: Great Hall, Student Union. 10 a.m. Appearances by Interim Director Harry Amana and Chancellor James Moeser. Entertainers include the Harmonyx, the Opeyo! Dancers and the University Gospel Choir.

April 28-29 Ring Shout: Young Poet's Conference. "Poetry & Politics," featuring Jessica Care Moore. Cabaret, Student Union. For more information, contact nadera malika-salaam at 2-9001 or nadera@email.unc.edu


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