An Extraordinay Calendar of Extraordinary Events: Black History Month, Brooklyn

1. Wed February 1: Movie & Tall. Vin Diesel’s Multi-Facial (Bklyn Historical Soc)

From the library website: "Vin Diesel stars in this autobiographical short film about his experiences auditioning in New York. Diesel finds himself at the distinct disadvantage of not being Black enough or Italian enough for the roles for which he auditions. Jen Chau, founder of Swirl, a multi-ethnic, anti-racist organization that promotes cross-cultural dialogue, will lead a discussion on race, physical appearance, mixed-race identity, and typecasting."

Where: The Brooklyn Historical Society, 128 Pierrepont Street at Clinton Street, Brooklyn Heights.
When: 7 P.M.
Admission: Free. Light refreshments will be served. RSVP required: oralhistory@brooklynhistory.org. Phone: 718-222-4111.

2. Macy's Black History Month —  Romare Bearden Exhibit & $100 Gift Card

The Romare Bearden exhibit is in the 34thStreet Manhattan Store, but anyone can try to win a free $100 gift certificate.

3. Wednesday February 1: Commentator and journalist, Touré (Free. Park Slope)

From the library website: "Commentator and journalist, Touré, defines and demystifies modern Blackness in his new book, Who’s Afraid of Post-Blackness: What It Means to Be Black Now. He is also the author of Never Drank the Kool-Aid, Soul City and The Portable Promised Land."

Where: Central Library, Dweck Center, Grand Army Plaza, Park Slope.
When: 7 P.M.
Admission: Free.

4. Saturday February 4: Brooklyn Museum (Free. Crown Heights)

Don't miss this Target First Saturday at the Brooklyn Museum. The theme is "Black Males Defying Stereotypes. Free, from 5 P.M. to 11 P.M., and family friendly, with a multitude of activities.

5. Saturday February 4: WNYC's Leonard Lopate & Colson Whitehead (Free.Park Slope)

As part of the Gotham Writers in the City, series, author Colson Whitehead discusses his new novel, Zone One, with WNYC's Leonard Lopate.From the library website: "In the near future, a global plague turns most of humanity into zombies. The military drives out the majority of the undead from an area south of Canal Street--the safe area known as Zone One. WNYC’s Leonard Lopate hosts."

Where: Central Library, Dweck Center, Grand Army Plaza, Park Slope.
When: 4 P.M.
Admission: Free.

6. Saturday February 4: Black Public Media Film Screening (Fort Greene)

A multi-media film festival curated in partnership with Black Public Media will be screened, followed by a discussion with the directors.

• An Oversimplification of Her Beauty
• The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl by Issa Rae

Time: 4 - 6 P.M.
Venue: South Oxford Space, 138 South Oxford Street.
Info: http://mocada.org/category/events/

Additional screenings will be held on February 10 in Manhattan at the CUNY Theater, and at the Brooklyn Central Library on February 25 (see listing below).

7. Ongoing Exhibit: Women Writers of the African Diaspora at Skylight Gallery(Free)

From the library website: See "35 photographic portraits by Brooklyn-based photographer, Laylah Amatullah Barrayn, of some of today's most compelling writers, along with excerpts from their works. Those featured, include award-winning Haitian novelist and essayist Edwidge Danticat; who the New York Times credits with increasing America's understanding of the Haitian immigrant; President Barack Obama's inaugural poet, Elizabeth Alexander; soul-stirring, singer-songwriter-bassist and Grammy award recipient, Esperanza Spalding and 32 other equally noteworthy literary and performance giants."

Where: Restoration Plaza, 1368 Fulton Street in Bedford Stuyvesant.
When: Wednesday to Friday from 11AM to 6PM and on Saturday from 1 P.M. to 6 P.M.
Admission: Free.
Contact: (718) 636-6949.

8. Tuesday February 7: Simon Critchley and Cornel West in Conversation (BAM)

From BAM's website: Two of today's most prominent philosophers discuss the resurgence of religious extremism in our times and the concept of faith in secular society. The prominent and provocative democratic intellectual Dr. Cornel West, best known for his classic Race Matters, Democracy Matters and his recent memoir Brother West: Living and Loving Out Loud joins Simon Critchley, Hans Jonas Professor at the New School for Social Research and moderator of The New York Times philosophy column "The Stone,” for a conversation based on Critchley's new book, The Faith of the Faithless: Experiments in Political Theology . A book signing will follow the discussion.

Where: BAMcafe, in the Lepercq Space, a lounge and bar space in the Peter Jay Sharp Building, also known as the Opera House at 30 Lafayette Avenue off of Flatbush Avenue.
When: Feb 7 at 7 P.M.; 1hr 30 min.
Admission: $15; $7.50 for Friends of BAM.

9. Wednesday February 15: Meredith Monk BAMcafé (Free)

One of four "Artist Talks" with iconic artists, BAM hosts this opportunity to listen to and ask questions of pioneer Meredeth Monk.

Where: BAMcafe, in the Lepercq Space, a bar space in the Peter Jay Sharp Building at 30 Lafayette Avenue off of Flatbush Avenue.
When: Wednesday, February 15, 2012 at 7 P.M.; 1hr 30 min.
Admission: $20 ($10 for Friends of BAM).
When:Feb 15 at 7 P.M.
Tickets: $20 ($10 for Friends of BAM).

10. Thursday February 16: "How to Be Black" by Baratunde Thurston

Steamboat: A Literary Humor Series

Bob Powers hosts humor writers for a night of "wine-addled, text-based hilarity" at this popular Fort Greene bookstore. This evening features Baratunde Thurston, author of How to Be Black.

Where: Greenlight Bookstore at 686 Fulton Street 
(off South Portland)
 in Fort Greene.
When: Thursday February 16 at 7:30 P.M.
Admission: Free.
Contact: (718) 246-0200.