EASTON, Pa.(www.lafayette.edu), February 12, 2008 — Numerous student groups will be hosting two events this weekend as part of the College’s celebration of Black History Month.

From Feb. 15-17, Africans Creating African Consciousness and Interest Abroad (ACACIA) will host its third annual conference in Kirby Hall of Civil Rights room 104. The "Heal Africa" Benefit Dance will take place from 10 p.m. - 2 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 16 in Marquis Dining Hall. Tickets are $10 in advance and $15 at the door.

Also coming up on Feb. 21, Claude Steele, Lucie Stern Professor in the Social Sciences and Director for the Center of Advanced Study in Behavioral Sciences at Stanford University, will give the celebration’s keynote address at 7:30 p.m. in Kirby Hall of Civil Rights room 104.

Both the conference and keynote lecture are free and open to the public. The dance is open to all students and faculty. For more information on any of these events, contact the Office of Intercultural Development at x5819 or email.

Hosted by the Association of Black Collegians (ABC), Pan-Hellenic Council, Interfraternity Council (IFC), and Nia (Multicultural Women's Support Group), the "Heal Africa" Benefit Dance will raise money to help build a library and provide scholarships for young adults in Agogo, Ghana. The event is organized through the Kamit Institute for Magnificent Achievers Public Charter School (KIMA) in Washington, D.C. KIMA joined forces with the Aid for Girl-Child Education (AGE) program to increase its effort to increase educational opportunities for children in Africa with a new initiative entitled “10 Cents Makes Sense.” The goal of the campaign is to raise awareness and funds to increase the Kamit Institute’s scholarship fund for secondary school students in the Agogo Region and to promote unity for an important cause within the Lafayette community.

Steele will present “Identity Happens: How Stereotype – and Identity-Threat Affect Intellectual Performance and Shape the Challenge of an Integrated Society.” The lecture, which is also part of the College’s Presidential Speaker Series on Diversity, will discuss how people cope with self-image threats and how group stereotypes can influence intellectual performance.

The theme of the ACACIA conference is “Urbanization: The Modern Face of Africa.” It will consist of a number of student and faculty panels with discussions focusing on issues currently facing Africa, including technology, public health, population and land policy, urban art, gender issues, and economics.

Victor Mbarika, professor of information technology at Southern University and A&M College, will present the conference’s keynote address at 5 p.m. Feb. 16. He will discuss Information and Communications Technology (ICT) and its effects on societies in Africa. Also, there will be a traditional Ghanaian dinner at 7 p.m. Feb. 16.