THIRTIETH ANNUAL AKRON AFRICAN FESTIVAL: FEATURING LEGENDARY BAND CON FUNK SHUN

The THIRTIETH ANNUAL AKRON AFRICAN FESTIVAL returns to Akron at a new location, after an absence of one year. This year's
event will take place at Lock 3, in cooperation with the City of Akron and a number of other local sponsors.

This year's festival features a special event, "It's An African Affair" on the evening of July 24th and the music of the legendary band CON FUNK SHUN and numerous other class acts. Starting at 11am on Sunday, July 25th the day's activities will begin with a drum call and recognition of our ancestors, before offering up speakers on a variety of topics and performers from a variety of groups, locally and internationally.

CON FUNK SHUN will take to the stage as the featured artists for the evening's activities. You can find more information about them and all the other groups that will perform that evening at the following link for the 30th Annual Akron African Festival: Part II.

Over the past 40 years, the Akron African Festival has attracted thousands to the Akron area. It is the second oldest cultural festival in Ohio, surpassed only by Youngstown, OH. Individuals have planned family reunions and homecomings around the dates of the festival. This year will be no different, with the exception that for the first time you will be able to solidify your plans using the Facebook group for the festival to connect you to all of your friends and family members, before, during and after the festival. We'll be steadily posting pictures and videos of friends, performers and family members over the next month and beyond. Use it or lose it.

There will also be a special tent for youth activities of all kinds. Vending opportunities are still available, as well.

So, bring on da noise, bring on the Funk! Bring all your family and stay the whole day. Bring your lawn chairs, picnic baskets and blankets. Reserve a prime spot near the stage for the whole family. Before 5pm it's all FREE. After 5pm it's $5 with no jive! Either way, you'll have a good day and a great night.

Pan-African Film Festival 2008

The Pan-African Film Festival 2008

February 7th - 28th
(Thursday evenings)
4:00pm - 7:00pm

Stewart Africentric Elementary School
1199 Vernon Odom Blvd.
Akron, Ohio 44307

All presentations will begin promptly at 15 min. after the hour. A question and answer period will follow the 2nd film. Light refreshments will be included free of charge. Children are welcome but they must be supervised by their parents at all times.

February 7
Sworn to the Drum: A Tribute to Francisco Aguabella (35 min.) - A film portrait by noted director Les Blank on the life and passion of one of the most outstanding Cuban drummers of our time. Featuring interviews with Dizzy Gillespie, Carlos Santana and Katherine Dunham.

The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman (1.5 hours) - The story of Miss Jane Pittman's 110 year life from slavery to the civil rights struggle of the sixties.

February 14
Black Indians: An American Story (1 hour) - (as seen on ABC) brings to light a forgotten part of Americans past - the cultural and racial fusion of Native and African Americans. Narrated by James Earl Jones, "Black Indian" An American Story" explores what brought the two groups together, what drove them apart and the challenges they face today.

Different But Equal (1 hour) - Different but Equal, examines the cultures of early Africa. Much of this information is based on art and artifacts from pyramids, caves, and tombs from Egypt and Meroe in ancient Sudan, with an emphasis on Meroe. Davidson brings up the importance of interactions between Africa and Europe, noting that differences in race were not sources of hostility and distrust during either the classic or medieval eras.

February 21
Flyers In Search of A Dream (1 hour) - A documentary on the history of African American aviation which includes segments on:
Bessie Coleman, the first African American to be licensed as a pilot.
William J. Powell, Sr., an early promoter of airmindedness in the black community.
Herbert Julian (The Black Eagle), who was, by and large, the most internationally renowned African American flyer of his time, having had a large part to play in the formation of the first African Airforce, during the reign of Emporer Haile Selassie.

Ida B. Wells A Passion for Justice (1 hour) - documents the dramatic life and turbulent times of the pioneering African American journalist, activist, suffragist and anti-lynching crusader of the post-Reconstruction period. Nobel Prize-winning author Toni Morrison reads selections from Wells' memoirs and other writings in this winner of more than 20 film festival awards.

February 28
Roots Daughters (1.5 hours) - Sixteen Rastawomen on 3 continents share the experiences and inspiration that led to the development of a world wide spiritual and political movement known as Rastafari and their role in that movement.

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