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Hear voices from the Harlem Renaissance

By Times Staff
Published June 11, 2006

Between World War I and the Depression, a group of African-American artists, writers and musicians came together and unleashed a creative whirlwind that changed the cultural landscape of America. The Harlem Renaissance, first known as the New Negro Movement, occurred in the Harlem area of New York City.

During a "Road Scholars" event Wednesday, LeRoy Mitchell Jr., Phyllis McEwen and Bob Devin Jones portray three voices of this movement - James Weldon Johnson, Zora Neale Hurston and Langston Hughes - as they discuss their prose, their poetry, their play and each other.

All three literary figures had Florida connections. Hurston, a novelist, folklorist and anthropologist, grew up in Eatonville, a historically all-black city just outside Orlando, and became one of the most famous writers of the 20^th century. She also traveled throughout Florida collecting folklore and folk music.

James Weldon Johnson, a Jacksonville native, went on to become a poet, diplomat and composer. He founded the first black high school in Florida, was the first black man admitted to the Florida Bar, and was field secretary for the NAACP.

Langston Hughes was a prolific poet, essayist and playwright who was a friend and occasional collaborator of Hurston's and spent time in Florida.

This Florida Humanities Council program is presented at 7 p.m., Wednesday at the Carter G. Woodson African American History Museum, 2240 Ninth Ave. S, St. Petersburg.

Admission is free. For more information call 873-2002.

11 TODAY

MUSIC IN THE MARLY ROOM CONCERT: Featuring pianist Eric Him, 2 p.m., Museum of Fine Arts, 255 Beach Drive NE, St. Petersburg. Program includes works by Faberge, Mozart, Liszt, Schumann and Saltier. Call 896-2667.

BAND CONCERT: The Masonic Band of St. Petersburg, conducted by Larry Paterson, presents a free concert, 4 p.m., Masonic Home, 3201 First St. NE, St. Petersburg. Call 397-0943.

13 TUESDAY

MANAGE YOUR MONEY, BUILD YOUR WEALTH: Learn to set goals, increase savings, reduce debt and make wise use of loans and credit at a series of programs, 6-8 p.m., Pinellas County Extension, 12520 Ulmerton Road, Largo. Continues on Tuesdays, June 20, and June 27. Participants must attend all three sessions to get a certificate of completion. Advance registration required, space is limited. Free. Registration or information: 582-2673 or 582-2113.

16 FRIDAY

CHAMBER MUSIC: Concert culminating an intensive program where string, woodwind and piano students from Mahaffey's Class Acts Education program in partnership with Bay Area Music Inc, engage in an in-depth study of selected chamber music, 7 p.m., Mahaffey Theater, 400 First St. S, St. Petersburg. Free. Call 892-5767.

DABBLING DUCKS TO WETLAND MUCKS': Daylong program for 9- to 12-year-olds, 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m., Pinellas County Extension. Spend a day learning about bird migration activities, wildlife identification, creating wildlife tracks, identifying scats, skulls and more. $40. Lunch and snacks are included. Enrollment is limited, call 582-2673 by Monday.

AMATEUR NIGHT AT THE PALLADIUM COMEDY SHOW: Tampa Bay's best amateur comedians, along side vocalists and dancers, 8 p.m., 253 Fifth Ave. N, St. Petersburg. $12 advance, $15 day of show. Call 822-3590.

TAMPA BAY BOAT SHOW: Showcasing area boat dealers/manufacturers, the latest in boating and fishing supplies and accessories, 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Tropicana Field, 1 Tropicana Drive, St. Petersburg. Continues 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday. $3, children 16 under free. Call 893-8523.

AFRICAN VIOLET AND SUPPLIES SALE: Varieties of flowering African violets, starter plants and leaves, as well as a selection of the other gesneriads and supplies, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Pinellas County Extension and Florida Botanical Gardens, 12520 Ulmerton Road, Largo. Continues 9 a.m-5 p.m. Saturday. Free repotting services available. Free. Call 398-7450.

17 SATURDAY

DINNER AND SHOW WITH THE SUNCOAST SINGERS: An evening with art show, silent auction, dinner and music. Faith Presbyterian Church, 11501 Walker Ave., Seminole. Catered dinner starts at 5:30 p.m. and the concert begins at 6:30. Proceeds benefit the Presbyterian church's Honduran mission. Dinner and concert is $15; concert only $10. Call for reservations 391-0596.

FATHERS FEST 2006: A day of family fun and music with the proceeds benefiting the Jessica Marie Lunsford Foundation, noon-8 p.m., BayWalk, corner of Second Avenue N and Second Street, St. Petersburg. Entertainment includes Matt Winter Band, the Mike MacArthur Band, Sarasota Slim, the Shawn Brown/ Willie Lomax Blues Revue, Bo Diddley Jr. and Les Peleman plus the Coleman Middle School Band. Family activities include caricature and balloon artists, a bounce house, video game tournaments and more. Free. Call 822-0600 or 895-9277.

FLORIMEZZO SUMMER FESTIVAL FINALE: FloriMezzo orchestra featuring the FloriMezzo Wind Ensemble perform, 7:30 p.m., Palladium. Program begins with several small chamber music groups followed by the 40 piece wind ensemble. $10-$15. Call 822-3590.

CHINESE BRUSHPAINTING AND CALLIGRAPHY: Local artist Simone Teiber-Wemple teaches a two hour introductory workshop about the "four treasures": ink, inkstone, brush and rice paper, 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m., Sunken Gardens, 1824 Fourth St. N, St. Petersburg. $40. Call 551-3148.

JUNETEENTH FAMILY FEST: Celebrate the notification of the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation and the 13th Amendment that ended slavery in America, 10 a.m.-8 p.m., Campbell Park, 601 14th St. S, St. Petersburg. Live entertainment, dancing, historical presentations, vendors, medical screenings, and social service exhibitors. Free. Call 824-0810.

PINELLAS LIVING GREEN EXPO: Fun-filled family event that helps residents make informed decisions and take action to lead more healthy and sustainable lives with less impact on the environment, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Coliseum, 535 Fourth Ave. N, St. Petersburg. Continues 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday. Free. Call 892-5202 or check the Web at www.pinellaslivinggreenexpo.org.

ANTIQUE APPRAISAL FAIR: How do you know if Aunt Mollie's antique cookie cutters or Uncle Bud's World War II weapons are treasures, or just have sentimental value? Heritage Village, 11909 125^th St. N, Largo, has antique experts available from 9 a.m.-3 p.m., to appraise item. $5 each or $12 for three. Call 582-2123.

[Last modified June 11, 2006, 08:35:40]