The University of Michigan Detroit Center is proud to present the fourth annual Sankofa Film Series, beginning Friday, February 20 at 6 p.m.

Best known for its inspirational and thought-provoking documentaries, the 2015 Sankofa Film Series will showcase six extraordinary films featuring Alice Walker, Raz Baaba Aaron Ibn Pori Pitts, Langston Hughes and Maya Angelou.

All films begin at 6 p.m. (end times vary) and include complimentary admission, parking and light refreshments for all guests. Following each screening, a guest speaker will lead a brief discussion on the selected documentary.

For more information about this event, please contact the Detroit Center: (313) 593-3584 or detroitcenter@umich.edu


SANKOFA FILM SERIES SCHEDULE

Friday, February 20, 2015
Films:
- Alice Walker: A Stitch in Time
- Alice Walker: Everyday Use
Time: 6-8:30 p.m.
Guest Speaker(s): Textile Artist, Carole Harris and Quilters Hilda Vest, Pat Millender

Friday, March 13, 2015
Film: Raz Baaba Aaron Ibn Pori Pitts: Portraits of a Revolutionary Artist
Time: 6-9 p.m.

Friday, April 24, 2015
Films:
- Langston Hughes: His Life and Times
- Langston Hughes: Salvation
Time: 6-8:30 p.m.
Guest Speaker(s): Writer, Abba Elethea (James W. Thompson)

Friday, May 15, 2015
Film: Maya Angelou: Creativity with Bill Moyers
Time: 6-8:30 p.m.

ABOUT
Alice Walker is a Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist and poet. Born on February 9, 1944, in Eatonton, Georgia, Walker worked as a teacher, lecturer and social worker throughout her career. She took part in the 1960s Civil Rights Movement, which inspired her first collection of poetry, “Once,” which was published in 1968. Walker also won the 1983 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction for her novel, "The Color Purple.”

Raz Baaba Aaron Ibn Pori Pitts is one of America’s most inspirational revolutionary artists and activists. A Detroit native born in 1941, he was a prominent force in the Black Labor Movement of the 1960s. Pitts, a founding member and former President of the Michigan chapter of the National Conference of Artists, has been voted Metro Times Artist of the Year. He has also been an Artist in Residence for the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History.

Langston Hughes (1902-1967) was an American poet, novelist, playwright and columnist. He was one of the earliest innovators of the literary art form known as "jazz poetry." He was also a pioneer in the Harlem Renaissance during the 1920s. He published his first poem in 1921, and his first book of poetry, “The Weary Blues,” in 1926. He went on to write numerous works of poetry, plays and books, including his first published novel, “Not Without Laughter,” in 1929. Outside of his literary work, Hughes also wrote a popular column for the Chicago Defender.

Maya Angelou (1928-2014) was an author, poet and civil rights activist. Born in St. Louis, Missouri, Angelou is best known for her 1969 memoir, "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings'" the first non-fiction best seller by an African-American woman. In 1971, she published "Just Give Me a Cool Drink of Water 'Fore I Die," a collection of poetry that was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize. In 1993, she recited one of her most famous poems, "On the Pulse of Morning" at President Bill Clinton's first inauguration. Angelou received several honors throughout her life, including two NAACP Image Awards for outstanding literary work. As an activist, Angelou was viewed as a respected spokesperson for African American and women's rights.