Freddie Jackson, known far and wide for his 1980s-1990s soulful hits, Rock Me Tonight (For Old Times Sake) and You Are My Lady, headlines the gala $350 per person fundraiser, ”Black Creativity,” at the Museum and Science & Industry on Jan. 28.
Freddie Jackson, known far and wide for his 1980s-1990s soulful hits, Rock Me Tonight (For Old Times Sake) and You Are My Lady, headlines the gala $350 per person fundraiser, ”Black Creativity,” at the Museum and Science & Industry on Jan. 28. It begins with cocktails and hors d’oeuvres at the 6:30 p.m. preview of the art exhibit in the West Pavilion. Also in the music spotlight: Maurice Mahon, WGCI’s 2003 Chicago Idol winner, New Faces of Soul and DJ Lil John.
Dinner at 8 p.m. in The Rotunda and emceed by NBC 5’s Marion Brooks, caps off the 2012 ‘Black Creativity’ Gala which helps fund the museum’s Black Creativity program — now a year ’round program that showcases African-American achievements in science, technology, engineering and medicine. At 9 p.m., the Cotton Club Lounge opens on the Lower Court ’til midnight.
“Powerful: African Americans in Energy,” Jan. 25 – April 15 on the museum’s main level, invites guests to “putt” their way to a new energy future by exploring sources of energy in a fun, hands-on way, finding out how they work and discovering the impact they have on lives and the environment.
The exhibit will feature a fun, “energy landscape” miniature golf experience. In nine holes, guests will learn about energy sources as they “putt” their way through diverse energy landscapes of oil, natural gas, wind, solar, hydroelectric and nuclear power. Additionally, the exhibit will be complemented throughout its run by an African-American juried art exhibit, Jan. 25 – Feb. 29.
Gala spearheads: Shari Runner, executive chair; Gale Foster Farley, gala chair; and Greg Hinton, fundraising chair; vice chairs: Frank Clark, ComEd, major contributor; Cheri Chappelle, Ill. Tool Works; Cedric Thurman, Jones Lang LaSalle; Jim Norman, Kraft Foods; Craig Gilmore, State Farm; and LaRue Martin Jr., UPS. And on the honorary council: Lucille Burrus, Barbara Burrell, Mary Frances Williams Casselberry, Adele Walker Henry, Wilma J. Sutton. Contact: Octavia Hooks, (773) 947-3729 or visit msichicago.org.
Honor Forever – The U.S. Postal Service honors the memory of John H. Johnson, founder of Johnson Publishing Co., publisher of Ebony and Jet magazines and owner of Fashion Fair Cosmetics, a brand for women of color, by featuring the late publisher and distinguished business giant on a 2012 Forever Stamp as part of its Black Heritage series and First Day of Issue Ceremony. The stamp will be officially unveiled Jan. 31 at JPC headquarters. Since 1978, the Black Heritage series has honored African Americans whose contributions to the Civil Rights movement, politics, business, art and culture have had a substantial and lasting impact on the African-American community and on American culture. Past honorees: Harriet Tubman, Martin Luther King, W.E.B. Du Bois, Langston Hughes and Thurgood Marshall. Designed by USPS art director Howard Paine, the stamp features a color photo of Mr. Johnson by David McCann for Bachrach Studios.
Celebratin’ Brothers – Norm Bolden (Norman’s Bistro), Hubert Jackson (Jackson Education Services), Fred Luster (Luster Products), Jerry Azumah (ASAP Foundation), Derrick Young (CBS 2 Chicago), Victor Love (Josephine’s/Capt. Hard Time Dining), Ernesto Borges (Bill Busters), Michael Patrick (State Farm), Julian Green (Chicago Cubs), Dexter Green (Allstate), Augustus Cage (Cage Memorial Chapel), Tony Sculfield (WGCI), Melvin Buckley (Black McDonald Operators’ Ass’n), John Wilson (John E. Wilson CPA Ltd.), Stephen Mitchell (The Stephen Mitchell Group), Dwayne Brown (Urban Partnership Bank) and Roy Jackson (Disney Corp.)
These brothers are among Chicago Defender’s 50 Men of Excellence being saluted at the annual presentation Jan. 26, 5:30 p.m., at South Shore Cultural Center. They’re being cited for “excellence in their every day professional and personal lives.” Tickets, $35; table sponsorship, $500. Call Joslyn Dipasalegne, Tamala Consulting, (312) 952-1766.
Yummy to the Tummy! – Pals of the Frank Hortons (she’s pretty Eveline, a health professional; he was principal at South Shore High School) are still “high-fiving” the bountiful buffet spread the retired duo laid out on New Year’s Day at their annual Open House. We began feeding our holiday appetites with a fruit medley, shrimp, mini crab cakes and spanakopita, and then went on to “pig out” on black-eyed peas (of course!), smoked salmon, honey baked ham, chicken Florentine, jerk chicken, wild rice with/gunga peas, basmati rice, greens, Caribbean veggies and mixed greens salad.
The dessert table was laden with an array of homemade sweets: lemon breeze cakes,
three-layer milk cakes, peach cobbler, bread pudding w/whiskey sauce, sweet potato pies, pecan pies, caramel cakes and cream cheese cup cakes. Several guests (“Teesee” included) departed with “doggie bags” and each had a colorful holiday bag with individual, personalized gifts. Ooops! Can’t forget Eveline’s “Money Game;” crisp $50 bills went to the winners!
Movie Magic – A couple of mighty fine actors, Terrence Howard and Cuba Gooding Jr., co-starring in Red Tails (the movie story based on facts of WWII’s historic Tuskegee Airmen), guest on The Insider TV show this Wednesday on Ch. 26 (“The U”). Red Tails open nationwide Jan. 20.
Premiere Party – Mellody Hobson, president of Ariel Investments, and her billionaire (with a “B”) boyfriend, filmmaker George Lucas, producer of Red Tails, as well as the Star Wars and Indiana Jones series, co-hosted two simultaneous fab private “invitational only” Red Tails screening last week at AMC 21 East Theatre on Illinois St. Lucas so believed in the film that he put up his own money ($79 mil) to finance the film when Hollywood wouldn’t. Please, please see Red Tails this opening weekend – Jan. 20! That’s when it really counts! (Photo by Theresa Fambro Hooks)
Newsy Names – Dr. Michael Lomax, UNCF president and CEO, comes here from New York Feb. 17 to keynote the Inaugural Governor’s UNCF Luncheon at the Art Institute of Chicago. Hosts: Gov. Pat Quinn and AT&T. Call Priscilla Stratten, UNCF development director, (312) 845-2204 … Kudos to Jai Winston, finance assistant, Illinois Obama for America, for his role in organizing last week’s “over-the-top” fundraiser for President Obama at UIC Forum. It included an iconic performance by Grammy nominee Janelle Monae and CSI-NY’s star, and friend college-mate to the President, Hill Harper. Among supporters spotted: Cong. Danny Danny, Rev. Willie Taplin Barrow, Beverly Reed-Scott and Kenny Johnson … Friends of Richard A. Wooten (he has high hopes of becoming the Illinois State Rep. in the 34th District and Committeeman in the 6th Ward!) toss a VIP Fundraiser for him Feb. 3 at K Station.
Happy b’day to America’s “First Lady,” Michelle Robinson Obama! Just know I love you and your family soooooo much! Also to Muhammad Ali, Todd Stroger, Marquis Miller, Ytasha Womack, Natasha Robinson, Pierre “Coop” Cooper, Charla Draper, Gregg Brown, Dr. Robert Starks, Sheila Moss-Brown, Jane Brown, Rev. Ramah E. Wright, Charles Lofton, Hazel Domanque, Salim Mawakkil, T’Shaun Barrett, Shirley Jackson, Turtel Onli, Glenn Duvall Pettway, Glenn Harrell.
Copyright 2012 Chicago Defender
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