NEWS RELEASE
Oakland Museum of California
www.museumca.org

10TH & OAK STREETS
OAKLAND, CA  94607

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
21 December 2006

Saturday, January 13, Free day at the museum. 2 p.m. The Dream of a King. Through music, song, and stories (told and ASL signed) Diane Ferlatte brings alive the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Audio of Dr. King’s powerful speeches will resound throughout the museum in celebration of his birthday. A taped poetry reading by Maya Angelou is also featured. The program is sponsored by Target Corporation and produced with the African American Museum and Library at Oakland.

Wednesday, January 17, 6 p.m. Free. Hip Hop: Beyond Beats and Rhymes (60 mins.) Byron Hurt’s documentary is an in-depth look at machismo in rap music and hip-hop culture, where creativity, poetic ingenuity, and mad beats collide with sexism, violence, and homophobia. Reception, 6 p.m.; screening, 6:30 p.m.; panel discussion, 7:30 p.m. Part of the ITVS Community Cinema Series featuring previews of films scheduled for broadcast on Independent Lens. Produced by the City of Oakland Film Office, KQED, ITVS, the City of Oakland, and the museum. www.itvs.org/outreach for film information.

Sunday, January 28, 1–5 p.m. Family Explorations! Musical Masterpieces. What does a painting “sound” like? Can you “hear” colors? In this special Black History family day, listen to Bay Area jazz musicians play music inspired by artwork created by participants in the 100 Families Oakland exhibition and by African American artists in the museum’s collection. Paint to live music and create your own masterpiece! Included with museum admission.

Friday, February 2, 8 p.m. In Search of Human Culture: Songs and Stories of the African American in the 21st Century. The acclaimed actress, teacher, singer, and writer Rhodessa Jones of San Francisco’s Cultural Odyssey examines the African-American experience through songs and stories, reflections, biography, video and more from her repertoire. Supported by the Laney College Black Student Union and Delta Sigma Theta, Inc. Fee; for more information call 510/238-3842.

Wednesday, February 7, 6 p.m. Free. Race to Execution (60 mins.) Rachel Lyon and Jim Lopes’s documentary traces the fates of two Death Row inmates and exposes the factors that influence who lives and who dies at the hands of the state. Reception, 6 p.m.; screening, 6:30 p.m.; panel discussion, 7:30 p.m. Part of the ITVS Community Cinema Series featuring previews of films scheduled for broadcast on Independent Lens. Produced by the City of Oakland Film Office, KQED, ITVS, the City of Oakland, and the museum. www.itvs.org/outreach for film information.

Tuesday, February 13, 10:30 a.m.–noon. Free. History of San Francisco’s Bayview/Hunters Point. The African American Genealogical Society looks at the early history of Bayview/Hunters Point. Before, during, and after World War II, the shipping industry shaped the area’s identity, and the people, churches, schools, and businesses that thrived there. The family history of Sam Jordan, aka “Mayor of Butchertown,” one of Bayview/Hunters Point’s most celebrated African American citizens, will also be examined. In collaboration with the museum’s Docent Council.

Thursday, February 22, 10 & 11:30 a.m. We Are Africa and Africa Is Us. Renowned storyteller, actor, writer, director, and griot Marijo presents African folktales, American stories, and instruments from Africa now part of our musical landscape. This interactive performance will entertain audiences of all ages. Included with museum admission.

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The Oakland Museum of California is at 10th and Oak Streets in Oakland, one block from the Lake Merritt BART. Museum hours: Wednesday through Saturday, 10 to 5; Sunday, 12 to 5 p.m.; first Friday of the month, 10 to 9. Admission is $8 for adults, $5 seniors and students with ID, free for members, City of Oakland employees, and kids five and under. For more information, call 510/238-2200 www.museumca.org.