Greetings! We enter Women’s History Month in the GBE, directing your attention to our Facebook page (www.facebook.com/pages/imhotep-gary-byrd), where my former producer from the WLIB Apollo days, Nyerere Shannon, has set up an amazing array of images saluting the glory of Black History Month and Black women.

In keeping with the 2012 theme of the Association for the Study of African American Life & History, “The Role of African American Women in History,” we’ll be running it throughout the month of March and beyond.

Theater

  • “Black Angels Over Tuskegee,” the story of the pioneering first African-American fighter pilots, now playing at the Actors Temple Theatre, 339 W. 47th St., between Eighth and Ninth avenues. For tickets, call (212) 239-6200 or visit www.telecharge.com.
  • “The Gershwins’ Porgy & Bess,” now on Broadway with four-time Tony winner Audra McDonald, Drama Desk nominee Norm Lewis and two-time Tony nominee David Alan Grier. At the Richard Rogers Theater, 226 W. 46th St. For tickets and information, call (877) 250-2929 or visit www.porgyandbessonbroadway.com.
  • Whoopi Goldberg’s “Sister Act,” the stage musical based on the 1992 movie of the same name, is at the Broadway Theatre, 1681 Broadway. For more information, visit www.sisteractbroadway.com.
  • “Sally & Tom (The American Way),” a musical about Sally Hemings and Thomas Jefferson, now through Sun., March 25 at the Castillo Theatre. For more information, call (212) 941-1234 or visit www.castillo.org.
  • The HADLEY Players present Louise Mike’s “Arye,” directed by Ward Nixon and featuring award-winner Kimberly Monroe. Now through Sun., March 11 at the Harlem School of the Arts Theater, 647 St. Nicholas Ave. at 142nd Street. Dinner theater will take place Sun., March 4 at 2:30 p.m. For more information and reservations, call (646) 323-0223.

Music

  • The World Music Institute presents “South African Voices: Soweto Gospel Choir,” Fri., March 2 at 8 p.m. at Peter Norton Symphony Space, 2537 Broadway at 95th Street.
  • “Robert Johnson at 100,” a musical tribute and benefit for the construction of the Blues Hall of Fame, at the world-famous Apollo Theater, Tues., March 6. Featuring the Roots, Chuck D, Keb’ Mo’, Taj Mahal, Sam Moore, Savion Glover, Living Colour, Bettye Lavette, Todd Rundgren, actor Jeffrey Wright and the Rev. Stephen Johnson, with more to be announced. For more information, visit www.robertjohnson100.com.
  • Eddie Palmieri’s 75th birthday celebration, Tues., March 13-18 at the Blue Note, 131 W. 3rd St. Shows at 8 and 10:30 p.m. For more information, call (212) 475-8592 or visit www.bluenotejazz.com.
  • The Harlem Gospel Choir sings Whitney Houston, Wed., March 14 at B.B. King’s Blues Club & Grill in Times Square, 237 W. 42nd St. For more information, call (212) 997-4144 or visit www.bbkingblues.com.

Dance

  • “Spirit of Uganda,” a vibrant music and dance extravaganza featuring young performers who have traveled around the world, celebrating their passion and joy for the arts and life. Thurs.-Fri., March 2-3 at NYU’s Skirball Center for the Performing Arts, 566 LaGuardia Pl. For more information, visit www.nyuskirball.org.

Comedy

  • Mike Epps’ “I’m Still Standing” tour comes to the Theater at Madison Square Garden Sat., March 3 at 8 p.m. Tickets are on sale now at the Madison Square Garden box office, ticketmaster.com or (866) 858-0008.

Exhibitions

  • “Freedom’s Sisters,” a dynamic multimedia exhibition, celebrates 20 African-American women, including historic 19th-century figures and contemporary leaders. “Freedom’s Sisters” includes an essay writing contest, in which an award of $10,000 in scholarships is given to local students. Among those included in the exhibit are Ella J. Baker, Constance Baker Motley, Shirley Chisholm, Kathleen Cleaver, Myrlie Evers-Williams, Fannie Lou Hamer, Dorothy Height, Charlayne Hunter-Gault, Barbara Jordan, Mary McLeod Bethune, Rosa Parks, Sonia Sanchez, Coretta Scott King, Betty Shabazz, Harriet Tubman, C. Delores Tucker, Ida B. Wells and more. For more information on the exhibition, visit the Malcolm X & Dr. Betty Shabazz Memorial & Educational Center, located at 3940 Broadway, or visit www.theshabazzcenter.net.
  • “Her Word as Witness: Portraits of Women Writers of the African Diaspora,” created and photographed by Laylah Amatullah Barrayn. On view now through March 31 at the Skylight Gallery, 1368 Fulton St., between Brooklyn and New York avenues in Bed-Stuy. For more information, call (718) 636-6949 or (646) 573-2422 or visit www.restorationplaza.org.
  • “Malcolm X: A Search for Truth” contains speeches, sermons, radio broadcasts, diaries, correspondence and other documents handwritten by Malcolm X or typed and edited under his direction. At the Schomberg Center, 515 Malcolm X Blvd. For more information, call (212) 491-2200 or visit www.nypl.org.

Community

  • A “Women’s Conference & Revival” featuring guest speakers and singers, will take place Thurs., Mar. 1 at 6:30 p.m. to Sun., March 4 at 8 p.m. at the Brooklyn Christian Center, 1061 Atlantic Ave. For more information, call (718) 638-6397.
  • The Ethiopian-Jewish community in New York City hosts a solidarity evening with Ethiopian-Israelis in response to increasing cases of overt discrimination against Israelis of Ethiopian decent. The evening features diverse voices from the Ethiopian-Israeli community leading the struggle in Israel, representatives of the Israeli government and others involved in the immigration and absorption of Ethiopian-Israelis. Co-sponsored by BINA Cultural Foundation, Chassida Shemella, Columbia University’s Hillel, Israel at Heart and the 92nd Street Y. Thurs., March 1 at 6:30 p.m. at Columbia/Barnard Hillel–The Kraft Center for Jewish Student Life, 606 W. 115th St. ID is required for entry.
  • presents an exciting beverage and culinary confluence when the ASPEC Brewers of Akita, Japan, visit for a sensational sake pairing fundraising dinner, Tues., March 6 at 6:30 p.m. The U.S. brand manager for ASPEC will introduce an exquisite range of sake flavor profiles that she has paired with the Harlem Renaissance-inspired menu from Nils Noren. Look forward to the rare opportunity of sharing dinner with the actual producers of the sake, who will travel from Akita to make a special appearance for the event. Tickets are available at . For more information, write to .Red Rooster Harlemwww.gohansociety.orginfo@aspec-sake.com
  • Bob Law and the Central Brooklyn Leadership Council invite you to an emergency citywide leadership summit, Sat., March 10 9 a.m.-5 p.m., entitled “Preparing This Generation for the 21st Century,” featuring outstanding special invited and noted guests and a “Respect Yourself” open mic poetry contest. The summit convenes at the historic 1st Church of God in Christ at 221 Kingston Ave. at the corner of Park Place in Brooklyn.

Hear Imhotep Gary Byrd on 107.5 WBLS-FM daily with “Imhotep’s On-Air Guide to Black Events” and “Express Yourself,” Sunday evenings from 6 to 8 p.m., and on WLIB-AM with “The GBE Mind Flight,” Sunday evenings from 7 p.m. to midnight (simulcast on WLIB-AM/WBLS-FM from 7-8 p.m.). The full show can be heard on HD radio at WBLS-HD2. IGB is also heard on WBAI-FM 99.5 with the GBE 2.0 “Global Black Experience” and “Global Beat Experience,” Saturdays from 5 to 7 p.m. We are archived online with both shows at www.wbai.org. To reach us about your event, email gbemail2@yahoo.com, find Imhotep Gary Byrd on Facebook or follow us on Twitter at GBELIFE.