The Talladega College Alumni Association of Greater New York will hold its annual scholarship luncheon on Dec. 1 at Antun’s Caterers, 96-43 Springfield Blvd. in Queens, from noon to 4 p.m. It will honor a son of Harlem and impresario of the arts, Voza Rivers, executive producer and founding member of New Heritage Theatre Group, New York City’s oldest Black not-for-profit theater.
Rivers is an accomplished theater, music, film and events producer who currently serves as chairman of the Harlem Arts Alliance. He is responsible for numerous productions, including the Tony- and Grammy-nominated hit Broadway musical “Sarafina.”
Located 50 miles from Birmingham, Ala., Talladega is the oldest Historically Black College in Alabama. This small, private liberal arts institution founded by former slaves boasts outstanding programs in science, mathematics and other disciplines, with 85 percent of its attendees receiving graduate and professional degrees.
Talladega College is the home of the famous “Amistad Murals” by Hale A. Woodruff, which were commissioned to coincide with the 1939 opening of the Slavery Library on the 100th anniversary of the Amistad slave ship revolt. The revolt led to the formation of the American Missionary Association and founding of schools and colleges in the South, including Talladega College in 1867. The murals, which attract visitors and art enthusiasts from around the world, are currently on a national tour. The exhibition will appear in New York City at New York University from July 20-Oct. 13, 2013.
For scholarship luncheon tickets ($65 each), contact Marilyn Hatcher-Daniels at 914-419-0475.