Teju the Story Teller
Performances, stories, and a celebration of excellence will highlight the Black Heritage Ball at 7 p.m. Sunday, February 25, in the Brown Ballroom of the Bone Student Center.
Doors open at 6:30 p.m. The event is open and free to the community.
Sponsored by The Black Student Union (BSU) of Illinois State University, the theme of this year’s ball will be “Coming to America Experience,” based off of the 1988 Eddie Murphy movie. The evening will be filled with performances of theater, dance, instrument, and song.
The keynote speaker for the ball will be Teju the Story Teller. Tejumola Ologboni (Teju) is a folklorist and oral historian. An avid student and teacher of African folklore, he is one of the nation’s leading authorities on African spirituality and culture. Teju’s high-energy, fast-paced, and witty performances have earned him accolades, including the Zora Neale Hurston Award for “contributing to the perpetuation and preservation of African American Folklore.” He is also an award-winning sculptor and poet, and was scriptwriter for the award-winning docudrama Black Settlements by filmmaker Claybourn Benson. Find out more about Teju.
During the event, the Black Colleagues Association will present a scholarship to two students for academic excellence, and the BSU will award two students the honor of Mr. and Ms. BSU for campus involvement.
The ball is part of Black Heritage Weekend, celebrating black history and achievements. On Saturday, February 24, the University Program Board (UPB) will host True Black History Museum, a traveling black museum, to campus.
Co-sponsors of the Black Heritage Ball include the UPB, the Student Government Association, the Black and Latino Male Movement, and the Black Colleagues Association. Those with question can contact Whitney Mittons.
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