People of African decent share a history rich with culture and strong civilizations no matter where their life journeys have taken them. The contributions of those who make up the African Diaspora--Africans, African-Americans, Caribbeans and Caribbean-Americans--will be celebrated in a film series and colloquia at DePaul University, April 8 through May 20.

"Framing the Black Diaspora: Crossings, Belongings, Presence" will be sponsored by the Center for Culture and History of Black Diaspora at DePaul. It will examine representations of the Black Diaspora and the consequences of movements across geographic, cultural, political and psychological boundaries. The seven films in the series are intended to articulate new voices, aesthetics and cinematic compositions of the black diaspora in the United States, the Caribbean and Africa. Each film will be followed by a discussion led by an expert in the area of film, history or the African Diaspora.

Films will include:

*April 8-- "Frantz Fanon: Black Skin White Mask," chronicles the contributions of Frantz Fanon, the pre-eminent theorist of the anti-colonial movements of this century, and restores him to his rightful place at the center of contemporary discussions around post-colonial identity. Michael G. Hanchard, a specialist in comparative politics and an associate professor of political science at Northwestern University, will lead the discussion.

*April 14-- "Sankofa," is a return to the source narrative about slavery, through the experiences of a Black fashion model who becomes trapped in an old slave dungeon on the West African coast. Haile Gerima, a professor of film and communication at Howard University, will lead the discussion.

*April 22--"LeBouillon d'Awara (Arwara Soup)," reveals that "creolization" is not just a historic artifact but a dynamic, ongoing process encompassing more and more of the world's peoples. Members of DePaul's faculty will lead the discussion.

*April 29--"Mother of the River," is a narrative of a young slave girl who provides a role model of independence, spirituality, determination and community mindedness. There will also be a screening of "About A Powerful Thang," a story about an African-American couple in Southwest Ohio as they begin a new stage in their relationship. Zeinabu I. Davis, an associate professor of radio, television and film at Northwestern, will lead the discussion.

*May 6-- "Rouch in Reverse: Rouch in Reverse," is the first film to look at European anthropology from an African perspective. Manthia Diawara, the director of the Africana Studies program and a professor of comparative literature and cinema studies at New York University, will lead the discussion.

*May 13-- "Le Grand Blanc de Lambarene," provides a fascinating revisionist perspective on Albert Schweitzer, Nobel Peace Prize winner and secular saint of the colonial era. Gwendolyn Audrey Foster, an assistant professor of English at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, will lead the discussion.

*May 20--"To Sleep With Anger," provides an atypical look at suburban middle-class black life by depicting tensions and conflicts in relationships. Ed Guerrero, an associate professor of cinema studies at New York University, will lead the discussion.

The Center for Culture and History of Black Diaspora was established at DePaul to promote and support the production of scholarly, cultural and creative work related to the experiences of Black people in the Diaspora. The movies, which are free and open to the public, will be shown from 6 p.m. until 9 p.m. in room 154 of the Schmitt Academic Center, 2320 N. Kenmore Ave. For more information call the Center for Culture and History of Black Diaspora at 773-325-7512.