Friday, January 20, 2006

WILMINGTON, N.C. - Timothy B. Tyson's award-winning book Blood Done Sign My Name is the selected title for the second annual New Hanover County One Book, One Community (OBOC) program. Workshops, readings, book signings, panel discussions, exhibits, films and a finale celebration that includes live music and dance will take place Jan. 28 through March 4.

Story time and art activities for area children, featuring African folk tales, kicks off the program from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 28 in Randall Library at University of North Carolina Wilmington. The event is free and open to children of all ages. Snacks and all art materials will be provided. Resulting artwork will be mounted and included in Randall Library's "African Folktales and Art: Black History Month @ Randall Library" exhibit, opening Feb. 11.

A screening of Spike Lee's Do the Right Thing will follow at 2 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 28 in UNCW's King Hall Auditorium. UNCW film studies professor Tim Palmer will provide an introduction and discussion of the film.

A professor of Afro-American studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Tyson will give a reading and book signing at both programs.

Tyson's nonfiction work offers what has been called "a masterful rendering" of a small town's racially charged murder, the emotional riots and trial that ensued and his candid examination of the African-American struggle for freedom in America. The book also provides a fresh look at Wilmington's own history and its key role in race relations in North Carolina.

The mission of One Book, One Community is to promote literacy and a love for reading, celebrate diversity and foster a community of readers by providing opportunities to explore and discuss a common text. The Wilmington community voted to read Blood Done Sign My Name by an overwhelming margin. All events are free and open to the public.

One Book, One Community is a partnership of UNCW Randall Library, New Hanover County Public Library, Cape Fear Community College Learning Resource Center, New Hanover High School Lyceum Academy, Cape Fear Community College English Department, UNCW Department of English, the UNCW Upperman African American Cultural Center, Barnes & Noble Bookstore and the Wilmington Star-News. One Book, One Community is made possible by the generous support of the North Carolina Humanities Council, Cape Fear Community College Foundation, Friends of the New Hanover County Public Library and UNCW Department of Film Studies.

More information and a complete calendar of events is available online at http://library.uncwil.edu/oboc/ or by calling Liza Palmer, UNCW Randall Library, 910.962.4234.

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