Calvin Earl

UNC Asheville will host a talk on "Gifts from My Ancestors" by Calvin Earl, a noted African American spirituals performer and educator, at 12:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 11 in UNC Asheville's Humanities Lecture Hall. In his presentation, Earl will describe how African people enslaved in America created original music that enabled them to secretly communicate with each other, teach their young and record their history. The event is free and open to the public.

Earl, a North Carolina native, spearheaded a successful campaign that led to the U.S. Congress officially recognizing African American spirituals as a national treasure. Today, Earle continues performing his series, preserving and drawing national attention to the historical significance of the original music and oral history. He has released two CDs of spirituals and performed at Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center and the Kennedy Center.

For more information, contact Deirdre Wiggins, UNC Asheville Assistant Director of Multicultural Organizations and Events, at 828/232-5110 or dwiggins@unca.edu.