This Tuesday, USF welcomes Spike Lee as the featured guest for its University Lecture Series event, "Celebrating Black History Doesn't End in February." The iconic filmmaker, known for his realistic portrayals of the African-American community and race relations in modern society, has said that he's "been blessed with the opportunity to express the views of black people who otherwise don't have access to power and the media." He's directed such socially charged films as Do the Right Thing, Malcolm X and, most recently, When the Levees Broke, a documentary that traces the government's mismanagement of the Hurricane Katrina crisis and sheds light on the aftermath of the storm in New Orleans and its effect on the city's African-American population. Lee's lectures encourage students to work toward their goals regardless of race, religion or societal approval, and though he has said that "parents kill more dreams than anybody," he also emphasizes that it's both the onus and privilege of younger generations to continue to discover and create. Tues., March 4, 7 p.m., USF Sun Dome, 4200 E. Fowler Ave., Tampa, $8 general/$3 faculty, staff, and alumni with valid USF ID/free for USF Students with ID, 813-974-3111, ctr.usf.edu/uls.
This article appears in Feb 27 – Mar 4, 2008.