Pan-African Graduation set for June 3

By Eric Quiñones on May 17, 2007, 4:04 p.m.

The Pan-African Graduation ceremony, which celebrates the achievements of graduates from the African Diaspora, will be held at 5:30 p.m. Sunday, June 3, in Richardson Auditorium, Alexander Hall. The event, inaugurated by students last year, also reflects on the unique cultural experiences of students from Africa, the Caribbean, Latin America and the United States.

The ceremony's theme is "Sankofa," a West African custom that means "going forward while looking backward." The keynote address will be delivered by Karen Jackson-Weaver, a 1994 Princeton alumna and executive director of the New Jersey Amistad Commission, which works to integrate black history into the state school system. The ceremony also will include a presentation of kente stoles to graduates as well as musical and religious elements drawn from different Pan-African traditions.

The Pan-African Graduation is open to the public. Anyone interested in attending should RSVP by Friday, May 25, to caf@princeton.edu or call (609) 258-5494 with questions.

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