6 KOCE Shows Focus on Black Americans

KOCE Channel 50 will show six programs in February for Black History Month, starting with “The Colored Museum” on Feb. 2 at 9 p.m. The George C. Wolfe play, a comedy with music, explores values and attitudes of black Americans today. It is part of the PBS series “Great Performances.”

Other programs are:

* “The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater: Steps Ahead,” Feb. 9, 9 p.m. The New York modern dance troupe will perform Ailey’s “For Bird--With Love,” a tribute to jazz great Charlie (Bird) Parker, and “Episodes,” choreographed by former Ailey dancer Ulysses Dove. Also part of “Great Performances.”

* “Moyers/Songs are Free with Bernice Johnson Reagon,” Feb. 9, 11 p.m. Journalist Bill Moyers interviews singer Reagon, founder of Sweet Honey in the Rock, a female a cappella group.

* “The Road to Brown,” Feb. 13, 8 p.m. The story of the tumultuous events that led to the Supreme Court’s landmark 1954 Brown vs. Board of Education decision that launched the civil rights movement.

* “American Masters,” Feb. 13, 9 p.m. A profile of author James Baldwin, who wrote about being black in America.

* “Remembering George Washington Carver,” Feb. 13, 10:30 p.m. A look at Carver’s contributions to art, science, agriculture and the socioeconomic progress of black Americans during the first half of the 20th Century.

In other news, KOCE announced that it raised between $3,500 and $5,000 from its recent “This Old Treasure House Auction.” Parts of a 1940s, hand-built home and items from inside were sold for the fund-raiser. Proceeds probably will benefit programming, a spokeswoman said.