Big Sandy Community and Technical College (BSCTC) kicked off a month long celebration of Black History Month with the opening of the Ernest Withers Exhibit. Mr. Withers is a photo journalist from Memphis, Tennessee who is world renown for his photographs of the Civil Rights Movement. Withers said, “I look for things of time and value. None of my images deal in violence - they deal in time.” The Withers exhibit will be on display through February 13 in the BSCTC Prestonsburg Campus Art Gallery. BSCTC/ Carl D. Perkins Job Corps students also have on display at the BSCTC Diversity Resource Center drawings, and display boards featuring African American Timelines, Notable African American Government Officials and Civil Rights Leaders. This display will be available through out the month of February, 2007. The public is welcome to both of these exhibits.

Dr. Nancy Johnson, BSCTC Provost, welcomed those gathered in the Gearheart Auditorium on Monday, February 5 to hear Dr. Aaron Thompson speak on “Turning Obstacles Into Opportunities.” Dr. Thompson presented an inspired lecture which detailed his life as a young black boy growing up in rural Appalachia. He presented the audience with a story of determination, focused goals, and perseverance which had helped him overcome economic and social barriers to become a successful educator and author. Dr. Thompson summed up his presentation by saying, “My story is not a story about black people. It is a story of humanity.”

BSCTC and Carl D. Perkins Job Corps Students; Faith Lyons, Michelle Richardson, Danielle Banbridge, Andre Fountain, Ian Betea, Marquisha Matthews, Altez Green, Dominique Mccloud, and Le’Andrew Brown presented a program of inspiring readings in poetry, songs and dance.

Black History Month will continue with The Bathroom Cleaner, a monolog performance written by Elizabeth Orndorff, which will be presented by Regina Lang on Tuesday, February 20 at the Pikeville Campus and on Wednesday, February 21 at the Mayo and Prestonsburg Campuses. BSCTC and Carl D. Perkins Job Corps Students will perform another selection of music and biographies on Wednesday, February 21.