WKCTC to celebrate Black History Month with many events, including unique presentations in Clemens Fine Arts Center

Paducah, KY (01/24/2024) — West Kentucky Community and Technical College (WKCTC) will celebrate Black History Month with various events, including unique presentations in the college's Clemens Fine Arts Center and a Gospel Tribute Dinner.

February 5, Clemens Fine Arts Center, 7 p.m.
Join us for an enthralling evening with renowned American poet Dr. Frank X Walker! Meeting Walker and hearing his reflective, insightful performance will impress and mesmerize the audience. Former Kentucky Poet Laureate Frank X Walker is a professor in the Department of English and the African American and Africana Studies Program at the University of Kentucky and the founding editor of Pluck! - The Journal of Affrilachian Arts & Culture.

The evening begins with a reception at 6 p.m., followed by Walker's presentation and Q&A at 7 p.m. He will also give a student presentation at 11 a.m. on February 5. Both are free presentations and will be held in WKCTC's Clemens Fine Arts Center.

February 10, Clemens Fine Arts Center, 7 p.m.
Groove Lane is funky, soulful, and energetic. Known for their captivating live performances that blend R&B, funk, and gospel music, the band's groovy basslines and soulful vocals reach the young and old. Groove Lane will play in WKCTC's Clemens Fine Arts Center at 7 p.m. The concert is free and open to the public.

Groove Lane believes that music is a universal language that can unite people from all walks of life, and they strive to create an inclusive environment at all of their shows. The group has played at numerous venues and events in Paducah, including BBQ on the River and Paducah Beer Werks, where crowds praised them for their infectious energy and impressive musicianship that can get audiences up and dancing.

February 25, Gospel Tribute Dinner, Emerging Technology Center, 3-5 p.m.
The Gospel Tribute Dinner is WKCTC's final celebration of a phenomenal Black History Month in 2024. Enjoy great food catered by Kitchens Cafe and Chef Jessi Fletcher and live music. The free event will be held in WKCTC's Emerging Technology Center, Room 109, from 3-5 p.m. Attendees must RSVP to Octavia Lawrence at octavia.lawrence@kctcs.edu or 270-534-3479. RSVP before February 15, 2024.

Throughout February, Celebrating African American Chefs, Kitchens Cafe
WKCTC's Chef Jessi Fletcher has again researched famous African American chefs to feature each week in February, including sharing biographical information and photos at the college's Kitchens Cafe and on the Kitchen's Cafe Facebook page. Chef Fletcher will provide special menus featuring several Black chefs, including Todd Richards (Feb. 5-9), Lorraine Pascale (Feb. 12-16), Kwame Onwuachi (Feb. 20-23), and Rodney Scott (Feb. 26-Mar 1). Enjoy unique recipes inspired by these chefs at Kitchens Cafe in the Paducah School of Art and Design in Lowertown Paducah. The cafe is open Monday-Friday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Throughout February, Defining Paducah Exhibition, Clemens Fine Arts Center
This installation in the Clemens Gallery is based on the work of the WKCTC Student Art and Design Club. The students have created illustrations of past honorees and figures of historical importance that have given their efforts and energy to shape Paducah's rich culture and community. As part of the college mission and club goals, this exhibit serves as an artistic endeavor and an educational tool for the community of Paducah to learn and celebrate the legacy of local African Americans. Exhibition hours in WKCTC's Clemens Fine Arts Center are Monday-Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.