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Children´s author Faith Ringgold at Connecticut College Feb. 13

January 22, 2008

NEW LONDON, Conn. - Faith Ringgold, the popular children's author and artist known for her colorful story quilts, will give a multi-media community presentation, "Faith Ringgold: More than Fifty Years," at Connecticut College Feb. 13. This event is free and open to the public.

In honor of the 40th anniversary of the death of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Ringgold will discuss American Black History using stories and images of her artwork from the last 50 years, including early 1960s political imagery and first hand accounts about the civil rights movement. Her inspiring and humorous stories will illustrate her life's work as an artist, activist, author, teacher and parent.

The presentation is at 4:30 p.m. in the Palmer Auditorium at Connecticut College, and will be followed by a book signing. Books will be available for purchase.

Ringgold's presentation is part of the celebration of Black History at Connecticut College and of the college's Center for the Comparative Study of Race and Ethnicity's year-long study of race and the arts. The event is sponsored by the college's Office of Religious and Spiritual Life, the Center for the Comparative Study of Race and Ethnicity and the Black History Month Committee, and co-sponsored by the Kente Cultural Center. In addition to the presentation, Ringgold will visit a "Theorizing Race" class at 10:25 a.m. on Feb. 13 and participate in a discussion with 45 Connecticut College students.

Ringgold, whose books include "Tar Beach," "My Dream of Martin Luther King" and "Aunt Harriet's Underground Railroad in the Sky," is the recipient of more than 75 awards, including two "National Endowment for the Arts" awards and 17 honorary doctorates.

Among the most selective private liberal arts colleges in the nation, Connecticut College enrolls 1,900 men and women from 41 states, the District of Columbia and 42 countries. The college is known for putting the liberal arts into action through interdisciplinary studies, international programs, funded internships, student-faculty research and service learning. Founded in 1911, the college operates under an 86-year-old honor code. The college is located at 270 Mohegan Ave, New London, about two hours by car from Boston and New York. The 750-acre campus is an arboretum overlooking Long Island Sound. For more information, visit www.connecticutcollege.edu.

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For media inquiries contact: Amy Martin (860) 439-2526; a.martin@conncoll.edu