DCCCD and Verizon present African American Read-In 2001 on February 4
December 20, 2000

Dallas County Community College District and Verizon will pay tribute to Black History Month with a community-wide presentation of literary Readings, song and dance at the Second Annual African American Read-In celebration on February 4.

A Verizon Reads event, the celebration will be held from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the Majestic Theatre on 1925 Elm Street in downtown Dallas. Guided by the theme, Reading Brings Dallas Together, it is free and open to families.

The two-hour, multi-faceted performance promises to be as entertaining as its successful debut with the return of George Dawson, a 102-year-old South Dallas resident who learned to read at age 98. Mr. Dawson is co-author with Richard Glaubman of his memoirs, Life Is So Good (Random House, 2000).

Mr. Dawson has appeared on Oprah and many other national programs promoting literacy. He will be honored at the celebration with the announcement of the first annual George Dawson Literacy Award.

Joining Mr. Dawson is a lineup of community leaders, artistic performers, talented youths and celebrities, including actor Ted Lange, who played Isaac in the 70's TV show, The Love Boat. Mr. Lange and other guests will be Reading the works of famous black authors, poets, essayists and orators.

The Dallas Black Dance Theatre and Anita N. Martinez Ballet Folklórico will also perform, and nationally acclaimed playwright Bob Devin Jones will direct the Read-In program.

Everyone attending the Read-In celebration will receive a book to encourage continued appreciation of Reading and literacy.

The inaugural Read-In celebration, held on February 6, 2000, drew a capacity crowd of 1,750 at the Majestic Theatre and featured community luminaries and celebrities, including Mr. Dawson, TV actor LeVar Burton, Dallas Mayor Ron Kirk and former Dallas Cowboy Daryl Johnston.

The celebration kicks off the international chain of Read-In groups that are carried out by various businesses, organizations and individuals throughout February. Read-Ins are small gatherings of people of all races and ages who introduce each other to literary works of black authors by reading and discussing select, personally meaningful passages with each other.

Dallas County Community Colleges and several other groups in the community have hosted Read-Ins annually since its inception by the Black Caucus of the National Council of Teacher of English (NCTE). The NCTE Special Programs has commended Dallas as the standard for other cities to follow in hosting Read-Ins. Last February, NCTE received just over 20,000 Read-In reports from Texas with 13,363 from Dallas alone.

For more information or program updates, contact: Carla Ranger at 214-860-2005; Allison Neal, event manager, at 214-616-2965; or Ann Hatch, DCCCD office of marketing and communications, at 214-860-2478.

For more information, call 214-860-2005 or visit www.readin.dcccd.edu.