Newspaper Page Text
ArTPeAt
When We Were
KINGS
:
The true story
of “The Rumble
In The Jungle”
America was poised to
‘watch a knockout punch that
‘would redefine it as a nation
‘of champions on September
20, 1974, In the little noticed
country of Zaire two Ameri
can fighters held the world’s
attention for the “Rumble in
the Jungle”. One fighter
‘would capture the world’s
imagination.
In Gramercy Pictures’ lat
est film,When We Were Kings,
we travel to Zaire to witness
the heavyweight champion
ship match-up between reign
ing title-holder George Fore
man and challenger
Muhammad Ali. But there is
a delay. The fight must be
postponed for six weeks be
cause of an injury to Fore
man. It is a delay, however,
that allows an entirely new
phenomenon. As theinterna
tiona] media takes in. the
rhythmsof the music and the
mysteriousbeauty of the land,
and as anticipation for the
fight mounts, black Ameri
cans see their own genera
tional crossroads reflected in
the contrasting images of the
two men who had returned to
Africa to fight.
“The fight meant so much
to Africans because there had
THE AUGUSTA SYMPHONY will have a sgecial Masterworks pro%'am
in honor of Black History Month on Saturday, Feb. 15, at 7:30 p.m. at the ASU
PerfonninF Arts Theatre. Guest pianist is the cmicall?' acclaimed Russian-born
Alexei Sultanov. Among the son‘gs to be played will be the Asfrican-American
Symphony. For more details, call the Symphony at 826-4703.
THE HERITAGE OF THE BLACK WEST 25-minute video will be avail
able for viewing in the theatre of the Aufgusla-Richmond County Museum
through February. The regular admission fee includes use of the theatre.
BLACK HISTORY MONTH CELEBRATION will be held at the Senior
Center, 535 15th St., on Wednesday, Feb. 12, with a poetry reading from Golden
Moments book by Charles Butler Jr., Room 1.
THE MORRIS MUSEUM OF ART will honor Black History Month with
several events. Throughout Februar{. an exhibit called Contemporary African-
American Artists from Georgia, will be held to honor African Americans with
Georgia connections. A new video vnewing room can be used to screen one of
many videos on artists of African descent. On Sunday, Feb. 9,2 -4 p.m., aslide
lecture and tour highlighting African-American art in the museum’s collection
will be presented. A tour and a demonstration lesson on explori:g family
heritage will be given on Tuesday, Feb. 18, from 4:30 - 6:30 p.m. $3 admission
charfe; free for museum members. Preregister for this lesson by calling 724-
7501. On Sunday, Feb. 23, from 2 - 4 p.m., a jazz concert will be performed by
the Davidson Fine Arts School Jazz Band. African-American theme tours and
slide illustrated talks are available to the public on request. The museum is
located at One Tenth St. Admission is free on Sundays.
BLACKS IN THE CIVIL WAR program will be presented at Gibbs Memorial
Librw on Monda(. Feb. 10, at 7 p.m. The free pro‘gram will be presented by
Mr. William Bradley, a descendent of Civil War soldiers.
FT. GORDON will hold a command program in honor of Black History
month on Feb. 11, at 2:30 %ren The fpl'olgzam will feature the Honorable Edwin
Dorn, Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness.
THE VOICES OF THE FRANKLINS: A CELEBRATION OF BLACK
HISTORY WITH POEMS AND SONGS FROM THE CIVIL WAR TO THE
PRESENT will be held at ASU on Thursday, Feb. 13, at noon in the Butler Hall
’becmte Room. Free program.
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Muhammad Ali gets in shape while
trainer Drew Bundini Brown locks on.
never been a cultural event that focused so
much international attention on, them,”
explains directorTeon' Gast*“Both fight«"
ers and their entourages kept saying ‘from
slave to championship, we are taken from
Africaasslaves and now we’re comingback
as champions’.” And for Ali, the fight was
his greatest fight. It would reestablish his
placein sports history and reclaim hisright
to speak out for his people.
After being freed from a five-year jail
sentence for refusing induction into U.S.
Military service, claiming that such a step
Black History Events
Its Our Pleasure.
would profane his vows as a
minister in the Nation of Is
lam, Muhammad Ali was de
termined toregain the heavy
weight crown. He had been
stripped of his ttles and con
victed by a criminal court for
violating laws that violated
his beliefs. As a result, the
world’s greatest boxer used
his confidence and self-re
spect to crown himself the
people’s champion, long be
forethe matchbegan. Aliused
the six week delay to turn
himself into an African king.
“We all have a moment when
we’re at the top of our game,”
explains producer David
Sonenburg. “For Muhammad
Alj, this would be the crown
ing achievement in an ex
traordinary career. He was a
king among kings—from
Mobutu, the resident King of
Zaire, to James Brown, the
King of Soul, to Don King.
But Ali, he was on a whole
other level... Ali was the King
of the World.”
When We Were Kings is a
dramatic account of one of
the mostinfluentialeventsof
an eventiul , ade . with
Georg i gn, Do I‘&'
James Brown, 8.8. King,
Spike Lee, Norman Mailer
and George Plimpton. Di
rected by Leon Gast, the film
is produced by Gast,
Sonenburg and Taylor
Hackford for release by
Gramercy Pictures. The film
opensin special engagements
beginning February 14.
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THE MEETING: A dramatic presentation of a fictional encounter
between Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X, will be
presented as part of Augusta State University’s Black History
Month observance.The musical play will be presented on Tuesday,
February 11. It features the Pin Points National Theatre Touring
Company. The performance begins at 8 p.m. ot the Grover C.
Maxwell Performing Arts Theatre on the A.S.U. campus. Tickets are
$5 and $3.
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Muhammad Ali after a rigorous work
out preparing him for the 1974 “Rumble
in the Jungle” match against George
AUGUSTA FOCUS February 6, 1997
Foreman in the Leon Gast film When
We Were Kings, a Gramercy Pictures
release. Photo by Howard L. Bingham
BLACK HISTORY DINNER-FASHION SHOW, STEP SHOW AND
DANCE will be held on Friday, Feb. 21, at the Ft. Gordon Officer’s Club, from
6 p.m. until. Tickets are sl2 in advance, $14.50 at the door and will include a
soul food buffet. Semi formal; door prizes for best-dressed male and female.
For more information, call 791-2205.
THE 13TH ANNUAL BLACK HISTORY BOWL will take Splace atT.W.
Josey High School on Saturday, Feb. 22, beginning at 6 p.m. Students from
various schools, churches and youth organizations will be participating. For
more information, contact Raymond McCoy at (706) 793-4402.
Teachers!
Don’t miss our
Special
Augusta Black
History Edition
- next week
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