The Harlem-born Keith David, actor, singer, poet and award-winning voice-over artist, celebrates Harlem, in a week-long series of events that will take place on August 22nd through August 27th, at various venues in Harlem.
Tuesday, August 22nd, the actor will be celebrating the diversity of Harlem in the program, Keith David Welcomes the Caribbean to Harlem presented by the St. Kitts Tourism Authority. The evening will begin with a reception at the landmark Schomburg Museum for Research in Black Culture at 515 Malcolm X Blvd. The private affair will be catered by the popular Harlem eatery MoBay.
On Wednesday, August 23rd, David continues the celebration at Baton Rouge Restaurant and Lounge, located at 458 West. 145th Street on Sugar Hill. The Juilliard trained artist will romance audiences “Once More With Feeling” with an evening of song. Culling from a repertoire that includes songs by Johnny Hartman, Billy Eckstein, Arthur Prysock, and Nat King Cole, Mr. David who will be doing a tribute to the great Nat “King” Cole in September reveals, “I believe that there is not enough romance in the world today, so anything I can do to bring back a little more romance is my way to share what Harlem has given me.”
Thursday, August 24th has been proclaimed “Literary Day in Harlem with Keith David”, and will be celebrated at 10:30am at the Hue-Man Bookstore & Cafe, located at 2319 Frederick Douglas Blvd. (between 124th & 125th Street). Mr. David and some of the students of the Keith David School of the Performing Arts of the M.A.C.A.D.E.M.Y School of Technology & Science in Brooklyn, will join students of the Bronx School of Science and Inquiry & Investigation in Harlem, along with the boys from The Children’s Village for a reading from a few of Mr. David’s favorite books.
Joining Mr. David will be his special guest, Madame Rosa Guy, the award-winning author of The Friends, a book set in Harlem during the 60′s that focuses on the theme of two friends who overcome cross-cultural prejudices. The Friends is a part of the school curriculum in several countries including the USA, England, Canada and the Caribbean. Madame Guy, a highly revered author of children’s books is the winner of the Coretta Scott King Award, the New York Times Outstanding Book-of-the-Year Citation, and the American Library Association Book Award. For further information about this event, please visit www.hue-manbookstore.com
Mr. David has also visited various other educational sites in Harlem, including at the Frederick Douglas Academy at 2581 Adam Clayton Powell Boulevard . The principal Dr. G. Hodge commented: “Yesterday was a very exciting day. The students recognized Mr. David and his outstanding body of work and were most impressed by his willingness to speak with them. He encouraged the students to dream and to work towards that dream.”
Mr. David will end his weeklong celebration of Harlem at the historic Abyssinian Baptist Church (132 Odell Clark Place), where he will be a guest soloist of the Rev. Dr. Calvin O. Butts, Pastor.
For further information about any of these events email: keithdavidharlem@aol.com
Posted on August 20, 2006 by D. Bell