February 11, 2010 –TCA partnered with Spelman College - the nation's leading historically black female institution of higher education - to introduce a unique perspective to its celebration of Black History Month by hosting an event exploring African American-Turkish connections pioneered by Ahmet Ertegun and James Baldwin.
The event, which recreated the successful "African American-Turkish Connection Through the Arts" lecture at Georgetown University in October 2009, featured Dr. Magdalena Zaborowska of University of Michigan, author of James Baldwin's Turkish Decade.
The timely event explored James Baldwin, one of the most influential African American writers, who spent a decade of his life in Turkey; and Ahmet Ertegün, the founder of Atlantic Records and the individual who is credited with bringing Jazz, Blues and African American music to mainstream America and the world, while standing up to racial injustice.
