The Kuumba Singers of Harvard College, founded in 1970 to celebrate the creativity and spirituality of black culture and today one of New England’s premiere college choirs, hosts the 11th Annual Dr Walter J Leonard Black Arts Festival (BAF). 

The festival will take place from Thursday, March 6th, 2008, to Sunday, March 9th, 2008.  The four-day celebration features various workshops, performances, and displays of artwork, graphic media, film, dance, spokenword, music, acting, and screenwriting highlighting the creative contributions of talented and distinguished artists, paying tribute to the African Diaspora. 

This year’s theme is (G)Riot: We Find Our Power in the Word.  The festival will explore the tradition of oral history and narrative as it relates to black human experience and art.  For it is through the “word” and art that human experience is immortalized and humanity sustained.  

In fitting with Kuumba’s mission, to leave a space better than it was found, it is the hope of the 2008 Black Arts Festival Committee that this year’s attendees will feel enlightened, entertained, and inspired by our program of events. 

We hope you will join us March 6th-9th for what promises to be a truly wonderful, celebratory experience.  For a complete schedule of events, please see events.