It's the Year of South Africa at Queens College

As it’s located in the world’s most diverse county and it’s dedicated to providing a global education, Queens College offers cultural and academic enrichment programs on a different nation each school year. For 2014-2015, the Flushing institution is focusing on South Africa and presenting various events to explore its history, art, literature, dance, film, and ethnicity. More information on the jump page.

This Thursday, Queens College’s Godwin-Ternbach Museum opens a display of the Collection of Violet and Les Payne. Mr. Payne is a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist who reported from the black township of Soweto, Johannesburg, in the 1970s. He returned a decade later to start his collection, which includes art by Velaphi Mzimba, Hargreaves Ntukwana, David Mbele, Winston Saoli, and Percy Konqobe.

Payne’s writings about Soweto and the Apartheid-related political turmoil there will be available at the show, and he will offer a gallery talk on opening night at 6 pm. The exhibit will be on view through March 21st, and gallery hours are Monday through Thursday, 11 am to 7  pm, and Saturdays, 11 am to 5 pm.

Plus, here’s a list of some additional February and March activities related to QC’s Year of South Africa:

• A roundtable on Global and African Apartheid with Mr. Payne, QC History Professor Satadru Sen, and Richard Knight, Director of the African Activist Archive.
• A talk by artist and South Africa native Robert Sember about the ongoing struggle for social justice in contemporary South African visual art, music, and film.
• A performance/roundtable on art as social activism with Franklin Furnace founder and artist Martha Wilson, QC Art Professor Maureen Connor, Brother(hood) member Riccardo Valentine, and CCNY author Tonya Foster, with performances by the activist dance collective Brother(hood), a gumboot dance by QC students, and responsive readings by QC and Pratt Institute writing programs.
• Artist talks via video conference with photographers Musa Nxumalo, Sanele Moya, and Sipho Mpongo.
• A film series including Five Roads to Freedom: From Apartheid to the World Cup.

Details: Year of South Africa, Queens College and Goodwin-Ternbach Museum, 405 Klapper Hall, Flushing.

Photos: Queens College