Still celebrating one year later

When the African-American Culture Center was founded in 1968, it was assigned to an old fraternity house at 109 N. Jordan Ave. \nOriginally established to provide a positive environment for IU's African-American faculty, students and staff, the organization quickly evolved as a supportive network to foster a number of academic and artistic groups, like the IU Soul Revue and the African-American Dance Company. \nIt didn't take long for the AACC's growing programs to outgrow the cramped frat house, and by 1972, IU's African-American arts organizations were forced to scatter across campus.\nLast Saturday, the Neal-Marshall Education Center, which reunited the AACC's organizations, turned a year old, more than 30 years after the original center was established. \nThe Neal-Marshall Center stands at the AACC's original address, where it's been been since its Jan. 18 dedication ceremony a year ago. Named for the first male and female African-American graduates of IU, the $26 million, 117,000 sq. ft. center features state-of-the-art performance facilities, traditional classrooms, lecture halls, rehearsal studios, costume and scene shops, a library and administrative offices. \n"We're certainly glad to be back at our original address in such a beautiful new facility," said Oyibo Afoaku, director of the Neal-Marshall Center. \n"With any new place you're going to encounter some challenges," she said, recalling some of the heating and spacing problems with the new building. "But our first year has definitely been a great experience for everyone involved."\nAfoaku, new to IU this year from the University of Northern Colorado, said she has been pleased with the University's support of the facility during its first year.\n"Our goal here is academic excellence, and we try to put on programs that foster cultural awareness and diversity," she said. "And none of this would be possible without so much support from the community."\nThe support of the community has aided the center's success from the beginning. By the 1990s, it was clear the AACC and its corresponding arts programs needed a joint facility, where its numerous branches could be united under one roof. Around the same time, IU's department of theatre and drama, which until then was limited to the outdated University Theatre and T300 studio stage located behind the IU Auditorium, was also in need of expanding. Plans were soon set in motion for a new facility capable of housing both departments. \nIn October 1998, an official ground-breaking ceremony was held in the same location of the AACC's old fraternity house. During the nearly three-year construction period, the department of theatre and drama was forced to make do with the University Theatre, and the AACC and its corresponding programs were moved into Ashton Center. \nBy the end of 2001, construction was nearly complete, and on January 18th, an elaborate dedication ceremony was held to inaugurate IU's newest addition to campus. Ossie Davis and Ruby Dee, both highly acclaimed authors, actors and activists, made speeches and appearances and conducted a theater workshop for IU students.\nCharles Sykes, the director of the African-American Arts Center, said he has been delighted with the programs the center has been able to produce in its first year. \n"It might be too early yet to assess the full impact that this new facility will have on our programs, but there is certainly the potential for an increased awareness of our performances," he said. "And more community support always strengthens the programs."\nIn contrast with the elaborate dedication ceremony of the Neal-Marshall Center a year ago, Jan. 18 passed as just a normal, quiet Saturday at the facility. \n"We're still enjoying the memories of last year's ceremony," Afoaku said, adding that plans may be in store to celebrate the facility's dedication date for next year. \n"Still, one can't help but be pleased with how well things have worked out with this beautiful, new facility in its first year," she said.