---Bestselling author BERNICE L. MCFADDEN returns with "The Bitter Earth"---Bernice McFadden is the Brooklyn-based author of SUGAR and THE WARMEST DECEMBER (available in paperback by Plume). Toni Morrison praised McFadden by simply stating that THE WARMEST DECEMBER was "riveting…searing and expertly imagined. THIS BITTER EARTH picks up where Bernice McFadden's first book SUGAR left off: on the dirt road leading to Sugar's childhood home in Short Junction, Arkansas-right to the house where the Lacey women still live..For more information on Bernice McFadden, contact: Kathleen Matthews Schmidt via email: kschmidt@penguinputnam.com

---Harvard's Anthony Appiah moves to Princeton---Princeton University's Board of Trustees appointed two scholars to the faculty as full professors, effective Sept. 1, 2002. They are: Kwame Anthony Appiah, named as the Laurance S. Rockefeller University Professor of Philosophy and the University Center for Human Values; and James Van Loan Haxby, appointed as professor of psychology. Appiah, currently the Charles H. Carswell Professor of Afro-American Studies and of Philosophy at Harvard University, specializes in moral and political philosophy, African and African-American studies, literary theory and criticism, and issues of personal and political identity, multiculturalism and nationalism. He joined the Harvard faculty in 1991, after holding faculty positions at Duke, Cornell and Yale universities. Appiah also is co-editor, with Harvard University Professor Henry Louis Gates Jr., of the 3,000-article "Africana: The Encyclopedia of the African and African-American Experience" and the Encarta Africana CD-Rom. His most recent projects are a second set of Tanner Lectures in Human Values (a lecture series presented by several universities around the world), and an annotated collection of proverbs from his homeland, Asante, Ghana, on which he collaborated with his mother.

--- Homeownership Gap Widens for African Americans---
The Homeownership Alliance said that national homeownership rates went up in 2001, compared to 2000, but increases in the African-American homeownership rates are still not keeping pace with gains for white and Hispanic households. This disparity is further evidence why policies that promote homeownership must be broadened and enhanced. "Today's numbers show a year to year improvement in homeownership rates across America, but some populations are not keeping pace with others. The gap has narrowed for Hispanics, but the gap has widened for African Americans," Homeownership Alliance President Rick Davis said. The data released shows that the homeownership rate for African Americans is 48.1%, an increase of .3 percent over last year, while Hispanics' homeownership is 48.8%, a 1.3 percent increase. Homeownership rates increased nationwide by .5 percent from 67.5% in 2000 to 68% in 2001. While homeownership rates may vary, the figures will vary from quarter to quarter, the most consistent data is year to year. These figures demonstrate the need for policies that vigorously promote new homeownership opportunities for underserved communities. Davis noted some good news: the homeownership rate increase for Hispanics is higher than the increase for white Americans. The Census Bureau reported an increase from 47.5% to 48.8% for Hispanic households. The homeownership rates for white Americans increased from 71.2% to 71.8%. For more information, contact Audrey Duff at (202) 354-8205.

---Summit on Leading Diversity---
The Third annual Summit on Leading Diversity, one the nation's leading conferences for sharing diversity-oriented information and resources, will be held in Atlanta, GA from April 8-11, 2002. The Summit provides a forum to connect with over 650 fellow diversity champions to celebrate the progress that has been made in the field, to rejuvenate your spirit, and to acquire new skills, strategies and solutions to drive diversity to the next level.The Summit includes keynote presentations from: Edward James Olmos on finding the champions in all of us, Alexis M. Herman on investing in the current and future workforce, Myrlie Evers-Williams on the courage to succeed, Aida Alverez on economic empowerment and forging partnerships with women and minority owned businesses , Steve Hanamura on the connection between doing business and serving our communities and Mark Williams on a 21st century approach to managing cultural diversity. Also, meet key authors and connect with session attendees representing some of the nation's top corporations. To register for this event, call 781-862-3157 or visit the Summit website at {HYPERLINK http://www.linkageinc.com/conferences/hr/leading_diversity/Default.shtml. Special gift offer: When you register for the conference, mention priority code 02DIV-UF2 and receive a complimentary 2002 calendar by world-renowned, African -American artist Paul Goodnight., who is prominently displayed on www.UnityFirst.com.

---Pan African Film and Arts Festival---
The Pan African Film and Arts Festival (PAFF) celebrates its 10th Anniversary of presenting entertaining, educational, political and cultural films from the African Diaspora, February 7-18, 2002 at the Magic Theatres in the Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza, 3650 Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard in Los Angeles. This year, PAFF offers films from Africa, China, Australia, Latin America, South America and the Caribbean that are rarely seen in theaters in this country. The opening night film, Crazy As Hell, marks the feature-directing debut of Eric LaSalle (ER). There will be numerous film industry panels and workshops, including Dispelling the Myths: Islam and Racial Profiling of People of Color. There are free films for children on Saturdays and s poken word performances are Friday nights. In conjunction with Black Art On Tour, PAFF will honor internationally known visual artist Varnette Honeywood, whose work was seen on The Cosby Show. Other artists include Synthia Saint James, Charles Bibbs, Gilbert Young, Poncho Brown, WAK- Kevin Williams, Ted Ellis, Roderick Vines, Lashun Beal and Kathleen Wilson.The closing night film is 30 Years To Life, which stars Kadeem Hardison and Erica Alexander. For more information, call (213) 896-8221.

---Church of Latter Day Saints---
Deseret Book author Darius Aidan Gray of Midvale, Utah, has been invited to represent Utah and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at the unveiling of an exhibit of the Mark E. Mitchell Collection of African-American History at the new National Museum of African-American History and Culture (NMAAHC) in Washington, D.C., in celebration of Black History Month. The lives of Gray and his ancestors will intersect with those of General Colin Powell, Frederick Douglass, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Soujorner Truth, Muhammed Ali, Louis Armstrong, and Phillis Wheatley for the first time at the public unveiling of this new African American History Museum. A preview of the exhibit will be held at the visitors' center of the LDS Church's Washington D.C. Temple on January 31, 2002 at 10:00 a.m. Eastern time. Darius Gray has worked with a U.S. senator on African affairs and currently presides over the Genesis Group, the official arm of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints organized to support Church members of African descent. He will be speaking at the preview along with other invited speakers, including historian Alex Haley Jr. The president of the Friends of the NMAAHC, Frederick Douglass IV, and his wife, B. J., will be featured in a presentation about Frederick Douglass, the legendary speaker, writer, editor, statesman, and abolitionist.

---Howard University's New play: A Liberating Prayer, a Love Song for Mumia---Howard University's Department of Theatre Arts proudly presents Sybil J. Roberts' A LIBERATING PRAYER: A LOVE SONG FOR MUMIAdirected by Denise D. Saunders. A LIBERATING PRAYER: A LOVE SONG FOR MUMIAwill be performed in the Environmental Theatre Space January 31 - February 2, 5 - 9, 2002 at 7:30 p.m. and February 2 and 9, 2002 at 2:30 p.m. This play is an unlikely love story that tells of the fateful meeting of a freedom fighter and a merchant who undertake a spiritual journey to find the wisdom and courage to fight to win the freedom of political prisoner Mumia Abu-Jamal. For more information, contact Denise D. Saunders, (202) 806-5462

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