What's happening where!

Ebony, May, 2004 by Joy Bennett Kinnon

ATLANTA

* Sweet Auburn SpringFest and Garden Show. May 7-9.

* The Atlanta Jazz Festival. Largest free jazz festival in the country. Piedmont Park. May 18-27.

* Coalition of Black Trade Unionists convention. Hyatt-Regency Peachtree. May 26-31.

BALTIMORE

* Mother's Day Gospel Concert & Banquet. Great Black in Wax Museum. May 8.

BEAUFORT, S.C.

* Gullah Festival 2004. The 18th celebration of the rich Sea Island Gullah heritage includes authentic arts and crafts, Gullah presentations, music, workshops, non-stop entertainment and more. May 28-30

CHARLESTON, S.C.

* Spoleto Festival USA 2004. Festival entertainment runs the gamut from opera, dance and theatre to arts, crafts and cultural activities. May 28-June 13.

CHICAGO

* Celebrating the 50th anniversary of Brown v. Board of Education. Looking Back and Moving Forward. Exhibit. Carter G. Woodson Regional Library. Through June 30.

* McSween Meets Kings: A Civil Rights Story. Exhibit featuring the memories of Cirilo A. McSween, a Chicago entrepreneur, activist and former athlete who earned the trust of Dr. King while serving as the national treasure for the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. The DuSable Museum of African-American History. Through Oct. 17.

* Harold Washington: The Man and the Movement. This exhibit marks the 20th anniversary of the election of Chicago's first Black mayor. Chicago Historical Society. Through May 31.

CLEVELAND

* Cookin' at the Cookery: The Music and Times of Alberta Hunter. Cleveland Play House. April 27-May 30.

* Great American Rib Cook-Off. Tower City Amphitheater, May 28-31.

DALLAS

* The National Bowling Association, Inc. convention. Hyatt-Regency at DSW. May 24-25.

DETROIT

* J. Opoku Ofei. Painter examines the rituals of everyday life in West African Akan cultural heritage. The Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History. Through July 11.

LAS VEGAS

* Urban Financial Services Coalition convention. MGM Grand Hotel & Conference Center. May 31-June 6.

LOS ANGELES

* Master Harold ... and the boys. Play by L.A. Theatre works. Skirball Cultural center. May 12-16.

MEMPHIS, Tenn.

* Memphis in May. Month-long activities feature salute to South African freedom and commemoration of 10 years since Mandela's presidential election. May 1-31.

* Beale Street Music Festival. Beale Street. April 30-May 2.

* 50th anniversary of Brown v. Board of Education. Exhibit. National Civil Rights Museum. Through July 4.

NEW ORLEANS

* Something All Our Own: Grant Hill Collection of African-American Art. Exhibit. New Orleans Museum of Art. Through June 6.

NEW YORK CITY

* The Ninth Annual Essentially Ellington High School Jazz Band Competition & Festival. Avery Fisher Hall, Final Concert. May 24.

* Mastercard International Family Day. Museum for African Art. May 8.

OMAHA, Neb.

* Bill Pickett Invitational Rodeo. Sarpy County Fairgrounds. May 22.

PHILADELPHIA

* International Children's Festival. Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts. April 25-May 1.

ST. LOUIS

* Raisin. St. Louis Black Repertory Company, Grandel Theatre. May 25-June 26.

TOPEKA, Kan.

* Official Opening of the Brown v. Board of Education National Parks Site. May 17.

WASHINGTON, D.C.

* Separate is Not Equal: Brown v. Board of Education. The National Museum of American History marks the 50th anniversary of the landmark Supreme Court ruling. May 15-May 30, 2005.

* 10th anniversary Mandela Election Gala. The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. May 16.

ISLAND DESTINATIONAS:

BARBADOS

* The Barbados Gospelfest. Various Venues. May 22-30.

CURACAO

* 17th Annual Curacao Jazz Festival. Various venues. May 28-29.

ST. LUCIA

* St. Lucia Jazz Festival. Scheduled artists include: Ashanti, Babyface, Billy Taylor, Maynard Ferguson, Joe and Floetry. Various venue. May 7-16.

ST. MARTIN

* Abolition of Slavery Day. May 27.

U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS

* Carnival Adult's Parade. St. Thomas. May 1.

NOTE: Sponsors may change dates or locations after the magazine has been published. Travelers should verify event information with local sponsors.