University of Pittsburgh Participates in Countywide "One Book, One Community" Project

January 31, 2003

PITTSBURGH The University of Pittsburgh is playing a role in the Allegheny County Library Association's "One Book, One Community" project, a program designed to be a catalyst for the discussion of the racial and social issues presented in Harper Lee's classic novel, "To Kill A Mockingbird."

Project organizers have asked county residents to read the book and are encouraging them to attend book clubs, film viewings, mock trials, and other events scheduled through March to promote a discussion of the book's themes.

Pitt's Center for Lifetime Learning and Pitt's Department of Theatre Arts are

sponsoring the following program events:

•An Illustrated Mockingbird will take place Feb. 19, Feb. 26, and March 5, from

10 to 11:30 a.m. at Whitehall Public Library. Participants will create an illustration that clarifies attitudes about cultural differences and social injustices. All creative materials are supplied, and the fee for the session is $24.

• To Kill A Mockingbird: Your Thoughts will take place Feb. 12, Feb. 19, and

Feb. 26, from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at Crafton Public Library. Participants will discuss their initial impressions of the book, its literary aspects, and the legal and social issues it raises. The fee is $24.

• To Kill A Mockingbird: 1930s History or 21st Century Reality? This session will take place Feb. 6, Feb. 20, and Feb. 27, from noon to 1:30 p.m. on Pitt's Oakland campus. This discussion will involve the author's treatment of racial and social issues and how these themes remain timely today. The fee is $24.

• To Kill A Mockingbird: The Movie will take place Feb. 11, Feb. 18, Feb. 25, and March 4, from 7 to 9 p.m. on Pitt's Oakland campus. Participants will view the film and discuss the characteristics that make it a timeless masterpiece. The fee is $64.

• To Kill A Mockingbird From Pulitzer Prize to Oscar begins Feb. 20 from 7 to

9 p.m. with a screening of the film at Pitt's Clapp Hall, Fifth and Ruskin avenues, Oakland. On Feb. 21 at 2 p.m., a panel of filmmakers and other experts will discuss the movie's themes at Pitt's William Pitt Union Assembly Room. Admission to both events is free.

• A Reader's Theatre: To Kill A Mockingbird. The Carnegie Library and Pitt's Shakespeare-in-the-Schools program will present this performance at the Carnegie Library Lecture Hall in Oakland on March 22 from 2 to 4 p.m. The event is suitable for all ages. Admission is free.

Classroom assignments are included with a registration confirmation letter. For more information, or to register for a class, contact the Center for Lifetime Learning at 412-648-2560 or www.pitt.edu/~cgs/lifetime.

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