University Daily Kansan / Friday, February 14, 1992 11 Performances honor poet, raise money for schools By Janet Rorholm Kansan staff writer The celebration of the life and work of Langston Hughes at the Lawrence Arts Center last night was a huge success, said Barbara Clark, staff member at the center. About 70 people listened to poetry and jazz music in honor of Hughes' work. Hughes lived part of his life in Lawrence and went to Pinckney Elementary School before he moved to New York. The center earned $350 from the program, which will be used for the libraries at Pinckney and New York elements. Members of the Black Poets Society from the University of Kansas performed some of Hughes' poems such as "I Dream a World," "Dream Deferred," and "Freedom Train." Shanta Griffin, Kansas City, Kan., freshman, said Hughes was a role model. "I look up to him as a person that I would one day like to be like to mimic," she said. Griffin, who performed "Hammer Song" and "Heaven to Hell," said it was not difficult to interpret Hunters' poetry. "Anyone can understand it," she said. "It's a universal language. People are people. It's just words with meaning and understanding." Members of the society also performed some of their own work. Lauri Conner, president of Black Poets Society, went to a predominantly white school like the one Hughes wrote Conner wrote a poem that commented on and graded Hughes' essay from two different perspectives. One was from a Black teacher and the other from a white teacher. The teacher gave him an 'A' and the Black teacher failed him. Conner said Hughes and other Black poets were sources of inspiration. "They're the ones that taught me I can do anything," "she said. The Ben Graham Quartet also performed at the program. They played jazz in the background while Hughes' poetry was read by one of his friends. Dan Jaffe of Overland Park. Jaffe said he met Hughes in 1965, two years before he died. Hughes accepted Jaffe's invitation to read some of his poetry in Jaffe's literature class at the University of Missouri-Kansas City. He said Hughes' poetry was based on a variation of jazz Christine McFardand/KANSAN Dan Jaffe, reads a Langston Hughes poem as Jin Cordes of the Ben Graham Quartet plays jazz music. music called scat, which is music done by using words. The music gave Hughes' poetry a beat, Jaffe said. Tin Pan Alley RESTAURANT & BAR 1105 Mass.749-9756 TASTY, TONGUE TICKLING, TIDBITS! All Day Breakfast. Appetizers, Satisfying Meals, and Desserts Sponsored by: KU Vietnamese Association Minority Affairs & Student Senate PERSONAL GROWTH GROUPS Women's: Tues. 1-2:30 p.m. Feb. 25-April 28 Relationships, Self Esteem Victimization Experiences Adult Children of Alcoholics Wed. 4-5:30 p.m. Feb. 26-April 29 Trust, Anger, Relationships Call CAPS 864-9580 for info ROCK CHALK REVUE UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS February 29 is SOLD OUT! Buy your tickets today at SUA Dates: February 21, 22, 23,and 27,28 at Lawrence High School Times: All shows 7:30 pm, Sunday, the 23rd, 2:00 pm on e Prices: Firstweekend: $B, $10. $7 Second Weekend: $B, $10 SUPPORT KU'S PHILANTHROPY FOR THE UNITED WAY! Hours: M-F 9-8 520 W.23rd Haircut Special $895 Sat. 9-6 841-5885 Perm Special $2995 Sun. noon-6