Artists, entertainers, poets and authors will converge on Iowa State this month to celebrate black history.

Several African-American speakers and entertainers will discuss a wide range of topics, from art to technology, during Black History Month, and program coordinators said the subjects will appeal to a diverse group of ISU students.

“All of the speakers are superb and have a lot to offer students at Iowa State any time of the year,” said Herman Blake, professor of educational leadership and policy studies.

Tunde Odunlade will be in the Sun Room of the Memorial Union at noon today to discuss the role of Nigerian artists in the 21st century. Odunlade has received international acclaim as a textile and print artist. He is also a well-known composer, dramatist, musician and actor.

The keynote speaker for the month is Nikki Giovanni, who will talk about the art of diversity on Feb. 7. Giovanni is an author and activist with 20 published books of poetry and essays. She also teaches writing, poetry and literature at Virginia Tech at Blacksburg, Va.

Pat Miller, lectures program coordinator, said Giovanni was originally scheduled to be part of the Martin Luther King Jr. birthday celebration but was unable to come until this month.

Dick Gregory will offer comic relief during the celebration. He uses humor as a way of getting people’s attention and making them think as well as laugh, said Rodney Jones, president of the Black Graduate Student Association.

“He opened doors for other black comedians and is well-known for his anti-war demonstrations,” said Jones, graduate student in forestry. Gregory was a proponent of the civil-rights movement, and he is an activist for world peace, hunger and issues confronting American Indians.

Black women throughout history is the focus of actress Adilah Barnes’ solo performance Feb. 22. Barnes will be performing six black female characters living in both historical and contemporary times.

“Some of the women she will portray are a part of the assignments many students get in courses, such as [authors] Zora Neale Hurston and Maya Angelou. Others, like Angela Davis, are very much involved in current events around the nation,” Blake said. “Students will be educated and inspired.”

Another speaker, Barry Cooper, hopes to provide insight for students interested in computers and the expanding World Wide Web. He is the founder of BlackVoices.com, a virtual community for African-Americans.

Margaret Burroughs won’t arrive in Ames until March 1, but she is still considered a speaker for Black History Month, Miller said. Burroughs is an artist, educator, writer and founder of the DuSable Museum of African-American History in Chicago.