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EX-NBA STAR KAREEM ABDUL-JABBAR WILL SPEAK AT AU
AUBURN -- Former basketball great Kareem Abdul-Jabbar will speak at Auburn University on Thursday as the Black History Month headliner.
Abdul-Jabbar, who starred collegiately at UCLA and later in the NBA, will speak at 7 p.m., at the Student Activities Center.
"We're extremely excited that Abdul-Jabbar is coming to Auburn," said Jeff Coats, University Program Council advisor. "A lot of people should use the opportunity to hear about Black History, and particularly the perspectives of someone as knowledgeable as Mr. Abdul-Jabbar."
Abdul-Jabbar will speak on the theme his book, Profiles in Black Courage, and sign his new book, A Season on the Reservation: My Sojourn with The White Mountain Apache, immediately after the program.
"(UPC) Horizons is responsible for bringing Mr. Abdul-Jabbar in," said Shaun DeCoudres, Horizons committee director. "And with our school becoming a basketball school of sorts, I felt it was fitting that we picked Mr. Abdul-Jabbar for those reasons as well as for his unique perspectives on Black History."
A meet-and-greet session with Abdul-Jabbar and university officials will begin at 6 p.m. Doors will open to students with university identification present at 6:15 p.m. and to the general public at 6:45 p.m. Students present with university ID will receive priority seating.
Abdul-Jabbar's book is scheduled to be released on Wednesday. The books will go on sale prior to the show, and UPC officials have asked that students only present books to be signed.
Profiles in Black Courage was written by Abdul-Jabbar and Alan Steinberg in 1996. Abdul-Jabbar as an avid history student, and documents in the book how African-Americans played an integral role in U.S. history.
Born Lew Alcindor, Abdul-Jabbar was the linchpin of the UCLA college basketball dynasty of the late 1960s and early 70s. He continued his career as a member of the NBA's Milwaukee Bucks and Los Angeles Lakers, becoming the league's all-time leading career scorer with more than 38,000 points.
In addition to basketball and writing, Abdul-Jabbar has appeared in several movies and had guest appearances on many television series.
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CONTACT: Coats, 334/844-5292.