Sankofa, an event created to highlight the oppressive and progressive periods in African-American history across the nation, will be held on Feb. 24 and 26. The event is sponsored by the Student Government Association and is a part of African American Heritage month.

Sankofa was created by Fred Horn II to showcase the achievements African-Americans have made throughout American history. This event will also bring awareness to racial issues currently happening at the University of Alabama.

“I created this project to provide an opportunity for black students on campus to have a showcase that is strictly led by the student and the student alone,” said Horn, president of Phi Beta Sigma, SGA senator and NAACP treasurer.

The event will go through four stages of black history: slavery, Harlem and civil rights, politics and Black at UA. Sankofa will have live performances from actors, dancers and spoken word students.

“The goal for this event is to make it a success so in the future people will ask for it and so it will be easier for others in the future to do this type of event,” said Whitney Jones, program director for Sankofa. “We are also trying to depict in a positive light the African-American spirit, while raising involvement in the African-American community here at UA.”

During the fall semester of 2011, the idea for Sankofa was created. Towards the end of the semester, planning and creation began for the executive members of Sankofa.

“This project has taken four months to develop, and during those four months it has been nothing but hard work and contributions from friends and administrators on this campus,” Horn said.

Although this is an SGA event, minority organizations and NPHC will also have involvement with the production of Sankofa. Actors involved in the civil rights portion of the play will be members of different NPHC fraternities and sororities.

“I hope to see that this becomes an annual event and that the African-American community is inspired and empowered by this message,” Horn said. “This is intended for the minority UA student and is supposed to send the message of remembering the past and acknowledging the present.”

Sankofa will be held in the Ferguson Theater from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Tickets are available for free at sga.tix.com.

What: Sankofa

When: Feb. 24 and 26 at 6:30 p.m.

Where: Ferguson Theater

Cost: Free