1980s Forum and Artists Series Rock n' Roll
Forum Series
Maya Angelou
Women's Role in Business 1980-81
Black History Month 1987-88
Maya Angelou was a singer, author, and a producer. She discussed how the feeling of worthlessness is one of the main causes of people not being able to achieve their full potential as human beings. This feeling of worthlessness and defeat were linked to racism and sexism within American society. She encouraged students to go after their goals but to remember that there will always be a price to see these dreams come true.
"You won't always get what you pay for, but you'll always pay for what you get."
- Maya Angelou quoting her mother during the Forum Series lecture
Hank Aaron
The Courage to Succeed
Hank Aaron was a member of major league baseball for over two decades. During his career he played for the Milwaukee Braves, Atlanta Braves, and the Milwaukee Brewers. He later became the vice president of player development for the Atlanta Braves. In his lecture he discussed how the "what's in it for me" attitude hinders personal and group success. He encouraged students to be the best they can be in every situation.
Coretta Scott King
Legacy of Martin Luther King: Ideals and Actions for a Nonviolent Revolution
Coretta Scott King was an author, civil rights leader, and the widow of Martin Luther King Jr. She was also the founder of the Martin Luther King Jr. Center for Nonviolent Social Changes, an organization that focused on educating the world about her husband's philosophy of nonviolence and his legacy. This also connected to Coretta Scott King's lecture which relayed her political and social ideals.
Larry King
All in a Night's Work
Larry King was a radio host, television commentator, and columnist for US Today. While King had never been to Eau Claire before the forum series, the city was full of long time fans. As a part of the forum series he did a live show at UWEC. When conducting interviews King did very little research beforehand, because he did not want to be ahead of the audience. He stated that one of the key skills to being on the radio waves is being able to communicate with your audience members and guests.
"The ideal guest would have four things... The four things you want in a guest are passion - passion for life, a passion for what they do; two, an ability to explain what they do very well for the layman... Three is a sense of humor, and four is a little bit of a chip on his shoulder, a little bit of anger."
- Larry King being interviewed by Ralph Tausz from Spectators, 1986
Dr. Ruth Westheimer
Sexually Speaking
Dr. Ruth Westheimer was a psychosexual therapist that helped to incorporate the use of media within the field of psychology. Her discussion focused on sex, sexuality, and AIDS/STDs. Dr. Westheimer theorized that learning about AIDs and STDs will change how people date. She also emphasized how important it was to have a strong and well-meaning relationship with a partner.
Artists Series
National Band of New Zealand and the Aotearoa Māori Dancers
The National Band of New Zealand and the Aotearoa Māori Dancers was established in 1953. It was a brass band that blended classical music with indigenous Māori melodies. It has won the international band festival at Toronto and has achieved the world champion marching title at the world music concourse on multiple occasions.
National Chinese Opera Theatre
The National Chinese Opera Theatre was originally formed in Taiwan. The performers wowed audience members with storytelling and acrobatics. These forms of entertainment were used to tell Chinese mythology and folklore. In this type of theater there are four types of actors: sheng (scholars and warriors), tan (female roles), ching (evil ministers and supernatural), and chou (clowns). The audience members can tell which type of actor is based on their costumes and makeup.
Chick Corea Elektric Band
Chick Corea was once the keyboardist for the band Return to Forever before beginning his solo career. He created unique sounds by downloading on a synthesizer. Corea composed a wide variety of music but its underlying tone was jazz fusion.
Peking Acrobats
Peking Acrobats wowed audiences with their amazing feats. They performed wirewalking, trick cycling, and gymnastics. These tricks would not be possible without control, strength, balance, and practice.