Pete Seeger to Host Anti-Apartheid Concert

Harvard may not be the next Woodstock, but folksinger Pete Seeger will host two concerts in Sanders Theater on February 21 and 22.

Entitled "HARVARD: Songs for a Free South Africa," the concerts will benefit the Harvard-Radcliffe Alumni Against Apartheid (AAA), which works for Harvard's total divestment from South Africa, and the Fund for a Free South Africa, which supplies humanitarian aid to the Black people of that country.

In addition to Seeger, Tom Paxton, Mimi Farina, Holly Near and a host of other professional musicians will also perform.

Harvard's contribution will be the Kuumba singers, who will sing only on Monday night. "We see it not only as an opportunity to perform, but as an effort to get Harvard to divest," said Karla A. Selmon '88, vice president of the group. Todd E. White '88, the group's president, said, "I don't want to make it seem like Kuumba's making a political statement, but a majority of the group would support divestment."

Harry Lipson, a professional producer with Folktree Concertmakers, is producing the concert free of charge. The participants are donating their services as well, although some of the performers will receive money for travel expenses, Lipson said.

Although Seeger will host both shows, different performers will participate in each concert. The concerts are intended to have a "festival atmosphere, which means that each performer will sing about three or four songs," Lipson said.

Dorothee E. Benz '86, executive director of AAA, said her organization has been planning HARVAID for a year and a half. The performers "are people who have been very committed, not just to get together to sing and do a benefit, but because they really are passionately committed to the freedom struggle in South Africa," Benz said.

Seeger is currently visiting one of his children in Nicaragua, according to Benz, and he will not return to this country until the night of the concert. Benz cited Seeger's "longstanding commitment to civil rights and social justice issues and his activism in anti-apartheid efforts," as his reasons for participating in the event.

"HARVAID has a threefold purpose," she said. "First, it's a fundraiser for us; second, a substantial portion will go to the Fund for a Free South Africa, which gives very concrete and direct aid to the country; third, it's an event in its own right. It will present a morally and *** important statement that we need to say 'no' to apartheid."

Before Sunday's concert, there will be a reception at which all of Sunday's performers will be present, Benz said, adding that she expects "an impressive cross-section of the Boston community" to attend.

Tickets for each show are $22.50, and only a few dozen tickets are left for Sunday's event, Lipson said. However, he said he expects tickets to be available for the Monday performance through the end of next week.