SMC will sponsor a performance of “Ain’t I a Woman” Feb. 20 at 7 p.m. in Gibbs Auditorium. The event is free and open to the public.

“Ain’t I a Woman” is a chamber music theatrical work that honors four women who were significant figures in black history: Sojourner Truth, Clementine Hunter, Zora Neale Hurston and Fannie Lou Hamer. Actors will present the stories of these four women, accompanied by a trio of musicians. The score is inspired by black cultural music, including spirituals and jazz.

“This is an opportunity for the audience to learn more about four African-American women who should be recognized for their contributions in the fight against slavery, to literature, art, and as a force in the civil rights movement,” says the director of student activities and leadership development at SMC.

“Ain’t I a Woman” is a work created and performed by members of The Core Ensemble. The Core Ensemble is a performing arts group that produces chamber music pieces that incorporate other performance elements like narrative dance and visual arts. They have produced 14 separate works that have been performed across the United States and abroad, as well as two CDs and many commissioned pieces.

The performance is cosponsored by the POPS Programming Board and the Interdisciplinary Studies Committee in acknowledgement of Black History Month in February.