Dr. Tim Edwards, associate professor of mass communications, and Ben Fry, general manager of KLRE/KUAR and adjunct professor in the School of Mass Communication, are presenting two film screenings and discussions next month. The events are free and open to the public and sponsored by the Office of Campus Life as part of Black History Month.

The two host a viewing of the Chris Rock documentary “Good Hair” at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 9, in the Leadership Lounge of the Donaghey Student Center.

According to USA Today, the film “…sets out to explore the historically fraught concept of ‘good hair,’ which for African Americans – burdened by the twin legacies of slavery and racism – have traditionally been defined as hair more like white people.”

Do black women, Rock wonders, spend countless hours and hundreds of dollars in hair salons to make their hair straighter and silkier because they want to look white?

On Tuesday, Feb. 16, the two will screen and discuss the animated Disney film “The Princess and the Frog” also at 6 p.m. at the DSC’s Leadership Lounge. The film features the first African American princess and touches on the theme of interracial relationships.

Edwards holds a Ph.D. in communication from the University of Kentucky. His areas of expertise include news writing, reporting, audio/video production, and pop culture. He has been on the faculty at UALR since 1992.

Fry has served as general manager of UALR Public Radio since 1995. He holds a master’s degree in journalism from UALR. He teaches classes in motion picture history, criticism, and screenwriting. He also serves as the coordinator of film studies for the School of Mass Communication.

Both events are sponsored by the Office of Campus Life. For more information, contact 501-569-3308.