THE LEFT LANE
Key black numbers

In time for Black History Month, which begins today, the Census Bureau has produced these numbers:

• 36.4 million: Number of people in the United States who described themselves as full or partly African American in the 2000 Census. This group made up 12.9 percent of the population.
• 22,003: Number of people in Hawai'i who chose the "black or African American" racial category in the 2000 Census, 1.8 percent of the state's population.
• $30,439: The median income for African American households in 2000, an all-time high, up 5.5 percent from 1999.

A Super celebration

Never mind the team colors of the St. Louis Rams and the New England

Patriots — Fox plans to make red, white and blue the predominant colors of the broadcast of Super Bowl XXXVI. Patriotic segments set for before and during the game Sunday will emphasize a theme of "Heroes, Hope and Homeland" to reflect on American life after Sept. 11.

The pregame show, at 10 a.m. Hawai'i time, will include performances of composer Aaron Copland's

"Lincoln Portrait" by the Boston Pops, with the spoken parts performed by former presidents. Paul McCartney will perform his single "Freedom."

Just before the 1 p.m. kickoff, Marc Anthony and Mary J. Blige will sing "America the Beautiful," and Mariah Carey will perform the national anthem. Throughout the game, Fox will cut away to comments by U.S. troops overseas.

Stacey Moniz & Thomas Reiher

If that's not enough football mania for you, consider this: When Stacey Moniz, executive director of Maui's Women Helping Women, weds Thomas Reiher at 10 a.m. tomorrow, the next stop will be ... the Hula Bowl? They originally planned a noon wedding, but changed it so they could make the 3 p.m. kickoff.

"I've been to the Hula Bowl every year it's been here," said Moniz, whose entire staff will join them at Maui War Memorial Stadium. "I couldn't not be there." The self-professed football "addicts" also will honeymoon at the Pro Bowl in Honolulu on Feb. 10.

Another couple, from North Carolina, also is marrying tomorrow — 2/2/02 is an easy anniversary date to remember — before heading to the Hula Bowl.

Here and proud

People of African ancestry were here even before Kamehameha I won the Battle of Nu'uanu in 1796.

Intriguing facts like these will come to light when Miles M. Jackson — a former University of Hawai'i dean who just published a history of blacks in Hawai'i called "And They Came" — speaks as part of the UH Outreach College's lecture series, 7:30 p.m. Thursday in the Yukiyoshi Room at Krauss Hall.

Jackson's lecture will highlight those who came from Africa and the West Indies from 1840 to 1880, and who became citizens of the Kingdom of Hawai'i. For details, visit outreach.hawaii.edu or call 956-3836.