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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
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Dr.
Sam Chekwas is the founder of Seaburn Publishing Group.
He is a writer and translator of Greek language books.
Sam Chekwas is
the recipient of the prestigious Ambassador of Hellenism award bestowed upon
him by the Greek Government in recognition for his contributions to Greek
Letters. He lives in New York with his wife and
children. |
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NIGERIAN AMBASSADOR OF HELLENISM - The Macedonian Press Agency
Thessaloniki, 16 September 2003 (17:05 UTC+2)
A Nigerian spoke about the ideals of the Greek civilization and
the need for the Greeks to become ambassadors of good news no matter
where they are.
Nigerian Sam Tsekouas addressed an audience made up of the young
students of Thessaloniki's 81st Elementary School. He came to love
Greece, like his own country, when he was a student at
Thessaloniki's Aristotle University Dental School and today he is an
Ambassador of Hellenism undertaking to spread the Greek history and
civilization around the world.
He serves Greece for over a decade through initiatives aimed at its
promotion, while he is the owner of a Greek bookstore at the heart
of Astoria, New York home to thousands of Greek-Americans.
Sam Chekwas came to Greece to receive the title of the
Ambassador of Hellenism, a distinction awarded each year by
the Greek government to philhellenes around the world.
GREEK INDEPENDENCE DAY - April 5, 2005
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Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg with Sam Chekwas and
wife Tyra at Gracie Mansion, Manhattan,
New York Click image for closer view |
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| Dr. Sam Chekwas,
Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg and Tyra Mason-Chekwas |
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 Παρουσίαση
του Sam O' Chekwas, που τιμήθηκε με τον τίτλο του "Πρεσβευτή του
Ελληνισμού" 2003-04-12
— The Embassy of Greece, Education Office Washington, DC
© Embassy of Greece 1996-2005
SEMINAR IN THE US ON GREEK LANGUAGE AND CULTURE
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Athens News Agency
 The Greek civilization, culture and history are at the centre of various
activities, actively sponsored by the American Archdiocese, organized by Greek
American organizations and targeted at third and fourth generation youths.
As part of this campaign and also in order to present Greek American writers,
the publishing house 'Seaburn' organized a three-month seminar on the Greek
language and culture. During the opening of the seminar, on Oct. 24 at the
Bryant High School, Seaburn director Dr. Sam Chekwas presented to students a
new English translation of poetry by
Dionysios Solomos.
Further, Seaburn's annual exhibition of Greek books will open in Stamford,
Connecticut, Nov. 16. The exhibition will then travel to many other states,
including New York and Philadelphia.
—
Athens News Agency, News in English (AM), 97-11-06
© 1995-2005 HR-Net (Hellenic Resources Network)
BOOK EVENT, Athens, Greece 2003
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An Evening for Dr. Sam Chekwas
- Booksigning Event, Athens,
Greece 2003
Click image for closer view |
STORES FOR ETHNIC & FOREIGN-LANGUAGE BOOKS BLOOM IN NEW
YORK
Greece Is the Word: Sam Chekwas in Seaburn, his
store in Astoria. |
Sam Chekwas was born in Nigeria, studied
dentistry in Greece, and now runs Seaburn Bookstore in Astoria,
Queens, which features an extensive selection of books in Greek
and growing selections by Hispanic and African-American authors.
"When I came to Astoria 15 years ago, there were no
African-American books, so we brought them in," says Chekwas,
43, a man with bubbling energy and a sunny smile. "Then we
brought in Greek books and expanded into other areas. Next I'm
going to concentrate on living African authors." |
Seaburn already stocks books by Chinua Achebe, an international famous author
who comes from Chekwas' hometown of Ibo; there are also titles by fellow
Africans Chudi Uwazurike and Wole Soyinka...
"What we're trying to do is make sure families can find books," says Chekwas,
who runs the business with the help of his wife, Tyra, and the moral support of
their three young children.
... Sam and Tyra Chekwas are clearly on a mission.
"We don't do this just to survive and make money," he says. "We do it to serve.
And I think the community should have an interest in keeping stores like ours
alive."
Read the full article at
New York Daily News...
—
Stores for ethnic & foreign-language books bloom in New York , by Bill
Morris
© 2005 New York Daily News
THE KOSTIS PALAMAS DISTINGUISHED HONOR AWARD - March 11, 2000
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The Kostis Palamas Distinguished Honor Award,
presented to Dr. Sam Chekwas, in grateful recognition for his
dedicated academic, cultural and civic contributions to the
Hellenic-American Community of Greater New York.
Click image for closer view |
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NIGERIAN AUTHOR HAS BESTSELLER IN GREECE - January 7, 1995
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Sam Chekwas: Nigerian author has bestseller in
Greece "A graduate of the Aristotle University of
Thessaloniki, Dr. Chekwas has the distinction of becoming the
first African to write a literary work in Greek, and his
articles are featured in many Greek newspapers and journals.
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| His novel
Ogbanje, become an instant success when initially published.
He continues his efforts here in New York, both among the Greek
and the African communities. He is the New York coordinator of
PAIDEIA, a worldwide organization dedicated to the presentation
of the Greek language and culture and president of Elekwa
Memorial Foundation, a cultural and educational organization
dedicated to serving the African communities in America..." — Laurence Middleton
The New York Amsterdam News
© 2005 The New York Amsterdam News |
PUBLISHED BOOKS:
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Ogbanje "Son of the Gods"
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ΕΛΛΑΔΑ, ΤΟ ΟΝΕΙΡΟ ΜΙΑΣ ΖΩΗΣ,
Greece, A Life Time Dream
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ΤΟ ΘΑΥΜΑ ΝΑ ΝΟΙΩΘΕΙΣ ΕΛΛΗΝΑΣ,
The Beauty of Being Greek
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Baby Names for African Children
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Mischievous Acts and Repercussions
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100 Steps Necessary for Survival
in America for People of Color
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Η ΔΙΚH ΜΟΥ ΠΟΛΗ
- Coming Soon
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ΚΑΦΕΝΕΙΑΚOΣ
- Sold Out
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