This year's Celebration of Black Women, originally scheduled for today, will not be held because the event's keynote speaker was unable to attend.

BankBoston executive Gail Snowden could not speak because of extra work resulting from the merger of BankBoston and Fleet Bank, according to Keith E. Bernard '99, the president of the Black Men's Forum (BMF), the event's sponsor.

The Celebration of Black Women is an annual show dedicated to the importance of black women, especially within the black community. It was planned to take place in Lowell Lecture Hall this evening.

Organizers chose not to reschedule the event because of logistical concerns. The change would have caused confusion and decreased attendance, Bernard said. He added that the event might conflict with others already scheduled.

"It was probably best not to have it if it was going to be in some dining hall with 15 people--if it was not the speaker we wanted and not the acts [we wanted]," Bernard said.

BMF Vice President Ian Hunt '99 said Snowden, BankBoston's head of New England retail banking, was chosen to speak for two reasons: her professional accomplishments and her involvement in community service.

Bernard said the Celebration of Black Women would continue to be a part of the "BMF tradition."

"We're still going to do at least one more event that's open to the public and for people other than our normal membership [this year]," Bernard said.