A Tribute to African American Achievement

This evening I was in Minneapolis, attending a tribute to African American Achievement. The event, part of Black History Month, was held at the Greater Friendship Baptist Church.

With jokes and wisecracks and boundless energy, the master of ceremonies, seen on the left, kept the audience in high spirits throughout the evening.

Advertized under the title "Why God Made me Black" this was a rich offering of comedy, poetry, spirituals, gospel music, history and a fashion show.

There were many performers, such as this group of Gospel singers, who put up a spirited performance.










This group took us to the days of slavery. Here they are playing the part of slaves working in the field, singing spirituals.






















































There was a fashion show, put up by the group seen on the left, departing the stage after making their final bow to the audience. With the help of a commentator, the fashion show highlighted the history of African Americans fashion over the decades. The show included several West African costumes.



This young girl gave a solo performance of dance movements.












One of the most touching moments for me was when one of the facilitators of the event talked about the Second Chance Foundation, which seeks to give people a second chance at education and self improvement. He asked for donations, as collectors of the donations positioned themselves in front of the auditorium. It was touching to see the outpouring of generosity as people streamed forward to give their donations. I joined them.

This was an evening of entertainment and education. At one point, the facilitator asked the audience questions about African American history. For example, he asked when the first African slaves arrived in the USA. Another question was what was the first state to free slaves. There were questions also about famous inventors and artists. To this audience, the questions were rather challenging, a reminder that belonging to a certain group is one thing, but knowing the history and experience of that group requires effort.

A Black History Event in St. Paul, Minnesota

I was in St. Paul, Minnesota, this evening, with my oldest daughter, attending the Fifth Annual Black History Event, held at the Merrick Community Center. I learned about this event on Facebook and made arrangements right away to participate as a vendor.




There were introductions and greetings.













Groups of young people gave energetic and creative dance performances, amazingly choreographed.









I marveled at the displays of talent and self-assurance of the youthful performers.











I was amazed by the agility of their bodies as they executed complicated moves in perfect harmony with the music.










They sang various songs, including, "Lift Every Voice and Sing," whose words were written by James Weldon Johnson and music by John R. Johnson. It was interesting for me as an African to learn that this is the Black National Anthem.





There were people of all ages, from children to older adults.












I wanted, in part, to experience an African American celebration, and that is exactly what happened. Being among all these African Americans was quite an experience.








Although their mannerisms felt somewhat African, I could feel the difference between that gathering and an African gathering. For example, I did not hear the familiar African accents. The dances and the music were all African American. It was refreshing to see that kind of attachment to one's own traditions, a reminder of the history of struggle to define oneself and stay true to oneself.

An African celebration in the United States would be a caccophony of accents, and the dances and music would be an incredible mix of everything, from Papa Wemba to Bob Marley, with lots of Michael Jackson and Kool and the Gang thrown in. That also is good, signifying a certain global perspective.



I visited the tables of fellow vendors and gathered useful material about resources and organizations I was not aware of, which deal with such issues as education, culture and the welfare of families.

Towards the end of the proceedings, Tommy Watson, the keynote speaker, gave an inspiring message of hope, based on the incredible challenges he had faced and overcome in his own life.






I had a chance to talk with several people, including a lady who said she was originally from Mississippi. She told my daughter and me about the reality of life in the American South. My daughter, who had visited Mississippi for a few days as part of a College of St. Catherine student trip, could related to the stories better than I.

I also spoke with a gentleman who came to my table asking questions about my writings, especially on the African and African Diaspora experience. He struck me with his engaging thoughts and questions. He was both a good talker and a good listener.

Overall, the Black History Celebration was a great experience.