12th Annual African American Celebration This Weekend

Story by Lindsey Chester | February 18, 2010 | Tags: Black History Month, Campaign 4 change, Herb Young Community Center, Town of Parks and Recreation, ujima

Black History Month. illustration by dinoxxlove

Cary, NC – This Saturday marks the 12th annual Cary celebration of Black History month. Jazz, history, demonstrations and food are all part of the fun at the Herb Young Community Center.

The theme this year is  “Front and Center: Empowering Young Minds”, with a focus on promoting peace, leadership and community involvement.

For the past 12 years, The Ujima Group, Inc. has hosted an African American Cultural Celebration during Black History month. The festival is a free, daylong public celebration. It builds awareness of African American history and culture through demonstrations, a children’s village, jazz performances, and ethnic foods.

Ujima means  “collective work and responsibility.” The Ujima group in Cary helps to promote these principles through their sponsorship of the Kwanzaa celebration in December and the Black History Month celebration every February.

About some of the performers:

Campaign 4 Change- founded by a former gang- banger, Mr. Otis R. Lyons aka Vegas Don, this rap group’s message is to keep youth out of trouble as stated on their website “Minds are like parachutes, they only function when they’re open”

Lois Deloatch - With a new CD coming out soon, Lois possesses “a distinctive and original voice (and) offers us a soulful and spiritually uplifting tribute…”—Ed Thigpen

The Abdullah Rahman Trio plays jazz in the area- they have been featured at Kwanzaa and will be performing again at the rescheduled African American Celebration at the  North Carolina History Museum in June.

Pline Mounzeo, Congolese Drummer

Jordan Farrell Dance Group

Ujima is co-sponsoring the event with the Town of Cary. The event takes place this Saturday, February 20th from 11am- 5 pm at the Herb Young Community Center and is free and open to the public.

Find this event and everything else happening in Cary on the Cary Citizen Calendar. If you know of an event that you would like us to add, please email Lindsey Chester.