Black History Month Celebration

Community gathers for a night of soulful celebration, learning

By DON WILBURN

donaldfwilburn@gmail.com

Last month, the Eugene Woods Civic Center in West Memphis was filled with the soulful sounds of gospel music and the spirit of celebration as the community came together to honor Black History Month. The event, organized by Community Outreach Director Theresa Bowe, was a collaborative effort with the Boys and Girls Club of West Memphis and featured a lineup of guest choirs singers including Kevin Davidson and the 4EC, the Mellowtones and the Academies of West Memphis Choir.

“My vision and idea was to have it on the last day of the month.” says Bowe, “I wanted to end it with a bang so to speak, a night of celebration and uplifting. When I think of my people and what they had to overcome, singing was their outlet, I wanted it to be a celebration of that.”

The celebration kicked off at 6pm with a powerful rendition of spiritual songs that uplifted all in attendance.

See BHM, page A2

The night was blessed with the beautiful voices of the Academies of West Memphis Choir.

Submitted photo BHM

From page A1

The event’s focus was not only on celebrating the rich history of African-Americans but also on educating and inspiring young people about their heritage. As part of this effort, an exhibition was set up on tripods in the foyer of the civic center showcasing prominent African-Americans throughout history, created by children from the Boys and Girls Club.

One of the evening’s highlights was Marylin Felix’s reading of a moving poem by Maya Angelou, followed by a stirring inspirational sermon from Pastor Johnathon Davis of Kingdom Seekers. The young performers from the Boys and Girls Club also took the stage to present a skit about civil rights icon Rosa Parks, bringing her story to life for a new generation.

When asked if there was a specific figure in Black History who had a special meaning to Bowe she quoted Frederick Douglas saying “People might not get all they work for in this world, but you must certainly work for all you get.”

TOP: Kids from the Boys & Girls Club put on a skit reenacting the story of Rosa Parks.

ABOVE:

There was standing room only before the night was over.

RIGHT: The Mayors of West Memphis and Earle joined together in solidarity.

Submitted photos