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Community Corner

African Heritage Cultural Festival: Sharing Cultures and History

"Reaching Back Moving Forward" annual street fair at the Charles Houston Recreation Center brought together music, dance and community organizations, highlighting the African-American experience in Alexandria

Cheryl Lawrence of the City of Alexandria's Department of Parks, Recreation ad Cultural Activities welcomed everyone to the city's annual African Heritage Culture Festival, explaining: "This is one of our annual events to give back to the community and share cultural heritages. This is our day to come together."

The street  festival, held Saturday afternoon between the Charles Houston Recreation Center on Wythe Street and the Alexandria Black History Museum, brought together community organizations with cultural, educational and performance groups.

A film festival was held in the museum at the same time and the Northern Virginia Buffalo Soldiers Motorcycle Club presented an educational program in the Recreation Center. The Department of Recreation, Parks and Cultural Activities and the African Heritage Festival Committee cosponsored the festival.

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The festival theme, "Reaching Back Moving Forward," highlighted the African-American experience in Alexandria from the Civil War era to the present.

Lawrence commented on the history of the event's location, saying, "This is historical Alexandria." Charles Houston School was a high school for African-American students many years ago. The school then became an elementary school and later was developed into a recreation center.

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Emcee James Henson explained the "Pouring of Libation" ceremony, saying that it is a respectful ceremony to honor our ancestors who have passed on. He introduced Coffi Bagbonon, who carried out the ceremonial pouring of water   onto a living plant.

Henson then introduced Dr. Elton S. Wallace, "a man who has a Ph.D. in Math but he's a passionate historian and he's written about Alexandria's Civil War Churches."

Wallace, whose family formerly grew tobacco in North Carolina, commented that he was still a farmer, but that now the crop was cotton, and that other nationalities, not African-Americans, pick the cotton.

Wallace, a member of the Alfred Street Baptist Church, spoke about the history of the six black churches in Alexandria, and how African-Americans were always permitted to worship in these churches. He also spoke about two outstanding chaplains during this period, Reverend Samuel W. Madden Reverend Warren Adkins.

The Washington Revels Jubilee Voices, dressed in costumes of the Civil War period, presented their program. The group is committed to the preservation of African-American history and traditions - the songs, the stories the struggle and perseverance, trials and triumphs as expressed through a cappella  music, drama and dance.

Other performers included: Sandra Y. Johnson Sextet (jazz and blues), Alexandria City Community Theatre, Silk and Soul Hand Dance Academy, Blazin Breeze Band (reggae and calypso),Elikeh Band (Afropop), David's Dancers (liturgical dance) and the Mike Stephens Project (smooth jazz).

The department sponsors other festivals including the Irish Festival on Saturday, Aug. 13 and Cambodian Day scheduled for Sunday, Aug. 21.

For information about other festivals and events, visit alexandriava.gov/recreation or call the City's Special Events Hotline at 703-746-5592  or the Office of Special Events at 703-746-5418.

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