Black History Weekend in White County, AR 2006

The Daily Citizen

St. Mary Assistance and Prevention Program (SAPP) will hold a community-wide Black History Awareness Weekend, which will offer several free events to the community during the Feb. 17-19 weekend, Pastor William Gant of St. Mary Christian Methodist Episcopal Church said.

“I’d like for the public to know this is inclusive of everyone. Just because you aren’t black, it doesn’t mean you aren’t invited. It’s not about black people; it’s about history,” said Marva Holiday, a Black History Awareness Committee member.

The theme for this year’s event, “We’ve come this far by faith,” highlights the spiritual reliance on God for the significant achievements of African Americans, Holiday said.

The second annual event will begin at 6 p.m. Friday night, Feb. 17, with an opening reception at Carmichael Center, which will include featured speaker J. Leon Johnson. Johnson is an attorney, former acting attorney general and a Beebe native who now lives and practices law in Little Rock.

There will also be a Power Point presentation of last year’s Black History Awareness Weekend events, and Holiday’s children — ages 6, 9, 13 and 15 — will share their experiences of meeting The Little Rock Nine during the dedication of their statue at the Capitol Building in Little Rock.

“They are a significant part of our history,” Holiday said.

There will be information booths, a display depicting black history, and refreshments will be served, Holiday said.

“Last year the display was very profound,” she said. “I’m just excited about the whole weekend. I’m excited about the cooperation we have received from the whole community — the mayor, the police department and the businesses who gave their consent to the parade route.”

The parade will highlight African-Americans in White County who are making history and making significant achievements and contributions to White County, Gant said.

Evelyn Green, recently inducted into Searcy Public Schools Hall of Fame, will serve as Grand Marshal for the 11 a.m. parade on Saturday, Feb. 13. Other dignitaries and featured groups will include Miss Arkansas, Eudora Mosby; retired teachers from the area; King Solomon Masonic Lodge #473; and color guards.

The parade will start at West Academy St. and Gum St. near Ahlf Junior High School, go east on Spruce, south to Arch and then end on Spring St.

Immediately after the parade, there will be free fellowship, including refreshments, at Spring Park.

The Philander Smith College Choir, which performed at President Clinton’s inauguration, will perform at First United Methodist Church in Searcy at 6 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 18.

“This is a community celebration, not a black celebration,” Gant said. “It is to help the young, middle-aged and older people understand the contributions African Americans have made to White County history. Sometimes those contributions are overlooked.”

Gant said that African Americans who grew up in White County still often have to go outside the county in order to find a good career.

“We want to show that we have the ability. This is our home. We want to find jobs here,” Gant said. “We have the ability. If this is going to be a Christian community, we need to have the opportunity.”

Gant, past president of the Ministerial Alliance, said that even within a Christian community, there are diverse ways of worshiping, but the basic principles of love are the same and should be applied to jobs and the social sphere, as well.

“They are supposed to love me as much as I love them,” Gant said. “When it comes to a job, it shouldn’t be based on whether you are black or white. It should be based on ability.”

Holiday summed up this year’s theme.

“We have come a long way, but we have not arrived,” Holiday said. “Every day everyone has to make an effort — black and white.”

SAPP, a faith-based, non-profit organization with headquarters at St. Mary C.M.E. Church, provides the community with programs such as after-school tutoring, substance abuse referral services and prevention services.