County Executive Thomas P. Gordon and County Council President Rev. Dr. Christopher A. Bullock will dedicate February as Black History Month in New Castle County at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, February 6, 2016 at the Walnut Street YMCA, 1000 North Walnut Street, Wilmington, Delaware.
The County Executive and the Council President will participate in a Proclamation Signing Ceremony and Program.
“We shall pay tribute to the generations of African Americans who have contributed to our history and culture as a nation,” Gordon said.
The program will feature a special presentation on the patriotic Tuskegee Airmen, a step performance by the talented youth group, “Poetry in Motion”, as well as rhythmic African drumming. New Castle County Council President Bullock says of the upcoming event, “Celebrating Black History month through ceremonies such as this one serves an integral purpose in building a strong and vibrant community. It proves absolutely vital to endow a deeper understanding of what we celebrate every February.”
The Proclamation Signing Ceremony and Program is presented by New Castle County’s Department of Community Services in conjunction with the African American Heritage Center, Afro-American Historical Society of Delaware, and the YMCA Black Achievers Program. The month-long celebration honors the immeasurable contributions of African Americans to the nation’s collective culture and history. Program coordinators, General Manager Sophia Hanson and Harmon Carey, Executive Director of the Afro-American Historical Society of Delaware, invite citizens to participate in this and other celebratory events honoring African Americans during Black History Month.
The Walnut Street YMCA was constructed in 1939 and has been serving the African American community ever since. The Black Achievers Program was established in 1989 to provide college readiness and career awareness to African American teens. Their work has enriched the community and provided support to its members along with the Afro-American Historical society and the Center for African American Heritage.
For information on all upcoming events celebrating Black History Month, visit nccde.org/specialevents.