New Castle – New Castle County has announced the 2023 Black History Month celebration open house event with a focus on African culture to take place on Saturday, February 4 from 11 am – 2 pm at the Walnut Street YMCA, 1000 N. Walnut Street, Wilmington, Delaware 19801.
In collaboration with Walnut Street Y Black Achievers, the open house event will feature performances, speakers, demonstrations, food tastings, face painting, history boards, make-and-take crafts, and merchants. Admission is free to the public.
We are very excited to be showcasing varied perspectives and connections to African culture including live demonstrations of braiding, head wrapping, beading, pottery, drumming, and art. The 2023 program includes the return of live performances including music, dance, and speakers. Girl Scouts of all levels who attend the event will earn a Black History Month fun patch. Find the most up-to-date information at https://www.nccde.org/930/Celebrate-Black-History-Month.
New Castle County Division of Community Resources and The Walnut Street YMCA have partnered on the annual Black History Month celebration for 9 years. In 2022 the Black History Month celebration welcomed over 200 guests.
NCC Black History Program: Celebration of African Culture
Walnut Street YMCA, Saturday, February 4, 2023, 11 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Open House style event with speakers and performances - see schedule below:
Performances/ Speakers
11:00 am Drum Call with Gadangme Delaware
Lift Every Voice and Sing, Black National Anthem lead by Rita Dee Porter
Welcome, County Executive Matthew Meyer
11:30 am Bayard Borchestra
12:00 pm Pieces of a Dream
12:15 pm Miss Juneteenth
12:20 pm Demitrius and Bryce Bullock The Importance of African Culture in American art
12:30 pm Afrodisiac dance troupe from University of Delaware
1:00 pm Baba Hamin EL The Meaning and Value of African Culture
1:15 pm Harriet Tubman Homeschoolers
1:30 pm Imani Wulff-Cochrane - African Dance
1:45 pm Essence Legacy Performing Arts
Ongoing Schedule: 11:00 am – 2:00 pm
• African food tastings
• make-and-take crafts
• African face painting
• merchants
• demonstrations
• performances
• history displays
Merchants: 11:00 am – 2:00 pm
• Benjamina Fashions
• TESS African Braiding (braiding demonstration)
• Twins Bid African Clothing (head wrap demonstration)
• Samara Weaver (pottery demonstration)
• Precious Sudz
• Nonny’s Shea Butters
• Jewels by Jess (beading demonstration)
• Demetrius Motion Bullock (art demonstration)
• mQueen of Sheba Oasis
• International Food Market African Cuisine
• Author Sheila Hayford
Organizations: 11:00 am – 2:00 pm
• Walnut Street YMCA Black Achievers
• The Center for Global Africa at Delaware State University
• Gadangme Delaware (drum demonstrations)
• Delaware African Student Association of the University of Delaware
• Delaware History Museum and Mitchell Center for African American Heritage
• African American Heritage Center
• Delaware Juneteenth
• New Castle County Department of Community Services
• New Castle County Libraries
Please note: the program, merchants and organizations are subject to change without notice.