Black Expo previewed
By Sam Atkins
Published in News on April 21, 2004 2:05 PM
The history and heritage of blacks in and around Wayne County will be at the forefront during a day-long festival at Waynesborough Historical Village.
The free event, called Black Expo -- A Glimpse of History, will be on Saturday, May 1, from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. It is open to everybody and is the first of what will be a series of ethnic cultural events held at the village this year.
"The purpose is to display cultural events that surround the lives and history of African Americans," said Ray Swinson, events chairman of the Old Waynesborough Commission. A committee has been planning the event since November and it is the first of its kind at the village. He hopes it will be an annual event.
There will be tours of the village, vendors, ethnic art and craft displays, games, gospel singing in the village featuring area choirs and groups, speeches by the Tuskegee Airmen and food including barbecue chicken, fried fish, hot dogs, ice cream and snow cones. People are encouraged to bring their lawn chairs and blankets.
The singing will begin around 2 p.m. in an open air concert area on the village grounds. There are several gospel groups lined up so far, including God's Creation, Carl Wooten and the Soul Seekers, and Carolina Soulful Aires. Nicholas Cole is also planning to play his keyboard. Other groups and exhibitors are welcome to show up and participate and should begin setting up at 7:30 a.m. on the day of the event.
A T-shirt contest was held to determine what logo would go on the shirts sold at the event.
There were 11 entries from local elementary, middle and high school students and the person who designed the winning logo will receive a $50 gift certificate to a local art supply store, a free T-shirt, and a certificate from the commission.
Swinson hopes people will come out and see what the village has to offer. He plans to make it more accessible to the community and have more events for people of all different cultures, including a Hispanic Expo and Native American Expo.
The rain date for the event is May 22. The village is at 801 U.S. 117 S. Bypass in Goldsboro. For more information, call 731-1653 or e-mail waynesborough@earthlink.net. People can use the village for weddings, parties, family reunions or other events.