Community members came together at the New Beginnings Agape Christian Center on Friday night to educate, remember, and celebrate Black History Month.

Coordinated by the Court Street School Education Community Center Board of Trustees, the celebration included song, dance, spoken word, and music, from local community members. According to Trena Parks, Court Street School Trustee, preparation for the night’s events took a couple of months but willing participants were easy to come by.

“Every performance spot is filled tonight,” explained Parks. “We [Board of Trustees] asked groups to come in and perform so now we do not have any more space for other people to come in tonight.”

With community members from all different religions and backgrounds filling up the New Beginnings Agape Christian Center, the night started off with a speech from Court Street School Board of Trustee’s President Lillie Hendry.

“We are all so happy for all of us to be together tonight to celebrate Black History Month. Tonight we truly are a community,” said Hendry.

Minister Ricky White was the M.C. for the night. In addition to introducing each performance, White kept the audience engaged between acts by providing insight and tying each performance into the celebration of Black History Month.

Performances for the Black History Month Commemorative Program were as follows:

• Liturgical Dance – New Beginnings Agape Christian Center and Impact Ministries
• Poetic Oratiry – Eva Simms “God’s Supermarket”
• Spoken Word – Rev. William Fredrickson First Baptist Church
• Hand Bell Choir – First Presbyterian Church
• Poetic Oratory – Brain Rubin
• Liturgical Dance – Faith Tabernacle UHC
• Selection – New Hope Baptist Church
• Vocal Specialty – Paul Norris
• Spoken Word – Bishop Fred Rubin Community Refuge
• Selection – Bethel Senior Choir “Spirituals”
• Selection – Bethel Men’s Chorus
• Gospel Vocalist – Darius Newman
• Selection – New Beginnings Agape Christian Center
• Remarks – Rev. Dr. Andre McGuire, Host Pastor and Board of Trustees President, Lillie Hendry
• “I Have A Dream” – Amed Saddiq
• “We Shall Overcome”
• Benediction – Rev. R.D. Pierce