Black History series set at New Hope

The Mississippi Link Newswire

famlifecenThe fifth annual “Back in the Day” Black History series will be held at 6 p.m. each Thursday at 6 p.m. during February in the New Hope Baptist Church Family Life Center, Robert B. Cooper Gymnasium, 5202 Watkins Drive, in Jackson.

The 2016 series will highlight the following themes, guest speakers and special presentations:

Tonight is the “New Hope Legacy Night.”  The guest speaker will be Attorney Charlene Stimley Priester, managing member of the Priester Law Firm, PLLC and mother of Jackson City Council president, Attorney Melvin Priester. New Hope Christian School students will present a special feature.

Feb. 11 is “Mississippi Living Legends Night.” Four Mississippi living legends will be honored. They are: The Honorable Robert G. Clark Sr., who in 1967, became the first African American elected to the Legislature; Ineva May Pittman, local educator and noted NAACP community activist; Ellie J. Dahmer, widow of Vernon Dahmer, who was killed in Hattiesburg because of his passion to encourage citizens to register and vote; and Dr. Robert H. Smith Jr., acclaimed university educator and proponent of educational opportunities for thousands of students. Special musical guest will be the Callaway High School Singers.

Feb. 18, is “Youth Heritage Night.” The guest speaker is Miss Mississippi 2014-2015 Jasmine Murray. Special musical guest will be the Tougaloo College Chorale.

Feb. 25, is the “Grand Finalé.” The guest speaker is Keith Beauchamp, New York filmmaker and producer, whose documentary, “The Untold Story of Emmett Till caused the U.S. Department of Justice to reopen the Emmett Till murder case. Excerpts from the documentary will be shown.  Special theatrical performance will be presented by MADDRAMA. In addition, members of the Emmett Till family will be our honored guests.

These programs are free and open to the public. This four-part series is financially assisted by the National Endowment for the Humanities through the Mississippi Humanities Council.

For additional information, contact Flonzie Brown Wright, Black History coordinator at (601) 981-8696 or New Hope Baptist Church at (601) 366-7002. The Rev. Jerry Young is pastor.

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