African American Heritage Day
Contact: Kathy Talbot
Phone: 301.283.2113 ext. 32
Email: ktalbot@accokeek.org
Sponsored by The Washington Post Company and The Africa Channel
Saturday, August 4, 2007 from Noon - 6:00 p.m.
Rain or shine. Admission $3. Members free.
Bring your family to the National Colonial Farm on Saturday, August 4th from noon to 6:00 p.m. to celebrate the cultural, educational, and creative contributions of African Americans to Maryland! Musicians, museums, entertainers, artists, foodways demonstrators, craft and food vendors will be on site all day.
Kids will enjoy plenty of hands-on activities and the storytelling of Circling Eagle, Sandi English as "Mammy Reminiscence", Donna Washington and Jo Mimms. Local favorites, Archie Edwards Blues Heritage Foundation, the African dancers and drummers of North Carolina-based Sankofa, The Gospel Soul Seeks, and BluesWorks will each have 45 minute shows under the performance tent.
Michael Twitty of African Foodways, and National Colonial Farm costumed interpreters will be educating visitors on colonial foods. Guests can learn more about African American history and contributions by visiting with Dorsey Chapel, Charles County African American Heritage Center, Friends of the Oakley Cabin, The Menare Foundation, African American Genealogical Society, Banneker Douglass Museum, Sotterley Plantation, Mildred Ridgley Gray Charitable Trust and School, National Museum of Civil War Medicine, the Mary Mcleod Bethune Council, and Benjamin Banneker Park and Museum, which will be exhibiting throughout the day.
The event will also include a special performance by the Museum Theater Interns, who have been trained on period-appropriate dialect, social norms, costumes and skills to portray life on a middling tobacco farm in colonial Maryland. The Interns have spent the summer immersing themselves in colonial ways by working the farm, working period tools, cooking using period methods, and presenting to the public their characters' perspectives on slavery. Each Intern has researched and developed characters and vignettes to culminate in a performance at this year's African American Heritage Day.
Traditional African foods, seafood, BBQ, funnel cakes, hot dogs, and kettle corn will be available for purchase. Local crafters will be selling hand painted gifts, African themed gifts, masks, clothing, jewelry, batiks, mixed media artwork, photographs and much more.
This event is rain or shine. Admission is $3. Members are free.
About the Africa Channel: The Africa Channel is a showcase for the African continent's most outstanding English language television series, specials, documentaries feature films, music, event specials, biographies, soap operas, current business analysis, cultural and historical programs and shows that reflect the people of Africa, their incredible stories, their daily lives, their music and art, their successes, celebrations and challenges. The Africa Channel will transport you into a world filled with rich cultures, heart-stopping adventures, emotional human dramas and award-winning entertainment programming. Then there is the music, with all of the richness, texture and tradition of the countless musical cultures found on the African Continent. For more information, please click here.
About the Washington Post Company: The Washington Post Company (NYSE:WPO) is a diversified media and education company whose principal operations include newspaper and magazine publishing, television broadcasting, cable television systems, electronic information services, and educational and career services. For more information, please click here.