THOMASVILLE — A local event is gearing up for its third year of community outreach and education as the 2009 Black Heritage Festival of Southwest Georgia kicks off Feb. 13.

The festival, presented by Jack Hadley Black History Museum and Douglass High School Alumni Association, honors local and national African-American achievers and is held the second weekend in February.

“We started two years ago after we opened the museum and felt like the next phase was to organize an annual festival,” Hadley said. “We have a rich history that has not really been explored the way it should have and the museum and festival is a way to do that.”

It offers entertainment, foods, crafts and family fun, as well as the opportunity to unite the community, educate youths and inspire change, organizers said.

“Let’s not rely on our new president to create change for our community, but let’s start within our own community to create change, to get our young people more involved,” Michael Witherspoon, festival chairman, said. “You don’t have to go to Atlanta or somewhere else to be a part of things. You can do stuff right here in Thomasville. And I don’t just mean African-Americans — the community has a lot of history here, and the young people need to be exposed to that foundation.”

A group of Thomas University students will start the Feb. 13 festivities by reading an abridged version of “A Raisin in the Sun” by Lorraine Hansberry

Witherspoon said he is happy that TU wanted to do this and it will “definitely bring in something different” to the festival.

On Feb. 14, the festival will continue with the main day of activities, including an opening ceremony to honor local beauty queens.

In the past, people from various fields in entertainment have attended the event, Hadley said, but this year things are different.

“We are honoring all of Thomasville’s and surrounding area’s queens from the cities, high schools and sororities,” he said. “We want to recognize these young ladies. We are trying to put the focus back on our local people.”

Doris Booker, president of the Douglass Alumni Association, said the camaraderie of the people and the museum, housed at the old Douglas High School, help make the festival successful.

“Certainly, Douglass High School was a legacy for the community,” she said. “The alumni formed more than 15 years ago, and we wanted to keep the name of the school alive because we almost lost it after integration. It is a very important school, and there are a number of people locally who graduated from that school.”

The festival will also feature foods and crafts vendors, horse rides by the Thomasville Area Buffalo Soldiers Association, the buffalo soldiers’ motorcycle club, museum tours, a talent scout from Atlanta to hear musical performances and a health fair sponsored by Archbold Memorial Hospital.

“I think the health fair will really be something of interest to people,” Witherspoon said. “There will be a variety of free clinical testing such as blood pressure, vision and pulmonary function.”

A Valentine’s Ball will be held Sas a fund-raiser for the museum, which houses more than 3,000 artifacts highlighting local and national black history, and the alumni association.

The festival will conclude Feb. 15 with a Gospel.

“We are really fired up about the festival,” Witherspoon said. “We want people to embrace their culture and feel as though they are somebody.”

Hadley said the festival is getting good support from the community and in-kind services. He stressed the festival is not just for African-Americans.

“We want people to come to the festival — white and black — to support it and our local community,” he said. “This will also bring in money for our hotels, foods and downtown shops in this tough economic time.”

Booker said the Black Heritage Festival is unique in the area.

“I don’t think there is anything else like it in southwest Georgia that relates to black history,” she said.



WHAT: Black History Festival of Southwest Georgia

WHEN: February 13-15

WHERE: Jack Hadley Black History Museum and the Douglass Complex, 214 Alexander St., Thomasville

FEES: Events will be free and open to the public; donations accepted

MUSEUM ADMISSION: $3.50 per person

INFO: Contact the Jack Hadley Black History Museum at 226-5029



Schedule

Feb. 13

6:30 p.m. — “A Raisin in the Sun” by Thomas University in Douglass Auditorium



Feb. 14

Honorary service — 10 a.m.

Health fair — 10 a.m. until 2 p.m.

Valentine’s Ball — 8 p.m. until at Receptions for You, 1200 W. Jackson St.



Feb. 15

Gospel Fest — 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Douglass Complex