Celebrate Mercer’s Black History In February
Dalton Christopher
Herald Staff
dchristopher@harrodsburgherald.com
The West Lane Park Board of Harrodsburg will sponsor two events to celebrate Black History Month: the second annual Heritage Prayer Breakfast on Feb. 3 and the Fourth Annual Black Tie Gala on Feb. 17. The theme for both events is “Black History – The Strength in Our Past Gives Us Faith in Our Future.”
Tickets are $5 at the door for the Heritage Prayer Breakfast on Saturday, Feb. 3, starting at 9 a.m. at Centennial Baptist Church. At 10 a.m., three local pastors—Rev. Greg Johnson of the Centennial Baptist Church, Rev. Virgil Hill of the First Baptist Church and Rev. William Jenkins of St. Peter AME—will deliver sermonettes. Music will be provided by Gerald Miller. In addition, Dr. Carolyn DuPointe, professor of history at Eastern Kentucky University in Richmond, will give a presentation on the significance of Black History Month.
Tickets for the Fourth Annual Black Tie Gala are $30 per person or $18 per student, 18 and younger, and will only be available for purchase until Monday, Feb. 12.
The gala will take place on Saturday, Feb. 17, at the Lion’s Park Community Center on East Factory Street, beginning at 6:30 p.m. The dinner will be followed by entertainment and dancing.
The keynote speaker for the gala is Dr. Lucian Yates III, a Harrodsburg native who serves as dean of graduate studies at Tennessee State University.
Lolita Short, event organizer, said she is excited to have Yates speak to the community.
“To have someone of his caliber so readily willing to come back home and speak to our community is exciting,” Short said.
Lucian Yates III, an educator and Harrodsburg native, will give the keynote address at the Fourth Annual Black Tie Gala on Feb. 17.
Short said it’s important to remember Black History Month as more than just a celebration.
“We need to embrace the thought that this is everyone’s history,” she said. “We cannot get to a point of unity in our community until we understand each other.”
Proceeds will fund maintenance and renovations at the West Lane Park, which is designated as “A Community Park.”
Breakfast tickets on Feb. 3 are $5 at the door. Black Tie Gala tickets on Feb. 17 are $30 per person or $18 per student, 18 and younger, and will not be for sale after Monday, Feb. 12.
For tickets, call Lolita Short at 613-3342, Maureen Dunn at 612-1697 or Kathryn VanDyke at 859-420-0769.
To learn more, check out this week’s edition of the Harrodsburg Herald.
